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.

Hundreds of water permit holders pumping more than allowed
Records show hundreds of water permit holders in Minnesota are illegally using billions of gallons more water then they are allowed. But they face few consequences for these misdemeanor violations. Even in a two-year drought, state officials admit they don't spend much time enforcing permit limits.
Bill McKibben and J. Drake Hamilton on climate change
Bill McKibben, environmental journalist and founder of 350.org and J. Drake Hamilton of Fresh Energy, speaking Feb. 20, 2013 at the University of St. Thomas on "Celebrating and Preserving Winter: Responding to Climate Change in Minnesota and Wisconsin."
LIVE CHAT: Frac sand mining in Minn.
As the mining of frac sand in Minnesota is debated at the state Capitol MPR News is hosting an online chat that looks at silica sand mining in the upper Midwest.
Republicans closed in on victory Monday in their fight to lure a giant iron mine to northwestern Wisconsin, pushing a bill that would overhaul the state's mining regulations through the Legislature's budget committee and setting up final votes in the coming days.
Lawmakers today will talk over a plan to hike Minnesota's minimum wage. Work to create a Minnesota health insurance exchange grinds its way through the Legislature with a hearing in the House Ways and Means committee.