Minnesota
Minnesota Emerges as the Midwest’s Leader in the Clean Energy Transition
Six months ago, John Delurey, the senior regional director at Vote Solar, would have said that Illinois “sits on the shoulders of some of the most robust and equitable climate legislation in the country and region.” But after this year’s legislative session, Minnesota is giving Illinois a run for its money as the equitable clean […]
Read MoreTwo States Are Ramping Up Clean Energy Incentives. That Was the Inflation Reduction Act’s Point
Two states are set to significantly ramp up the financial incentives to adopt renewable energy and electric vehicles under new laws that mimic federal clean energy tax credits provided under the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s a sign that the Democrats’ marquee climate law is doing what its authors intended: spur additional public and private investments […]
Read MoreDestroying ‘Forever Chemicals’ is a Technological Race that Could Become a Multibillion-dollar Industry
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — How do you destroy pollution so stubborn, it’s nicknamed “forever chemicals”? That’s a question researchers and companies across the country are eager to answer, as regulation tightens on PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and the chemicals’ producers face a mountain of lawsuits. The chemicals are in fast-food wrappers, firefighting foams, nonstick […]
Read MoreMinnesota Is Poised to Pass an Ambitious 100 Percent Clean Energy Bill. Now About Those Incinerators…
A bill that would require Minnesota’s utilities to generate 100 percent clean energy by 2040 passed in the House last week and is expected to be signed into law in the coming weeks. The legislation garnered wide support from environmental advocacy groups, who succeeded in pushing some provisions in favor of communities disproportionately burdened by […]
Read MoreOne Farmer Set Off a Solar Energy Boom in Rural Minnesota; 10 Years Later, Here’s How It Worked Out
This story is the fifth in a series. CENTER CITY, Minnesota—It sounded absurd, the idea of spending a large sum of money to install solar panels in a Minnesota farm field that is covered in snow for much of the year. But Ed Eichten’s family had gotten used to his wild ideas that turned out to […]
Read MoreIndiana, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin Lag on Environmental Justice Issues
On the northwest side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where more than half the population is Black or African American, the outdated sewer system is often at capacity, and miles of asphalt and concrete make stormwater management a challenge. Sometimes, heavy rains bring flooding into the neighborhood, and members of the community have called for action to […]
Read MoreThree Midwestern States to Watch as They Navigate Equitable Rollout for EV Charging
Arthur Burton founded his renewable energy company, AMB Renewable, three years ago in Chicago to help ensure that disadvantaged communities are part of the transition to clean energy. For him, the injection of $7.5 billion in federal funds into electric vehicle infrastructure nationwide marks the start of a clean energy future that truly includes everyone. […]
Read MoreFour States Just Got a ‘Trifecta’ of Democratic Control, Paving the Way for Climate and Clean Energy Legislation
In an election that took many unexpected turns, Democrats made notable gains at the state level, winning control of the governor’s office and both houses of the legislature in four states that now may be poised to pass climate and clean energy legislation that wouldn’t have had a chance before. The states—Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and […]
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