A council vote this week has thrown the city’s plans for a new April 1 garbage system into question.
More from Environment
Sneezing already? Allergy season grows with warming weather in Minnesota.
An analysis of weather data reveals that the season of itches and sniffles is longer than it was 50 years ago.
March 19, 2025
Popular Olmsted Co. farm program could reduce water pollution, if officials can agree how to pay for it
The county’s program has wide support to help clean up nitrate pollution in southeast Minnesota, but questions remain over how it gets funded.
March 16, 2025
Xcel customers in Minnesota can soon choose varying electricity rates
Residential customers can opt into a program that changes rates depending on time of day.
March 14, 2025
After backlash, developer withdraws gravel mine proposal near Mankato
Some 2,500 petitioners rallied against a quarry near a Blue Earth County park.
March 13, 2025
Judge calls city’s bluff: Minneapolis cannot issue variance to build on protected Mississippi River shore
The Minneapolis City Council approved Andrew Wattenhofer’s plan, but the DNR sued, saying it would harm a protected bluff.
March 12, 2025
Why Ontario’s electricity tariff likely won’t hurt Minnesotans
The state’s biggest utilities and the regional grid operator say they use very little power from Ontario, which imposed the charge in response to President Donald Trump’s trade war.
March 10, 2025
Is winter weather whiplash becoming Minnesota’s new normal?
Longtime Minnesotans puzzle over the unpredictability of the state’s coldest months.
March 10, 2025
Pine County township OKs controversial lakefront property ordinance
A new shoreland management plan is expected to slow development to protect lake ecosystems in Windemere Township.
March 5, 2025
Two new bills would try to limit Minnesota’s PFAS ban
One measure would exempt youth ATVs and other rec vehicles; the second would void ban widely for products.
March 4, 2025
![Youthful ATV riders waited for instructions from DNR safety instructors. ] JIM GEHRZ • jgehrz@startribune.com / Farmington, MN 6/28, 2014 / 9:00 AM / BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Minnesota DNR conducted a training class for ATV riders, particularly aimed at younger riders at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington. Jay Peterson was among the instructors. This is hands on training with machines and includes obstacle course. This will accompany a package of stories about the](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/3HUJLZISEGH2VB3DFDB3T6BPBU.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
Amazon must prove it needs 250 diesel generators at Becker data center, Minnesota utility regulators say
The company’s plan for backup power plants have sparked debate over whether there are cleaner alternatives.
February 28, 2025
A decades-old dump with more than 80,000 tires is finally getting cleaned up
Olmsted County officials earlier this month hired contractors to remove thousands of tires from a site northeast of Rochester.
February 28, 2025
The state says St. Paul foundry is coating homes with soot
Northern Iron, which operates on the East Side of St. Paul, was already locked in a court case with the state of Minnesota over pollution controls.
February 27, 2025
