skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

VP Kamala Harris says she plans to 'earn and win' Democratic nomination after Joe Biden drops out and endorses her; New Alabama bill threatens voter rights, legal challenge ensues; Fact-checking GOP claims on immigrants; Water contamination a concern in Midwest flood aftermath.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

President Joe Biden drops his 2024 re-election bid. He's endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his spot on the ticket, and election experts say they see benefits to this decision.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

It's grass-cutting season and with it, rural lawn mower races, Montana's drive-thru blood project is easing shortages, rural Americans spend more on food when transportation costs are tallied, and a lack of good childcare is thwarting rural business owners.

MN lawmakers give clean energy permitting a makeover

play audio
Play

Monday, May 20, 2024   

In the future, clean energy projects in Minnesota might come together more quickly, since state lawmakers have advanced a permitting reform measure.

The policy effort gained steam throughout the legislative session, with final negotiations playing out late last week.

Researchers say Minnesota's current permitting process for solar projects used to take an average of 300 days - now it's nearly 550.

There's also pressure to get additional transmission lines up and running so there's more space on the power grid for renewables.

Clean Grid Alliance Regional Policy Director Peder Mewis said he feels the new provisions will be a big help.

"Basically what the bill does is, it completely rewrites the siting and permitting statutes in Minnesota and combines them all into one," said Mewis, "so it's a lot easier to track things."

Mewis described the state's current process as strong, but cumbersome.

For skeptics worried about removing opportunities for the public to scrutinize these projects, supporters insist that won't be an issue.

The bipartisan bill arose from a recent task force report that included input from utilities, developers, environmental groups and property rights advocates.

Just like some other Midwestern states, Minnesota has adopted ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions.

Mewis said there's increasing awareness that regulatory hurdles need to be dealt with as climate plans are mapped out.

"If you look at what we did in Michigan last year, where we enacted a carbon-free standard," said Mewis, "and with that, we did siting and permitting reform because the state recognized that's a key component."

Last year, Minnesota established a standard of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.

As for the permitting reform plan, Gov. Tim Walz expressed support for the idea going into the session. He's expected to sign the bill sent to his desk.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at a political event in Grand Rapids, Mich., in early 2024. (The White House/Wikimedia Commons)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Vice President Kamala Harris focused on reproductive rights at a campaign event in Michigan Wednesday. Her remarks come as President Joe Biden has …


Social Issues

play sound

Thousands of educators from across the nation will be in Houston starting this weekend for the American Federation of Teachers annual convention…

Social Issues

play sound

By Kristy Alpert for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Colla…


Connecticut is the top state in the U.S. searching for Ozempic online, according to data from Google Trends. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Counterfeit medicine sales are on the rise, in Connecticut and nationwide. The state faced trouble with growing sales of counterfeit Xanax pills …

Social Issues

play sound

More than 2,400 delegates gathered in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention and delegates from around the country, including …

In 2021, more than 40% of the nearly four mil­lion stu­dent par­ents nationwide were attending a community college. (foxyburrow/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Postsecondary enrollment data for 2023 shows community college enrollment increased nationwide by more than 100,000 students, and a large percentage …

Environment

play sound

By Stephen Battersby for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Commonwealth News Service…

play sound

Biofuels are painted as a greener energy alternative to fossil fuels but a new study found the industry produces plenty of its own air pollutants…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021