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Minnesota’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions dropped by 14% between 2005 and 2022, according to a biennial report from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Commerce
Information will support the phase out of nonessential use of “forever chemicals” in Minnesota
In 2023, Minnesota saw more air quality alerts covering more days than ever before. Smoke from Canadian wildfires throughout the summer caused many of the alerts, though climate change is playing a growing role in Minnesota's air quality.
The Shell Rock River begins at Albert Lea Lake in Freeborn County in south-central Minnesota, a few miles from the Iowa border. It flows 113 miles into Iowa, where it enters the Cedar River. In Minnesota, the Shell Rock drains 246 square miles (160,000 acres), all in Freeborn County.
Our climate has already changed and will continue to change. Minnesotans are feeling impacts of climate change, from higher temperatures, more extreme storms with intense flooding, and changes in our…
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency places members with host sites throughout Minnesota each year. Members serve full-time for 11 months (Sept. 2026 through Aug. 20227) at environmental nonprofits, government agencies, and educational institutions.
The Mississippi River - St. Cloud Watershed covers 691,200 acres (1,080 square miles) in the south-central part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The watershed includes all or parts of the counties of Benton, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright.
State and federal permits and regulations that are designed to protect groundwater and surface water (lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands) apply to specific facilities and processes that could pose…
Image The MPCA and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) regulate the handling of asbestos-containing material in Minnesota, to prevent asbestos…
To reduce the pollution that causes climate change, Minnesota has set goals to cut our collective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and track progress.
Shopping for a new wood stove? Remember that new stoves and outdoor boilers must be certified to new 2020 emission standards to be sold in Minnesota.
The MPCA is working with the city of Minneapolis to identify sources of air pollution in North Minneapolis and find strategies to reduce emissions.
The MPCA monitors and assesses lakes around the state to determine if they meet water quality standards.
The MPCA has actively been developing methods and building capacity to improve our ability to monitor and assess wetlands to protect and restore them.
Whether they are called sloughs, swamps, bogs, or potholes, these are all wetlands and they provide many environmental benefits and contribute to watershed health. Though Minnesota has lost almost half of its wetland acreage over time, the quality of the remaining wetlands is good overall.
Image Climate change continues to have a destructive impact on Minnesota’s infrastructure, presenting a direct threat to our homes, businesses, roads…
Water scientists from the MPCA published four watershed reports in 2025, updating the data we need to keep Minnesota’s waters clean and protected.
We Are Water next visits Ely April 24 through June 16.
The Watershed Pollutant Load Monitoring Network (WPLMN) is a partnership that collects data on water quality and flow in Minnesota.
Chemicals in the air toxics emission inventory.