Environment

The Babbitt mine and Hoyt Lakes processing plant is expected to impact about 1,100 acres of wetlands, according to the company's permit application.

NorthMet, formerly owned by PolyMet and now controlled by NewRange Copper Nickel, is one of three proposed copper-nickel mines in Minnesota. A reworked project plan is now before the DNR.

Warm water temperatures across the state go along with an increasing number of fish mortality events, where a large number of fish die at once.

As wildfires burn, they release a mixture of toxic compounds like heavy metals, mercury and carcinogenic chemicals that form from burning organic matter.

Forty-six lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands were added, including Big Stony Lake near Park Rapids, Emily Lake in Crow Wing County and Birch Lake in Hackensack.

The group works to inform the PCA on environmental justice issues. Applications are due July 22, 2026.

A 2025 inspection found the company failed to maintain equipment that monitored and reduced air pollution.

The plan will guide the implementation of voluntary conservation projects and programs in the northeastern Minnesota watershed over the next decade.

Hermantown and Google jointly agreed to the updated study with current information allowing for greater specificity, the city reported.

Individual grants will range from $1,500 to $150,000. Eligible applicants include farmers and livestock producers and organizations that train or support farmers.