Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

Environmental News

MPR News is your source for environment news from Minnesota and across the country.

Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

Getting to Green is an MPR News series that shares stories about Minnesota’s clean energy transition, including what needs to be done to get there.

Submit a question or story for Getting to Green here.

Climate Cast

Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

Court of Appeals sends PolyMet's air permits back to MPCA

Court of Appeals sends PolyMet's air permits back to MPCA

The air permits are the latest PolyMet permit requiring further review by the agency that awarded it.

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Judge backs Minnesota's Twin Metals mine in lease dispute

Judge backs Minnesota's Twin Metals mine in lease dispute

A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by environmental groups against the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, saying the Interior Department had the authority to reverse itself and renew the project's federal mineral rights leases.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Walleye fishing catch-and-release only again on Mille Lacs, closed entirely in July

Walleye fishing catch-and-release only again on Mille Lacs, closed entirely in July

The restrictions are due in part to a record ice fishing season on the lake this winter. Poor ice conditions on other lakes meant increased traffic on Mille Lacs, resulting in what the DNR called the "highest fishing pressure there in 30 years." Anglers harvested almost 30,000 pounds, leaving only 57,000 pounds available.
by MPR News Staff

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Myth-busting: You won’t get COVID-19 from your tap water

Myth-busting: You won’t get COVID-19 from your tap water

As concern grows over the spread of COVID-19, many people across Minnesota and the U.S. have been stocking up on items like food, cleaning supplies and bottled water. But why water? We asked some experts about water and COVID-19, and here’s what we learned.
by Kirsti Marohn

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Australia's fire-ravaged forests are recovering. Ecologists hope it lasts

Australia's fire-ravaged forests are recovering. Ecologists hope it lasts

After devastating fires, there are signs of regrowth across much of eastern Australia. But there's also concern that a changing climate may alter some of the country's unique landscapes forever.
by Nathan Rott

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
51 invasive carp caught in Mississippi River near La Crosse

51 invasive carp caught in Mississippi River near La Crosse

It’s the largest number found so far upstream in the Mississippi. No breeding populations have been detected in Minnesota waters to date, although a DNR official says it’s too early to say whether that’s changed given this most recent discovery.
by Kirsti Marohn

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Coming soon to a store near you: carbon labels

Coming soon to a store near you: carbon labels

We're all familiar with food labels that detail calories, carbohydrates and fat content. Now there's a push to add labels that detail a product’s carbon footprint.
by Paul Huttner and Megan Burks

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Northern Metal Recycling fire ruled an accident

Northern Metal Recycling fire ruled an accident

State investigators have ruled that the Feb. 18 fire at a scrap metal recycling plant in Becker started accidentally.
by Kirsti Marohn

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
UN: Last year was second-warmest and decade was hottest ever

UN: Last year was second-warmest and decade was hottest ever

The U.N. weather agency says last year was the second warmest on record and the past decade was the hottest in human history. And it says January was the warmest January since 1850.
by The Associated Press

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!