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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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MnDOT pays pollution fine to other state agency

MnDOT and its contractors have paid nearly $14,000 for allowing sediment-laden stormwater to enter the Rum River, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said Thursday.
by Elizabeth Dunbar

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Aquatic invasive species by the numbers

Aquatic invasive species by the numbers

The Department of Natural Resources spent about $8.5 million on aquatic invasive species (AIS) programs in 2013. Here’s a breakdown: -Enforcement – $1,780,000 -Inspections  – $2,200,000 -Inspection equipment  – $270,000 -Public awareness and prevention grants  – $300,000 -AIS management – $1,092,000 -Statewide coordination and field operations – $2,200,000 -Asian Carp planning and monitoring – $93,000…
by Dan Gunderson

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House approves bill to speed mining on US land

Republicans in the House pushed through a bill Wednesday to speed up government review of gold, copper, silver and uranium mining on federal land.

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Frac sand draft rules go back to the drawing board

Environmental activists complained that the draft standards were looser than some existing local rules. In the end, the board promised to re-write the document with a lot more public and industry input.
by Stephanie Hemphill

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Conservation group wants the Blanding's turtle placed on the Endangered Species List

Minnesota and Nebraska are the only states that have sizable populations of Blanding's turtles. The medium- to large-sized turtles, which have striking yellow throats, live long lives but are vulnerable.
by Stephanie Hemphill

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Guideline or law? Confusion over frac sand mining standards

Guideline or law? Confusion over frac sand mining standards

State officials want public input on frac sand mining guidelines now in their final stages. But opponents of the practice have not given up hope for an outright ban.
by Stephanie Hemphill

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Some efforts against aquatic invasives switch from prevention to cure

Some efforts against aquatic invasives switch from prevention to cure

Frustrated by the state Department of Natural Resource's lack of progress in combating invasive species, some local governments and lake associations are changing their focus from prevention to cure.
by Dan Gunderson

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Ely highway reroute bogged down by safety, environmental concerns

Ely highway reroute bogged down by safety, environmental concerns

A long-awaited highway safety project by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to improve Highway 169 could make the road safer for drivers. But progress has been slowed by concerns over potential water pollution.
by Dan Kraker

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Environmental advocates don't want Hennepin County to burn more trash

The Hennepin Energy Recovery Center is seeking a 20 percent increase in the amount of trash it can burn each day. But environmentalists say the city should reject the proposal because the incinerator already emits pollutants that can be harmful to people's health.
by Elizabeth Dunbar

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