State Mineral Exploration Leases Approved
The Minnesota Executive Committee agreed to permit exploration for minerals on state lands and privately held land where the state owns the minerals rights.
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Forest Service Okays Mineral Exploration Plan
The U.S. Forest Service has approved a plan for mining companies to expand the exploration for minerals in the Superior National Forest near Ely.
BWCAW Campfire Ban Lifted
Superior National Forest officials lifted a ban on campfires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness today.
Highway 1 Fire 100% Contained
A wildfire that threatened Ely, Minnesota on Thursday is 90% contained according to officials fighting the 175-acre blaze.
Ely Threatened by Wildfire
A wildfire apparently caused by a downed power-line threatened Ely, Minnesota on Thursday, prompting the voluntary evacuation of more than 200 residents.
Court Upholds State’s Sulfate Rules
A Ramsey County Court judge upheld Minnesota’s restrictions on sulfate pollution in waters that host wild rice plants, denying a Minnesota Chamber of Commerce challenge that the rules were vague and arbitrarily applied.
Groups Work to Restore North Shore Forest
A group of landowners and others concerned about North Shore forests are working to restore conifer forests to the Minnesota’s Lake Superior coast.
Cravaack Introduces BWCAW Land-swap Bill
Representative Chip Cravaack has introduced federal legislation to authorize an exchange of state lands within the Boundary Waters for federal land outside.
Pagami Fire Area Reopening in BWCAW
Most areas in the Boundary Waters burned in last fall’s Pagami Creek fire will reopen to the public starting today, the U.S. Forest Service has announced.
Routes, Campsites Feeling Storm Damage
A number of secondary roads, trails, Boundary Waters portages, and campsites in the Superior National Forest remain blocked due to winter storm damage in mid-April.
MPCA Board Approves Haze Rules
The citizens’ board of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency approved a controversial set of rules intended to reduce the amount of haze over northern Minnesota.
MPCA Board to Revisit Haze Rules
After delaying a decision on a plan to reduce haze over northern Minnesota, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s citizen’s board will attempt to approve the plan today.
Superior National Forest Supervisor Named
Brenda Halter has been named the new supervisor of the Superior National Forest, replacing Jim Sanders, who retired from the position in December.
Loons Returning North Ahead of Schedule
Thanks to an unseasonably warm spring in the Upper Midwest, common loons are returning to nesting areas some three weeks ahead of schedule, the Minnesota DNR recently noted.
Judge Approves Superior ATV Routes
Superior National Forest administrators can move forward with plans to designate routes for use by ATVs and other off-road vehicles, District Court Judge Susan Richard Nelson has ruled.
Appeals Court Hears Cell Tower Case
An appeals court heard arguments on Tuesday over AT&T’s proposed 450-foot cell-phone tower at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely.
Study: Deer Taking Toll on White Pine, White Cedar
A recent study says browsing by deer on white pines and white cedars is changing the nature of the forests along Minnesota’s North Shore.
State Regulators Delay Haze Decision
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s citizen’s board decided to delay a planned vote this week on measures to reduce haze in northeastern Minnesota.
Federal Agencies Pan State Haze Plan
U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service officials are critical of Minnesota’s plans to regulate pollutants causing haze over the Quetico-Superior region.
Isle Royale Considering Wolf Options
Officials at Isle Royale National Park are considering options to address the decline in the population of wolves on the Lake Superior island.