Judge orders state agencies to assess whether manure and commercial fertilizer rules protect MN from nitrate pollution

DATE: 09/08/25 CONTACT: Sarah Horner, MCEA, shorner@mncenter.org, 612-868-3024 Saint Paul, Minn – A Ramsey County District Court judge ordered the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to review whether the rules they have in place to protect Minnesotans’ drinking water from nitrate pollution are working....

Read more...

Inform our Policy Platform

We are looking ahead to the next state legislative session and preparing our policy platform. Preventing Fish Kills will continue to be one overarching goal of MNTU as we consider specific hurdles to our work conserving, protecting, restoring, and sustaining Minnesota’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.Some issues we know will...

Read more...

2025 Legislative Session Recap

Legislative session was more a game of defense, rather than much momentum forward this year. In general we held the line on our priority issues and were happy that so many of you showed up to attend rallies and hearings, and in submitting letters of concern to your elected officials....

Read more...

Nitrates, Feedlots, and Fish Kills: MNTU Pushes for Stronger Feedlot Rules

MNTU has a long history of developing awareness of, and urging action to reduce, nitrate contamination, especially where contamination impacts Minnesota’s trout streams (see timeline). Regulating nitrates in Minnesota, especially southeast Minnesota, is critical to protect the region’s coldwater fisheries, including brook, brown, and rainbow trout. These...

Read more...

Actions you can take TODAY to Honor Earth Month

April 8, 2025 Keeping up with all of the important opportunities to advocate for protection of coldwater fisheries is nearly impossible right now with attacks on our natural resources coming at all levels of government. It’s important to continue speaking up against legislation that will impact what you hold dear, as...

Read more...

No Hatch to Match? The Silent Decline of Aquatic Insects in Minnesota Trout Streams

If you’ve spent any time fishing the cold, clear streams of the Driftless Region, you know that matching the hatch is often the key to success. Hundreds of fly patterns exist to mimic the many species of mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies that emerge throughout the season. But in recent years,...

Read more...

PRESS RELEASE: Environmental groups file lawsuit to ensure momentum to address nitrate pollution continues

DATE: 01/28/25   CONTACT: Sarah Horner, MCEA, shorner@mncenter.org, 612-868-3024 Saint Paul, Minn – Environmental groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday to fortify Minnesota’s commitment to addressing the longstanding nitrate pollution problem impairing drinking water in the southeastern region of the state as the federal administration changes hands. The suit was filed against the Minnesota...

Read more...

Voters want conservation

by John Lenczewski, November 11, 2024 How last week’s election results will impact our ability to better protect, restore, and sustain coldwater fisheries and watersheds is not clear. Most conservation work gets done locally, especially with Minnesota’s environmental laws and dedicated funding. National politics usually has less impact here. Control of...

Read more...

VOTE YES FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS

By John Weiss, Hiawatha TU member Would you like to help the environment and do it by taking only a second or two? You can and here’s how: vote yes on the amendment on this November’s ballot asking Minnesotans to reauthorize dedicating at least 40 percent of revenues from the state-operated lottery...

Read more...