Talking with IRRRB Commissioner Ida Rukavina
Duluth, Minn -- It's been just a month and a half since Ida Rukavina was appointed commissioner of the IRRRB. For most of that time, she has been in St. Paul talking with legislators…
Mining & Environmental News
PolyMet Mine In Minnesota Becomes NewRange Copper Nickel
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - PolyMet Mining and Teck Resources finalized a joint venture Wednesday to complete the copper-nickel mine that PolyMet has been developing in northeastern Minnesota, and the partnership hopes to eventually build a separate mine next door in an…
Cohasset Mayor: Loss Of Huber Timber Plant Development 'Devastating'
DULUTH, Minn. – “Frustrated, disappointed and angry.” Those were the words from Cohasset Mayor Andy MacDonell Thursday after learning plans for a $440 million timber plant have fallen through. Huber Engineered Wood said in a statement the company can't handle…
Minnesota Sets Goal Of Having 100% Carbon-Free Energy by 2040
Duluth, Minn. -- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill into law on Tuesday that mandates Minnesota's public power companies become 100% carbon-free by 2040. Power companies and political leaders are not sure how…
Minnesota Moves Toward 100% Carbon-Free Electricity By 2040
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota utilities would be obligated to transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 to step up the fight against climate change under a bill speeding through the Legislature. The bill was slated for a final vote on the Senate…
Brutal Wind Chills Mean Brutal Firefighting Conditions
SUPERIOR, Wis. - With wind chill temperatures at 30, 40 or 50 below zero, it’s probably safe to say nobody likes that type of weather, especially firefighters. The dangerous conditions happened just two days…
New Billy's Bar Owner Excited, Ready For Beargrease Sunday
DULUTH, Minn. - Excitement is building for Sunday's John Beargrease Sled Dog marathon. And that's especially true for the new owner of Billy's Bar. Billy's is the starting line for Beargrease. It's the prime spot…
Stauber Talks About U.S. Connection To Congo Child Labor For Mining After Order To Protect BWCAW
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Republican Representative Pete Stauber (MN-08) said on Thursday that the Biden administration's decision to section off 350-square miles of the Superior National Forest from mining projects for 20 years means…
Minnesota Boundary Waters: US Moves To Protect Area From Planned Mine
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Biden administration moved Thursday to protect northeastern Minnesota’s pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from future mining, dealing a potentially fatal blow to a copper-nickel project. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland signed an order closing over 350 square…
Walz Extends Unemployment Pay For Northeast Minnesota Miners
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz signed his second bill of the young 2023 legislative session Wednesday, extending unemployment benefits for six months for more than 400 laid-off workers at Northshore Mining. Northshore Mining shut down May 1,…
Minnesota House Backs Extended Jobless Pay For Mine Workers
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A bill to extend unemployment benefits for laid-off workers at Northshore Mining is on its way to Gov. Tim Walz for his signature. The Minnesota House voted 127-7 on Monday to approve the bill, which passed…
Annual Survey of Wolves and Moose on Isle Royale Underway
ISLE ROYALE, Mich. -- The annual wolf and moose survey is underway on Isle Royale. Last Friday, researchers based out of Michigan Tech arrived on Isle Royale to begin their annual survey to count the wolf and moose populations. Starting…
Record Number of Invasive Spongy Moths Captured in Minnesota in 2022
MINNESOTA -- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture caught a record number of spongy moths during 2022, catching over 100,000 with a majority of them in Lake and Cook Counties.…
Christmas Tree Treecycling
DULUTH, Minn. -- Some of us hang on to our real Christmas Tree until it becomes a fire hazard, but some of us can't wait to get that tree out the door. If your tree…
Gov. Walz Appoints Ida Rukavina As IRRRB Commissioner
Gov. Tim Walz announced the appointment of Ida Rukavina as the next Commissioner of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation. "I am excited to announce that Ida Rukavina will serve as the next Commissioner of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation,”…
