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January 24, 2014 8:55 AM

Keystone XL backers bolstered by oil train risk report

U.S. and Canadian accident investigators urged their governments Thursday to impose new safety rules on so-called oil trains, warning that a "major loss of life" could result from an accident involving the increasing use of trains to transport large amounts of crude oil.

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January 23, 2014 8:05 PM

DNR: New water data could alter PolyMet environmental study

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said the current draft of the environmental impact statement for PolyMet's mine and processing facility estimated the nearby Partridge River's flow using data that differs from other, more recent data.

by Elizabeth Dunbar and Dan Kraker

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January 23, 2014 1:25 PM

Gypsy moth quarantine planned in NE Minn.

The state plans to impose a quarantine to limit the spread of destructive gypsy moths and it will affect travelers visiting Lake and Cook counties in northeastern Minnesota, agriculture officials announced Thursday.

by The Associated Press

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January 23, 2014 6:39 AM

Mining supporters dominate hearing on PolyMet proposal

Aurora, a small town of 1,600 on the northeastern edge of the Iron Range, is a hotbed of support for the proposal. Many residents once worked at LTV Steel, a nearby taconite plant that shut down in 2001, causing more than 1,000 employees to lose their jobs. PolyMet is proposing to reuse the shuttered plant.

by Elizabeth Dunbar and Dan Kraker

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January 22, 2014 4:36 PM

Climate One: The fracking bonanza across the country

From the Climate One series at the Commonwealth Club of California, experts discuss the economics, science and politics of hydraulic fracturing, the newest procedure for extracting domestic oil and natural gas. What is happening to supply, prices, and the environment...and what are the complicated tradeoffs?

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January 22, 2014 9:00 AM

North Dakota oil creates economic opportunities, but at a cost

The Bakken oil patch has brought prosperity to the state, but concerns about the environmental effects and the safety of transporting the crude has prompted calls for a slowdown.

by Todd Melby

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January 22, 2014 8:16 AM

Round 2: PolyMet mine hearing tonight in Aurora

There has been strong local support for PolyMet. Labor unions are interested in the construction and mining jobs the company would bring to the area, and local officials are excited about the potential for an economic boost.

by Elizabeth Dunbar

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January 22, 2014 3:02 AM

Rising groundwater demand in Bonanza Valley prompts new state approach

Groundwater demand in an area of central Minnesota has increased by 175 percent in the past 25 years — five times as much as the state average, according to the Department of Natural Resources. That’s a big reason the Bonanza Valley, an area that stretches from southern Douglas County to Paynesville in Stearns County, is Read more →

by Elizabeth Dunbar

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January 20, 2014 2:02 PM

Silicon Valley sees shortage of EV charge stations

Installation of electric vehicle charging ports at some companies has not kept pace with soaring demand, creating thorny etiquette issues in the workplace.