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

Minneapolis City Council moves forward on carbon fee in override of mayoral veto
The Minneapolis City Council voted Thursday to move ahead with establishing a fee for the city’s biggest carbon dioxide emitters, overriding Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto. But councilmembers agreed to move the fee date back several months to give the city time to address concerns with the policy.
PUC orders Xcel Energy to refund customers for 2011 Sherco outage costs
A major mechanical failure at the Sherco coal-fired power plant caused a fire and extensive damage in 2011. An administrative law judge recently found that Xcel’s failure to prudently operate and maintain Unit 3 contributed to the accident.
Petroleum drilling technology is now making carbon-free power
A new technique for harvesting geothermal energy being pioneered in Utah has passed a significant milestone: Southern California Edison has contracted for enough of the energy to power 400,000 homes.
Giant pandas will arrive at D.C.'s National Zoo this week
After an 11-month wait, giant pandas will populate the zoo once again. A pair of pandas, which left China on FedEx's "Panda Express" cargo jet, are expected to arrive in the D.C. area on Tuesday.
The U.S. gets a new national marine sanctuary, the first led by a tribe
Over 4,500 square miles of ocean will be protected off the California coast. It will also be managed in partnership with the indigenous groups that fought to create it.
Yes, that is the scent of manure in the Twin Cities
You aren’t imagining things if you’re in the Twin Cities and catch a whiff of what smells like manure. That scent is coming from farms in the southern parts of the state.
Hastings to receive 3M settlement money to treat 'forever chemicals'
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced it's linked PFAS contamination in one of Hastings’ wells to 3M's Cottage Grove facility. City officials say the money will help, but won’t cover the full $70 million to build three new treatment plants.
Minnesota-based magnetics company scales up greener options
Minnesota-based Niron Magnetics who makes magnets without rare-earth elements has opened a commercial pilot plant in Minneapolis.