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.

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Trump election could reopen path for mining near Boundary Waters
President-elect Donald Trump has promised to reverse the Biden administration’s actions blocking copper-nickel mining near the Boundary Waters. But there is a lot that would need to happen before any mine could open.
Fire crews on both U.S. coasts battle wildfires
Fire crews are battling small wildfires across the Northeast U.S. A blaze in New York and New Jersey killed a parks employee over the weekend and postponed Veterans Day plans. A quarter-inch of rain fell overnight from Sunday into Monday, giving a slight respite to firefighters. 
Minnesota DNR projects good overall outlook for firearm deer hunting season 
A mild winter and rain in the spring and early summer could make for plenty of deer for the opener. However, DNR specialists recommend hunters make sure they are up to date on the regulations where they intend to be in the field.
Voters overwhelmingly back Minnesota lottery spending on environmental projects for another 25 years
More than 77 percent of voters backed a constitutional amendment that continues to funnel tens of millions of dollars of Minnesota’s lottery proceeds into environmental research and natural resource protection efforts for another 25 years.
Public input sought on major powerline proposed for southwest Minnesota
Xcel Energy wants to build the roughly 170-mile power line from Garvin in Lyon County to Becker in central Minnesota. It would connect solar and wind energy from southwest Minnesota to the electrical grid.
Sustainable fuels plant to be built in Moorhead and operational by 2030
A Washington D.C. based company announced it will build a $5 billion sustainable fuels production facility in Moorhead. The plant is expected to create 650 jobs and be operational by 2030.