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Ron Way

Ron Way is a former reporter for several Midwest newspapers, including the Star Tribune where he covered environment and natural resources beat. He also worked in government for 15 years, helping to organize Minnesota's Environmental Quality Board and heading development of the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act. He served as assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. In Washington, D.C., he was a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate and worked at the U.S. Department of the Interior's division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

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Community Voices

The Bible and homosexuality: Selectively plucking passages looks like seeking divine cover for denying basic human rights

By Ron Way | 05/13/11
As the proposed constitutional prohibition on gay marriage gains in the Minnesota Legislature, many supporters again say that their anti-homosexuality stance is rooted in Scripture.
Politics & Policy

After Japan, plans for more nuclear power plants are all but over

By Ron Way | 03/23/11
Despite the Legislature's attempt to lift Minnesota's 17-year moratorium on new nuclear power plants, don't expect any new plants here soon. In fact, the fate of nuclear power could be sealed.  
Environment

As Northfield celebrates, a closer look at Jesse James

By Ron Way | 09/10/10
This weekend Northfield celebrates the famous 1876 shootout between townsfolk and one of history's most notorious outlaws, Jesse James. There's a lot of myth about James.
Politics & Policy

Pawlenty critics say administration derailing efforts to keep Ford Plant open

By Ron Way | 02/12/10
While Gov. Tim Pawlenty is urging Minnesota to "do all we can do to help" keep the St. Paul Ford Plant open and protect nearly 1,000 jobs, critics say his administration is working behind the scenes on a plan that would hasten the plant's demise.
Environment

Minding the miners: How Iron Range politics stands in the way of climate change legislation

By Ron Way | 12/23/09
Minnesota's Iron Range is in pivotal role in determining the fate of climate legislation in Washington and St. Paul, where lawmakers can think about little else than jobs, the economy and strained budgets.
Environment

EPA's finding on greenhouse gases is a game changer

By Ron Way | 12/10/09
Its "endangerment" finding moves the issue of greenhouse-gas emissions into the concrete realm of direct health effects on you and me.
Politics & Policy

Copenhagen summit on climate change: What to watch for

By Ron Way | 12/07/09
The two-week U.N. summit on climate change begins today in Copenhagen. Should we care? What's the likely outcome? And what should we watch for? Here are some answers.
Environment

With demise of Big Stone II, the days of King Coal are over for now

By Ron Way | 11/03/09
Monday's announcement that the giant Big Stone II plant won't be built as planned near Minnesota's western border makes it unlikely that another coal-fired power plant will be built in the Upper Midwest anytime soon, if ever.
Environment

Chorus of critics may help change feedlot enforcement

By Ron Way | 10/13/09
The fumes from a dairy feedlot near Thief River Falls are seen as so bad that authorities' reluctance to step in and clean up may be withering.
Politics & Policy

Series of orders, suits haven't cleaned up N. Minnesota feedlot 'health hazard'

By Ron Way | 10/07/09
Local elected officials have joined a chorus of residents to demand the site north of Thief River Falls be closed, but for two years Excel Dairy owners have sidestepped manure-lagoon cleanup demands.