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Last year, Minnesota lawmakers passed new protections after a young woman testified about contamination in her community just before she died. Her sister is now carrying on the fight to protect other families.
A former 3M scientist says she now believes executives knew PFAS were potentially harmful long before they shared that information.
PFAS are forever chemicals used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging that can build up in our bodies and harm our health.
There are expensive efforts in the east metro to filter out PFAS from drinking and wastewater. The forever chemicals are used in everyday items like nonstick pans, dental floss and food packaging. PFAS can build up in our bodies and harm our health. 3M settlement dollars are paying for $140 million dollar treatment facilities in Cottage Grove. But as our Erin Hassanzadeh shows us, other communities will have to foot some of the bill on their own.
Cottage Grove has a plan to filter PFAS out of its drinking water, and a way to pay for it.
Communities across Minnesota have drinking water that's contaminated with PFAS. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says PFAS don't break down in the environment. They do build up in the body and can lead to some serious health issues. That means more communities, like Cottage Grove will have to start filtering it out, but it's not cheap or easy.
Nineteen Minnesota cities and towns have levels of PFAS that exceed new federal guidelines for drinking water, and three of those communities are seeking support from the legislature this year to assist with their clean-up efforts.
Nineteen communities in Minnesota have elevated levels of PFAS, or "forever chemicals,” in their water.
Three years. That's how long the city of Hastings has to get their water in compliance with the new EPA PFAS guidelines.
The City of Hastings issued a notice on Wednesday morning informing its residents that some of its municipal wells are now above the allowable drinking standards for PFAS.
The Biden Administration is directing funding to help Minnesota get rid of forever chemicals in our water.
The Biden Administration announced Wednesday morning it's allocating $1 billion to help states fund PFAS detection and treatment systems.
The EPA will require that public water utilities test for six different types of PFAS chemicals to reduce exposure in drinking water.
"I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but it is bad news that there just isn't enough dollars available from manufacturers of these compounds to cover the need that we now have as a society to deal with the PFAS problem that exists," said Special Assistant Attorney General Peter Surdo.
You can find PFAS in cookware, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies to name a few. Their presence in our environment and our drinking water, sparking legal action.
Beginning in 2020, U.S. food manufacturers committed to phasing out PFAS in wrappers, boxes and bags with coating to prevent grease, water and other liquids from soaking through.
Measures that would legalize medical marijuana, spend $125 million to combat pollution from "forever chemicals" and allow election officials to speed up the counting of absentee ballots all appear to be doomed as the Wisconsin Legislature approaches the end of its session for the year.
While snowy weather finally showed up, changing and unpredictable winters aren't just inconvenient, they're an existential threat to the sport itself.
Gov. Tony Evers is allocating more than $402 million to address polluted drinking water in Wisconsin.
Health officials are recommending children, pregnant people and those who are breastfeeding should avoid eating fish from two bodies of water near the Twin Cities.
The Minnesota Department of Health said fish contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been found in the Mississippi River's Pool 2, which stretches from the Ford Dam in St. Paul to Hastings Dam, and Lake Rebecca, near Hastings.
Inside an unassuming lab in a corner of Minneapolis, scientists are working heads down to destroy a set of "forever chemicals" that are seeping into our drinking water with the potential to hurt our health, and to bolster public awareness.
For the last 20 years, Minnesota has been battling PFAS - toxic, synthetic chemicals that can invade the environment and have proved difficult to remove.
The Twin Cities area and southwest Wisconsin had some of the highest number of detections in the country.
A new report says nearly half the tap water in the U.S. tested positive for PFAS. WCCO's Jason Rantala explains why Minnesota scientists aren't surprised, and what homeowners can do about it.
Most of the country will be above average this holiday season
The Minnesota United FC is already preparing for next season, less than a month after getting eliminated from the playoffs.
The Minnesota Vikings visit Seattle Sunday afternoon to face a Seahawks team coming off a disappointing loss to Green Bay and now host another tough opponent in the Minnesota Vikings.
Minneapolis has softened an ordinance that prohibited obstructing entrances and driveways to abortion clinics after anti-abortion activists sued to challenge it on free-speech grounds.
A Montrose man has pleaded guilty in connection to a deadly multi-vehicle collision involving a stolen truck earlier this year.
The Minnesota United FC is already preparing for next season, less than a month after getting eliminated from the playoffs.
