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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Climate Cast

Listen to Climate Cast, the MPR News podcast all about our changing climate and its impact in Minnesota and worldwide.

At 71, 'A Sand County Almanac' remains fresh and engaging
A new edition of "A Sand County Almanac" recently hit bookstore shelves. Considered a classic piece of conservation literature, Aldo Leopold’s observation of life on his Wisconsin farm were the foundation for his theories about what he called a land ethic. Fans of the book argue its timeless wisdom has relevance in 2020.
Thousands of goldfish removed from Twin Cities lake
A few of the aquarium pets were likely dumped into the lake in Chaska. The combination of relatively poor water quality and few other predatory fish species allowed the goldfish to reproduce in massive numbers.
Gray wolves lose federal protection; state will manage instead
The rulemaking from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service returns management of wolves to the states — which opens up the possibility of a controversial wolf hunting season in Minnesota. But Gov. Walz says he opposes the recreational hunting of wolves. 
Trump officials end gray wolf protections across most of U.S.
The Trump administration has removed gray wolves in most of the U.S. from the endangered species list. The U.S. Department of Interior announcement could lead to resumption of wolf hunts in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The state of federal environmental policy during the Trump years   
President Donald Trump is a vocal climate change doubter, and he was elected after promising an era of environmental deregulation that he claimed would be more friendly to business. Did he deliver?