Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

Fates of wild rice, mining intertwined in northern Minn.
A 40-year-old state law limits how much of a mining byproduct called "sulfate" can be discharged into wild rice producing waters. Prompted by mining industry concerns that the standard is too stringent, the state has been giving it another look.
DNR sticks to 90-day window on mine comments
Agency head says comment period for PolyMet mine already has been extended once.
2013 brought us stunning health and environment stories on mental health treatment successes, advanced CPR technology and a troubling absence of Monarch butterflies.
To clean up coal, Obama pushes more oil production
America's newest and cleanest coal-fired power plant comes with a catch: The heat-trapping carbon dioxide removed from its smokestack pollution will help force more oil out of the ground.
Water treatment a central question in PolyMet's environmental study
A proposed copper-nickel mining operation in northeast Minnesota would need long-term water treatment to ensure potentially toxic rock won't pollute area waterways, according to an environmental review released Friday.
Otto: Think of taxpayers when considering copper-nickel mining
State Auditor Rebecca Otto has been an outspoken skeptic of proposals to mine copper and nickel in northern Minnesota.
Photos: At PolyMet, ramping up to mine copper
PolyMet Mining hopes to unlock copper in the rock of northeastern Minnesota. Their plans bring hope for economic development and fear of environmental damage to the region that used to be the hub of the iron ore industry in the state.
PolyMet copper-nickel mine: Economic opportunity or too environmentally risky?
This Friday the public will get its first peek at a long anticipated environmental study of one of the state's most controversial development projects in years: copper and nickel mining in northeastern Minnesota.
Environmental advocates Thursday asked a court to order a full environmental review of plans to expand Minnesota's largest taconite mine.