Minneapolis has softened an ordinance that prohibited obstructing entrances and driveways to abortion clinics after anti-abortion activists sued to challenge it on free-speech grounds.
In south Minneapolis, there's a tree that doesn't ask for much — just a little kindness and the willingness to connect.
A Hennepin County man is back in jail nearly a week after he was mistakenly released just hours after being sentenced to years in prison on drug-related charges.
A 38-year-old woman is facing four charges in connection with a north Minneapolis crash that killed two people and injured three others.
A Montrose man has pleaded guilty in connection to a deadly multi-vehicle collision involving a stolen truck earlier this year.
A 61-year-old man is dead after the vehicle he was driving collided with two semi-trucks on Interstate 94 during Thursday's winter storm.
An investigation is underway after a man and woman were found dead in a vehicle parked at the Duluth airport.
A one-year extension of federal farm programs, around $30 billion in economic relief and a break for the ethanol industry were part of a bipartisan deal that collapsed Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump denounced it.
An investigation is underway after a woman was killed in a hit-and-run in northern Minnesota earlier this week.
The Centers for Disease Control says no person-to-person transmission has been detected and the risk to the general public remains low.
The man was flown to a hospital in Minnesota, but the department gave no word on his condition. No one else was hurt.
Xcel says the project is intended to replace the energy that will be lost when its coal-fueled power plant near Stillwater closes in 2028.
Minnesota and Wisconsin leaders are responding to the school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
Roughly 70,000 gallons of oil from a pipeline spilled into the ground in Wisconsin, officials said.
Army veteran Delphine Littlewolf and her 7-year-old son Curtis have been living in her compact car for six months.
It looks like any other grocery store, but when you check out at Today's Harvest in Maplewood, shoppers aren't spending a dime.
The Buck Hill slopes played host to "Carve for a Cure" on Sunday, a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
As an equestrian with years of experience, Jen Kelly has taken a tumble or two — until a tumble in September 2020 where she broke three vertebrae in her neck and crushed her spinal cord.
A Vikings Hall of Famer is experiencing all kinds of emotions. Cris Carter is dealing with the announcement by Randy Moss of his cancer condition. Saturday night he surprised kids on behalf of the Salvation Army with a gift bag that lacked for nothing.
Minneapolis has softened an ordinance that prohibited obstructing entrances and driveways to abortion clinics after anti-abortion activists sued to challenge it on free-speech grounds.
A judge's ruling could shake up control of the Minnesota House.
A DFL state representative-elect did not meet residency requirements for the district he won and is not eligible to serve in that office, a judge ruled Friday.
Under the new law, aerosol dusters will need to be kept behind store counters, and can only sold to people 21 or older starting Jan. 1, 2025.
Government watchdog claims Americans lost hundreds of millions to fraud related to the bank-operated mobile payments network.
If the snow can stick around, they could get back on track. But across the industry there is concern about what the Arctic Cat news means for snowmobile dealers.
For generations, it's been an iconic part of the Twin Cities, and now it has its very own song, thanks to one of Minneapolis' own.
It looks like any other grocery store, but when you check out at Today's Harvest in Maplewood, shoppers aren't spending a dime.
Heating your home in the winter can take a toll on your pocketbook, but it doesn't have to with some easy tips to save.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produce 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
A Montrose man has pleaded guilty in connection to a deadly multi-vehicle collision involving a stolen truck earlier this year.
A Hennepin County man is back in jail nearly a week after he was mistakenly released just hours after being sentenced to years in prison on drug-related charges.
A 38-year-old woman is facing four charges in connection with a north Minneapolis crash that killed two people and injured three others.
Prosecutors said Friday a St. Paul police officer who shot a man while responding to a sexual assault call will not face charges.
A man is dead after he was shot late Thursday night in a north Minneapolis alley.
Minneapolis has softened an ordinance that prohibited obstructing entrances and driveways to abortion clinics after anti-abortion activists sued to challenge it on free-speech grounds.
Under the new law, aerosol dusters will need to be kept behind store counters, and can only sold to people 21 or older starting Jan. 1, 2025.
The Centers for Disease Control says no person-to-person transmission has been detected and the risk to the general public remains low.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Wednesday that it had detected presumptive positive human case of H5N1 in Barron County.
Kathy Ingebrand of Mahtomedi is one of the first people in the country to receive the infusion meant to slow down Alzheimer's disease by up to 35%.
