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

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Bat found in downtown Minneapolis tests positive for rabies
The bat was found on Sept. 15, on the sidewalk along Hennepin Avenue between Washington Avenue and Third Street, not far from the Minneapolis Central Library.
A Minnesota ‘lake killer’ surfaced 11 years ago. There’s still no long-term fix.
If caught early, starry stonewort is no longer considered a death sentence for lakes. Still, a decade after it was first discovered in Minnesota, it remains a costly problem with no permanent cure.
After rough skies, monarch butterfly population on the rise
In recent years there have been concerns about whether the monarch butterfly was a threatened species. Thanks to good weather, and an increase in their food, the pollinator’s numbers increased in 2026.
Minnesota DNR ends Twin Metals lease for land near Boundary Waters
James Coleman, a University of Minnesota professor with expertise in energy law, explains the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources decision to cancel a Twin Metals mineral lease for a site located near the Boundary Waters.
Many Minnesotans don’t value aquatic plants. The state’s lakes are paying a price.
Native aquatic plants help keep lakes healthy, reduce erosion and are a safeguard against invasive species. Yet they get a bad rap as a nuisance, and property owners often remove them with chemicals or machines.