Environmental News

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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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Cougar caught on camera in Minneapolis; latest in string of sightings in Midwest
A home surveillance camera picked up an unexpected passerby in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis early Monday: a cougar striding calmly down the alley. It’s the latest in a series of sightings in the region in recent months.
Cities grapple with costs of removing PFAS from drinking water
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new, enforceable limits on some PFAS that are much lower than the state’s current advisory limits. If they’re adopted, about a dozen Minnesota cities likely will need to install treatment systems or find a new water source.
'Pick it up': New Minnesota law aims to curb litter left on ice
Garbage left behind on frozen lakes is one of the biggest complaints conservation officers hear every year. The law, which took effect July 1, requires all trash to be placed in a container that's secured to an ice house or vehicle.
Health is on the agenda at UN climate negotiations. Here's why that's a big deal
Advocates say human-driven climate change is hurting people's health worldwide–but taking action like reducing reliance on fossil fuels lowers risks immediately.
State agencies pledge new steps to reduce nitrate in southeast Minnesota
Last month, the EPA said state agencies need to develop a comprehensive plan to tackle the nitrate problem in eight southeast Minnesota counties’ drinking water. In a letter Friday, commissioners of the departments of health, agriculture and the Pollution Control Agency promised to do more – but said they may need more federal or state money to do so.