Report | Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center

In the Path of the Storm

Several months after flooding in Duluth led to $100 million in damages, a new Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center report found that weather-related disasters are already affecting hundreds of millions of Americans, and documents how global warming could lead to certain extreme weather events becoming even more common or more severe in the future.

Report | Environment Minnesota

Wind Power for a Cleaner America

Coal- and natural gas-fired power plants pollute our air, are major contributors to global warming, and consume vast amounts of water—harming our rivers and lakes and leaving less water for other uses. Wind energy has none of these problems. It produces no air pollution, makes no contribution to global warming, and uses no water.

Report | Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center

In the Path of the Storm: Global Warming, Extreme Weather, and the Impacts of Weather-Related Disasters in the United States

Weather disasters kill or injure hundreds of Americans each year and cause billions of dollars in economic damage. The risks posed by some types of weather-related disasters will likely increase in a warming world. Scientists have already detected increases in extreme precipitation events and heat waves in the United States, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently concluded that global warming will likely lead to further changes in weather extremes.

Report | Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center

America's Biggest Mercury Polluters

XCEL Energy’s Sherburne County power plant (Sherco) in Becker emits the most mercury pollution of any power plant in Minnesota and the 40th most in the country, according to brand new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data outlined in Environment Minnesota’s latest report, Minnesota’s Biggest Mercury Polluters. The report found that in total, power plants in Minnesota emitted 876 pounds of mercury pollution in 2010.  Environment Minnesota’s report comes as EPA is set to finalize a standard to limit mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants this month.

Report | Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center

Dirty Energy's Assault on our Health: Mercury

Sherburne County Power Plant in Becker emits 867 pounds of mercury every year—the most in Minnesota—according to the new Environment Minnesota report, Dirty Energy’s Assault on our Health: Mercury. The report found that power plants in Minnesota emitted 1,664 pounds of mercury pollution in 2009.  The report comes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to propose a standard by March to limit mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants.

Report | Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center

America's Biggest Polluters: Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Power Plants in 2007

The Sherburne County coal-fired power plant near Becker, MN is the dirtiest power plant in Minnesota based on carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution ranking it as the 13th dirtiest plant in the country for 2007, according to a new analysis of government data released today by Environment Minnesota. 

Report | Environment America Research and Policy Center

Too Much Pollution

Minnesota’s global warming pollution increased by 27 percent since 1990, according to a new analysis of government data released today by Environment Minnesota.

Report | Environment Minnesota Research and Policy Center

Cleaner Cars, Cleaner Air: Curbing Air Pollution and Protecting Public Health in Minnesota with the Clean Cars Program

Air pollution from cars and light-duty trucks in Minnesota harms public health, contributing to cancer, asthma and respiratory disease. Moreover, pollution from cars and light-duty trucks contributes to global warming, which threatens much of what makes Minnesota special, from the Boundary Waters wilderness to our vast forests to the health of our 10,000 lakes.