Infrastructure bill includes significant funding for Minnesota’s electric-vehicle charging network
A fact sheet from the Biden administration estimated Minnesota would receive $68 million to build EV chargers across the state.
Environment
Are extreme summers the new normal in Minnesota?
While we’re unlikely to see this year’s unique combination of heat, drought and pollution, we could see more frequent wildfires as the climate changes, experts say.
Debris from beach nourishment project dampens summer on Duluth’s Park Point
The Corps of Engineers plans to use mechanical equipment to clean the beach; that work will start next week. Meanwhile, there are signs warning beach-goers to watch for fragments.
What are the treaties being invoked by Line 3 opponents?
While the U.S. government signed a series of treaties with the Anishinaabe people, including the Ojibwe, between 1825 and 1867, the most significant are those of 1837, 1854 and 1855.
National Parks are more crowded than ever. What about Minnesota State Parks?
As more things open up, people have other options for recreation — but there’s some evidence new outdoors habits have stuck.
Line 3 and the canceled Keystone XL: How similar are they?
Where some supporters and opponents of Line 3 see the Minnesota project and Keystone XL as largely similar issues, there are some major and minor differences between the pipeline proposals.
New state funding puts solar on the curriculum for Minnesota schools
The omnibus commerce and energy policy and finance bill includes $16 million for solar projects on K-12 schools and nearly $5 million for community colleges.
Why Senate Republicans targeted Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Laura Bishop for removal
GOPers blamed the agency’s Clean Cars rules — but was Bishop just a pawn in a bigger political game?
Is it safe to swim in the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities?
A brief primer on current events.
Solar panels can save homeowners money, but some HOAs bar installation. Lawmakers are trying to change that.
Their bill failed to pass this session, but Rep. Ami Wazlawik, DFL-White Bear Lake, and Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, plan to introduce the bipartisan measure to restrict HOAs again next year.
Enbridge entering a new phase of construction on Line 3 — and a new phase of protests
As the company restarted construction this week, opponents of the project geared up for a wave of larger demonstrations aimed at slowing or stopping the pipeline.
Since April fire, activists and city officials step up efforts to hold Northern Metals accountable
Most Minneapolis City Council members sign on to a letter seeking increased monitoring and an end to any activity on the north Minneapolis site.
After appeals court ruling, what’s next in the Pineland Sands farming dispute?
The court declined to overturn the DNR’s decision to grant water permits for an irrigation project in central Minnesota.
How far are GOP legislators willing to go to stop Walz’s ‘Clean Cars’ rules?
While Republicans have walked back from their demand that the state kill the new auto emissions standards, they now insist that a two-year delay in implementing them is key to any budget deal.
North Minneapolis renewable-energy training center to get a boost from the state
“I think it shows that when it comes to the issues, there are areas where we can come together,” said Rep. Jamie Long, “and that includes making sure that we have a workforce that is inclusive, that is ready for taking the jobs.”
More cover crops could help Minnesota’s soil and water. What do farmers think about it?
“You are seeing a lot more of these cover crops,” said Odin farmer Tom Peterson. “Five years ago, you hardly saw any. The challenge, though, for that (farmer) on a corn and soybean rotation is getting a cover crop planted early enough in the fall. There’s not a lot of time.”
EPA directs Minnesota to list waters impaired for wild rice
The EPA is partially disapproving Minnesota’s most recent Clean Water Act Impaired Waters List because the list doesn’t include any rivers or lakes loaded with sulfate, which kills off wild rice beds over time.
Minneapolis program puts energy audits into hands of potential homebuyers
In its first year, a city ordinance requiring energy audits prior to home sales resulted in more than 6,200 reports disclosing the conditions of windows, insulation, and heating systems for prospective buyers and new owners.
What is the Border-to-Border Touring Route, and why are some groups resisting it?
The DNR has settled on a 750-mile route that it plans to soon mark with signage and begin promoting as an “adventure trail.”
Electric vehicles are coming to Minnesota. Republicans and Democrats have very different ideas on how state government should respond.
So far in 2021, the Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate and DFLers who control the House have found little common ground on how the state should react to the burgeoning EV industry.
