Environmental News

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Getting to Green: Minnesota’s energy future

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USDA forecasts higher food prices after record drought
The record drought gripping half the country will help push food prices up by 3 percent to 4 percent next year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.
Federal officials have declared 23 counties in southern Wisconsin as natural disaster areas, making farms in those areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans.
Webcams make Alaska bears accessible
A new video initiative is bringing the famed brown bears of Alaska's Katmai National Park directly to your computer or smartphone.
Hear Romney and Obama speeches to VFW
President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, former Gov. Mitt Romney, gave foreign policy speeches this week to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Reno, Nev. Hear both speeches in their entirety on MPR News Presents.
Professor calls for flood mitigation in Duluth
In the aftermath of the Duluth flood disaster, officials are rebuilding ruined streets and other infrastructure, but a University of Minnesota Duluth professor sees an opportunity for his community to rebuild more than roads.
Experts: Some fracking critics use bad science
In the debate over natural gas drilling, the companies are often the ones accused of twisting the facts. But scientists say opponents sometimes mislead the public, too.
DNR officials say warm weather and recent flooding have combined to kill of fish in Big Sandy Lake in Aitkin County, about 60 miles west of Duluth.
Frans de Waal on primate morality
Frans de Waal is one of the world's leading primatologists. He's spent his career studying the behavior and social intelligence of primates, drawing parallels between the ways humans and primates make moral choices.
Native American and Alaska Native leaders told of their villages being under water because of coastal erosion, droughts and more on Thursday during a Senate hearing intended to draw attention to how climate change is affecting tribal communities.
Military spending fight hits foreign oil, biofuel
Navy officials say using the alternative fuel helps the military address weaknesses. Operations that use more than 50 million gallons of fuel each month rely on petroleum, making the U.S. military heavily dependent upon foreign oil.