Environmental advocates are renewing debate over Hennepin County’s waste incinerator, raising concerns about PFAS emissions, federal rollbacks of pollution standards and unequal health risks for communities near the facility in North Minneapolis.
environmental justice
Posted inLocal & State
How redlining and systemic gaps leave communities vulnerable to disaster
Natural disasters hit low-income communities and communities of color hardest. MSR staff writer Damenica Ellis examines why, from the 2011 North Minneapolis tornado to the role of redlining in shaping disaster vulnerability today.
Posted inOpinion
We must rekindle our relationship with Earth
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III reflects on Earth Day, environmental justice and the deep agrarian roots of Black people, drawing on family memory and the legacy of George Washington Carver, Hazel Johnson and others.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Hunger Strikers Confront Hennepin County Board Over HERC Closure, Sending Commissioners Into Recess
Zero Burn Coalition hunger strikers disrupted the Hennepin County Board meeting on day 12 of their strike demanding a vote to close HERC by December 2027 before ending the strike the following day.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Air and water disparities, and the fight to shut down HERC
HERC trash incinerator residents describe living next to a facility that sounds like an airport tarmac, causes respiratory illness and sits in a majority-Black community absorbing pollution from across Hennepin County.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Clinicians, Scientists Call for Closure of Hennepin Energy Recovery Center by 2027
Scientists and clinicians argue HERC’s outdated 30-year permit fails to protect North Minneapolis residents as hunger strikers demand a vote to close the trash incinerator by December 2027.
Posted inOpinion
An open letter to Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley
An open letter to Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley from a North Minneapolis resident who has lived near the HERC trash burner since 1999 and is calling her to honor her environmental justice promises.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Hunger strikers say Hennepin County commissioners won’t meet with them
Zero Burn Coalition hunger strikers say Hennepin County commissioners have refused to meet with them six days into their action demanding a vote to close the HERC trash incinerator by December 2027.
Posted inBusiness
The secondhand shift: Stretching dollars instead of creating more trash
Thrifting and secondhand shopping are rising as consumers embrace pre-loved clothing and goods for environmental, financial and cultural reasons, with experts and Twin Cities voices weighing in on the trend.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Hunger Strikers Give Hennepin County a Deadline on HERC
HERC incinerator North Minneapolis closure is being demanded by hunger strikers and residents as a former EPA scientist confirms significantly higher cancer risk near the facility.
Posted inEvents
Minneapolis and Beyond: Incinerator Fights Under State Repression
Environmental justice organizers nationwide are uniting to challenge trash incinerators, state repression, and pollution while advancing zero-waste solutions.
Posted inOpinion
Public Utilities Commission (PUC) vote shameful
The Zero Burn Coalition condemned a PUC vote allowing trash incineration to be classified as carbon-free under Minnesota law.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Hunger strike escalates opposition to HERC pollution
The Zero Burn Coalition announced a hunger strike as part of an escalating push for HERC incinerator closure in North Minneapolis.
Posted inBusiness
NAACP ‘Stop Dirty Data’ conference probes data center effects
The NAACP hosted a summit highlighting environmental justice concerns linked to the expansion of data centers and their impact on Black, brown, and low-income communities.
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Fossil fuels are poisoning Black America
Medical and public health experts warn that fossil fuel pollution is already damaging public health, especially in Black and brown communities, and that the harm will intensify without a transition away from fossil fuels.
Posted inOpinion
Data centers threaten Black communities, how to fight
As corporations race to build massive data centers for AI and cryptocurrency, Black and fenceline communities are disproportionately affected. These centers consume vast energy and water resources while emitting pollution. Boxtown, on the south side of Memphis, is a stark example. Founded by formerly enslaved people, Boxtown has long borne the brunt of industrial pollution, […]
Posted inArts + Culture
More than skin deep
Science Museum exhibit explores race, identity and nature At first glance, skin might seem like a simple surface: something we see in the mirror, cover with clothing, or protect with sunscreen. But a new exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota invites visitors to go deeper. “Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity,” which opened October 3, […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t let your climate power slip away
A call to action “You have power unless you give it away” are words my grandmother instilled in me as a young boy growing up in the mountains of Appalachia. Her words have been echoing in my head as the seasons turn. Today is the first day of fall, and already the air feels unsettled, […]
Posted inLocal & State
‘Soil Syndicate’ wants more people to see waste as a resource
Project Sweetie Pie and KilimoMax Solutions launched the Soil Syndicate on Aug. 23 in North Minneapolis, showcasing composting and biochar as tools for soil health and community resilience.
Posted inOpinion
The Endangerment Finding stands between us and disaster
Mustafa Ali warns that dismantling the Endangerment Finding would strip protections against climate pollution, with devastating impacts for vulnerable communities.