NERN – Midwest
Minnesota 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 MoreChicago-Area Organizations Call on Pritzker to Slash Emissions From Diesel Trucks
Ozuru Ukoha, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Chicago, treats patients with severe lung diseases, many of whom are constantly exposed to pollution from diesel trucks. He treats them “along the path of their lives when the effects of the pollution become cumulative,” said Ukoha, who is also a board member of the American Lung Association in […]
Read MoreA New Push Is on in Chicago to Connect Urban Farmers With Institutional Buyers Like Schools and Hospitals
More local growers, a healthier population and climate change mitigation are what urban agriculture advocates and researchers envision for the future of Chicago’s food systems. Linking small producers and producers of color with public institutions like schools, hospitals and detention centers in the food supply chain can be a significant step in that direction because […]
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On the northwest side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where more than half the population is Black or African American, the outdated sewer system is often at capacity, and miles of asphalt and concrete make stormwater management a challenge.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 MoreWisconsin Advocates Push to Ensure $700 Million in Water Infrastructure Improvements Go to Those Who Need It Most
Even though two of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, border Wisconsin, many of the state’s residents in formerly redlined communities still do not have easy access to clean and safe drinking water. Wisconsin has the highest number of lead pipes per capita nationwide, making lead in drinking water […]
Read MoreChicago Institutions Just Got $25 Million to Study Local Effects of Climate Change. Here’s How They Plan to Use It
Since 1980, the number of urban residents exposed to extreme heat and rainfall has increased five-fold in the 150 largest cities worldwide, according to a study released last year. But research shows that the consequences of higher temperatures are unevenly distributed within city populations. Many residents in the most flood-prone areas of Chicago, which are […]
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