Holidazzle is a free event with lights, stage performances, Santa, nearly 200 vendors and more. It runs Wednesday through Sunday.
For generations, it's been an iconic part of the Twin Cities, and now it has its very own song, thanks to one of Minneapolis' own.
Among the 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to be preserved for future generations are the Coen Brothers' "No Country for Old Men," "The Social Network," Cheech & Chong's "Up in Smoke," and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
Thirty years ago on Friday, the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington was demolished.
Hope Walz, daughter of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, took a swipe at influential podcaster Joe Rogan and the men among his fanbase after the host said he supported President-elect Donald Trump due to misstatements the former Democratic vice presidential candidate made about his past.
Two high-powered girls basketball teams in Delano and Centennial met on the court Friday. Plus, see how Prince and Hiawatha High School’s gym are heavily connected.
The Minnesota United FC is already preparing for next season, less than a month after getting eliminated from the playoffs.
The Minnesota Vikings visit Seattle Sunday afternoon to face a Seahawks team coming off a disappointing loss to Green Bay and now host another tough opponent in the Minnesota Vikings.
Kelly Pannek and Grace Zumwinkle each scored two goals and the Minnesota Frost beat the Ottawa Charge 5-2 on Thursday night.
Karl-Anthony Towns needed some extra time to prepare for playing against the team he always figured he'd be with his whole career.
Esme Murphy talks with Congressman Pete Stauber, who hopes to see President Biden’s 20-year moratorium on new mining near the Boundary Waters reversed by President-elect Donald Trump.
President-elect Donald Trump said he plans to reverse President Biden's 20-year moratorium on new mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on his first day in office.
In this election, Klobuchar faired much better than all other Senate Democrats — she won by a significantly larger margin.
For Democrats the postmortem continues on why Vice President Kamala Harris and her Running mate Governor Tim Walz performed more poorly with almost every demographic than Joe Biden did in 2020. In Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar did much better than Harris with some of those same groups.
As Election Day nears, experts say voters in Wisconsin and other battleground states will decide the 2024 presidential election winner.
During the first week of December, Little Falls holds Christmas tours around town. It's a chance for historic buildings to deck their halls and spread their cheer.
Duluth is known for its scenic views across the city, but one location stands out from the rest.
One family's creative design in central Minnesota allows guests to sleep under the stars — at any time of year.
"Thomas Dambo, he believes the trolls really help us kind of shine a light on how we can take better care of the environment and be better to each other," said Stearns.
There are a lot of quirky town names in Minnesota: Embarrass, Nowthen, Clontarff, Kiester. But the people of Nimrod believe their name stands out from the rest.
There are a lot of reasons to get distracted this time of year and to procrastinate.
It's a term that's being thrown around a lot these days. Some think it's a social thing, others a medical thing.
Every home has a distinct smell, and chances are your home smells just as strong to other people. Why can't we notice our own home's smell but we can notice everyone else's?
An important deadline is approaching, and we're not talking about Christmas shopping. End of semester exams are coming up for students of all ages.
Jeff Wagner dives into the cold-weather dating trend that has singles looking for love with a time limit.
Regions Hospital and Children's Minnesota share photos of their tiniest patients dressed to the nines for Halloween.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Thursday night due to the arrival of a severe geomagnetic storm.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Monday night.
Storms ripped through parts of Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Thursday evening. There were several reports of tornadoes and trees were downed in the metro and beyond, including in Cottage Grove, Anoka, Champlin and Fridley.
A powerful thunderstorm tore through the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair on Monday night, delaying Tuesday's opening.
Most of the country will be above average this holiday season
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Meteorologist Riley O'Connor forecasts mild temperatures after cold few days.
WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says there’s a chance for small amount of precipitation on Monday.
If the snow can stick around, they could get back on track. But across the industry there is concern about what the Arctic Cat news means for snowmobile dealers.
Meteorologist Riley O'Connor forecasts mild temperatures after cold few days.
Watch an unforgettable moment during an Alexandria football game that brought the crowd to tears. Plus, a tough battle in boy’s basketball between Rockford and Zimmerman.
WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says there’s a chance for small amount of precipitation on Monday.
A 38-year-old woman is facing two counts of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with Monday's crash that killed two people and injured three others.
WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak says this weekend will feature temperatures in the 20s and 30s, with warmer temps forecasted next week.