Praire Island: Dry Cast Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel
The 1994 Minnesota Legislature allowed Northern States Power Company to store
a limited amount of spent nuclear fuel in dry casks at its Prairie Island power
plant in Goodhue County, as long as the power company met several obligations.
One obligation was to make a good-faith effort to find an alternative storage
site in Goodhue County.
In July 1995, Northern States Power Company proposed two possible locations, both in Florence Township near the town of Frontenac.
New report on state progress in water management
Minnesota’s water benefited in the1990s from new efforts aimed at promoting conservation, protecting wetlands, preventing pollution from on-site wastewater treatment systems and correcting problems from leaking tanks and unsealed wells. Soundings: A Minnesota Water Plan Assessment, just released by the Environmental Quality Board, reports progress in carrying out the 14 objectives relating to integrating water management, protecting and conserving water resources and focusing on lakes, wetlands, rivers and ground water contained in the 1991 Minnesota Water Plan.
Sustainable communities and land use: committee reports of the Round Table on Sustainable Developement
Sustainable Communities adds a new dimension to traditional economic and community development practices by providing a clear, full picture of what it takes for a place to thrive over time.
From the diverse Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis to the famously chilly northern Minnesota town of Embarrass, cities, towns and counties throughout the state are recognizing that their environmental, economic and social concerns are fundamentally interdependent.
Sustainable development: the very idea
Revised and reprinted in April 1998, this common-sense primer explains the background and significance of the concept of sustainable development, including:
What it means and where it came from
- How you know it when you see it
- Who makes it happen
- How to measure it
- What's happening in Minnesota
- How to get involved
Crosscurrents: managing water resources
Minnesota's environment and natural resource management system is complex. Recognizing this complexity, the Minnesota Legislature presented five goals and 11 outcomes and authorized a study of how services could be better delivered by reorganizing related functions.
Saving resources: meeting Minnesota's water and wastewater needs
Public water and wastewater treatment needs could easily exceed $1.5 billion by 2000. Upgrading substandard on-site wastewater systems could add another $1.7 billion, says a new Environmental Quality Board report, Saving Resources: Meeting Minnesota's Water and Wastewater Needs.
Federal funds are decreasing, leaving the state and local governments with increased burdens. While funding grows tighter, both state and local governments need new approaches to safeguard water supplies and ensure adequate wastewater treatment.