Featured stories

Air quality alerts: Your questions answered
Are pets affected by poor air quality? Will wearing a mask help when I’m outside? What is particulate pollution? We’ve got the answers.

Rivers during droughts: Little flow can mean big impacts to fish
Minnesota rivers are shrinking in the drought; some have their lowest flows in decades. What will be the long term effects?

Ask the MPCA: Suffering from smoke
What can you do when you are especially sensitive to wood smoke and your neighbors are having lots of backyard fires?

13 sustainable choices for your green life
We have some suggestions for avoiding disposable items, excessive packaging, and single-use plastics when shopping for your everyday needs.

Round Lake clean up at TCAAP reaches new milestone
The Army has proposed a plan for cleaning up contaminated sediment in Round Lake, located within the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) site.

Laura Bishop resigns as commissioner of Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Agency credits Bishop with advancing innovative solutions to environmental challenges.

Telling Pipestone's water stories
The newest We are Water MN exhibit highlights Pipestone's unique geography and its many challenges to water quality.

Ask the MPCA: Abandoned septic systems
If the property I'm selling has an abandoned septic system, do I need to do anything before putting it on the market?

Del Clark Lake built for flood control in Canby
Canby Creek now flows into Del Clark Lake and protects Canby from flooding, while providing outdoor recreation and excellent water quality.

Make your yard bee friendly
The honey bee population is in danger. If these important pollinators disappear, so will many of our favorite foods.

Ask the MPCA: Care and feeding of stormwater ponds
My housing development has a stormwater pond. What do we need to know about maintaining it?

Reaching capacity: Managing the metro waste crunch
The MPCA is working on both short and long-term solutions to the growing waste problems in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Ask the MPCA: The function of storm drains
What is a stormwater catch basin, and should I be worried about it?

Ask the MPCA: Companies with hazardous waste
We're a landscaping company that needs to dispose of some chemicals. What should we do with them?

Blue-green algae: If in doubt, stay out
When temperatures climb, conditions are ripe for Minnesota lakes to produce algae blooms, some of which can be harmful to pets and humans.