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Cathy Johnson: From Classroom to Unexpected Lobbyist

As a former teacher and a master gardener, Johnson could not have predicted that in 2024 she would step into a significant leadership role, which has included testifying multiple times to the Minnesota legislature.

ELECTION: What Your Board of Estimate and Taxation Does

This role matters because we work too hard for our money for it not to be managed responsibly. BET ensures fiscal responsibility, equitable allocation of resources, and transparent decision-making.

COMMENTARY: Renters Deserve the Opportunity to Put Down Roots

This means that, on average, 1,143 units of affordable housing were preserved or created every year. Imagine how powerful that would be here.

Anne Mavity: How to Get Housing in All Corners

“We need to make it easy to build,” she says. She cites the 12-month streamlined rebuilding process after the 35W bridge collapse as evidence that it is possible for the state to waive its labyrinth of guidelines safely and to great effect. Mavity points out that half of other states are ahead of Minnesota in addressing the regulations issue.

DEEP DIVE: The Farmington Push for Responsible Hyper-Scale Data Centers

At a recent public meeting hosted by the Minnesota Women’s Press, about 50 residents, legislators, and advocates invited by the Coalition for Responsible Data Centers gathered to discuss the rapid growth of hyper-scale data centers. The conversation centered on a proposed facility in Farmington — a project that could use as much as 2.93 million gallons of water per day — as well as implications statewide for taxpayers and neighborhoods if corporate needs are not regulated.

The Public Health Mission of Open Cupboard

With looming cuts to safety net programs like SNAP and Medicaid, it’s more urgent than ever. We’re eager to support other communities in building food access models that center people, health, and dignity.

Rukia Abdi: How Community Energy Futures Is Powering the Current Generation

  Q: What does Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF)…

How Research Is Helping to Solve a Problem in the Steel Industry

Trees and other biomass — which absorb CO2 — can be processed at the end of their life span into an engineered biocarbon for steelmaking.

Voices of Energy, Land, and Justice

Those of us who live in urban and suburban places cannot expect rural people to shoulder the burden of hosting energy infrastructure while shutting them out of the discussion and providing no protections or benefits in return.

Energy as Commons: The Northland Solar Commons

The legal agreement between Heliene and the Bois Forte community beneficiaries represents the guiding principles of solar commoning: reciprocity, mutual aid, regenerative economics, and reparative justice.

EXPLAINER: What Minnesotans should learn about data centers

Farmington residents in lawsuit against city for approving large data center without transparency and community input.

COMMENTARY: Why are local energy consumers subsidizing data centers?

The truth is, these data centers will create very few permanent jobs, but will create staggering costs for electricity ratepayers and everyone else across our state.