Featured stories
Stories posted to the MPCA's home page.
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Clean diesel grant helps reduce air pollution in Minneapolis
The air in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis gets cleaner thanks to clean diesel grant.
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Trash trouble
Make sure your trash is headed to the right place.
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Get the lead out
Getting ready for fishing season? Choosing non-toxic fishing tackle will help protect eagles, loons, and other wildlife.
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Cleaning out your garage and basement?
Household hazardous waste lurking in your garage and basement? Time to do some cleaning.
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Farmer reaps benefits from conservation
Conservation practices can reap many benefits for farmers, according to Mike Peterson who farms in the Northfield area of southeast Minnesota.
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Is your toilet taking a leak?
Recent droughts coupled with growing water demands are putting a strain on our water resources. Check your toilets for leaks.
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Plant a tree, let it help you
They save energy, increase property value, capture rainfall, reduce CO2, and improve air quality. They're awesome.
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Help wanted: Minnesota GreenCorps
Interested in AmeriCorps service with Minnesota GreenCorps for 2013-2014 program year? Apply now.
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Testing the waters
New tools help MPCA and DNR staff monitor water quality in the Whitewater River watershed in southeastern Minnesota.
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Don't flush medicines down the drain
Medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate water, which can hurt fish and other aquatic wildlife, and end up in our drinking water.
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Celebrate Earth Day, April 22
Medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate water, which can hurt fish and other aquatic wildlife, and end up in our drinking water.
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Bringing polluted land back to productive use
For 25 years, Minnesota’s petroleum remediation programs have provided businesses, farmers, and homeowners assistance and funding to clean up property contaminated by petroleum leaks and spills.
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State will phase out use of anti-bacterial chemical
All state agencies will eliminate purchasing of hand soaps, dish, and laundry products that contain triclosan by June of this year.
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New studies find chemicals in lakes and rivers
Two new studies confirm that a wide variety of unregulated chemicals are ending up in Minnesota’s lakes and rivers.
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Help wanted: Monitor lakes and streams
Join more than 1,400 Minnesotans who track the health of their favorite lake or stream through Citizen Lake and Stream Monitoring.
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Stormwater manual upgraded to wiki
Check out the new Stormwater Manual wiki for the latest in stormwater management, including BMPs, models, and regulations.
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Take action to prevent manure runoff
As another winter of heavy snowfall gives way to warming temperatures, rapid melting and potential for flooding pose challenges for manure management.
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Recycling supports our economy
The bottles, cans, and paper we recycle in Minnesota are the raw materials of a growing sector that's creating jobs and supporting business.
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Bottle buyology
Everyday choices about beverage bottles add up: 1.5 billion beverage bottles are purchased each year in Minnesota (15,000 in the time it takes to read this article).
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Organics composting at schools
Study provides "teaching moments” for schools to not only expand and improve their recycling and composting programs but to help students learn how much waste they generate.
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Driveways sealed with less pollution into the water
Coal tar, a known carcinogen, leaches from conventional sealants into lakes, streams and wetlands. A Minnesota firm leads the way in new approach.
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Don't let hazardous products and floodwaters mix
Spring has sprung and floodwaters are rising. Hazardous household products caught in the water add to the environmental problems that flooding brings.
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Prepare home fuel storage tanks for possible flooding
As snow melts, many Minnesota residents brace for possible flooding. To avoid messy and costly cleanup, prepare your fuel oil, gasoline, and other petroleum tanks for flooding.
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When good food goes bad
No one buys food with the intention of throwing it away. But according to the EPA, more than 34 million tons of food was thrown away in 2010 in the U.S.
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No idling please, young lungs at work
Exhaust from idling cars isn't good for anyone, but it's particularly unhealthy for young, developing lungs. Yet at schools and day cares, it's not uncommon to see cars lined up for long minutes right where kids are loading and unloading.
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Tips on closing your cabin for the winter
Winter is knocking at the door, which means it’s time to start thinking about preparing your cabin for the cold months ahead. Here are some tips that can help you save energy and prevent costly problems.
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Don't let your septic system freeze
Cold temperatures are on their way. Don't let your septic system freeze. Here are some simple tips that can help you avoid costly problems with your septic system.
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MnTAP interns help businesses reduce waste and save money
In a time when trimming costs is an everyday concern for businesses, interns from the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program are helping Minnesota companies decrease their expenses by increasing efficiencies and reducing energy use.
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Green cleaning for a safe and healthy home
Simple changes in our everyday routines such as how we choose the products we buy, or the way we clean our houses, can reduce our long-term exposure to low levels of potentially harmful substances.
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Putting our streets and sidewalks on a low-salt diet
For years, doctors have told people to stick to a low-salt diet. Our waters should follow the same advice. Too much salt in our lakes and streams has serious environmental consequences.
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Lake Pepin garners attention from Chinese environmental officials
Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes meets Hubei Province, Province of 1,000 Lakes. Chinese environmental delegates travel 7,000 miles to learn about Minnesota water quality efforts.
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Visualize progress: MPCA's Dashboard
Our agency uses a lot of data and metrics to help us gauge progress toward our goals. Here are a few key measurements that show how we're doing in environmental protection and customer service.
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Working to reduce BPA exposure from receipts
Cash register receipts often contain BPA, a chemical now banned in certain consumer products. Handling them might be major pathway for BPA into humans. An MPCA initiative takes aims at the problem.
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Power utilities making big mercury cuts
Mercury emissions from Minnesota power plants, historically a major source of the toxic metal, are now less than half of what they were a decade ago.