Environment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signaled it will abandon a tougher national fine‑particulate (PM2.5) air‑quality standard on Nov. 25, 2025. Reversing the stricter limit would affect how Minnesota and Twin Cities regulators assess air quality and industrial permitting, with implications for public health and compliance planning if the change proceeds through rulemaking.

Washington County Parks will waive entry fees at all 10 county parks and regional trails on Friday, Nov. 28, while the Minnesota DNR will waive vehicle permits at all 73 state parks the same day. Some parks will host free programs, including a naturalist‑led hike at Wild River State Park; Dakota and Ramsey county parks do not require vehicle permits.

The Twin Cities hit a record high of 56°F on Nov. 23, breaking a roughly 120-year mark. The NWS says a storm will bring rain Tuesday—then change to snow late Tuesday into Wednesday (metro timeline roughly 9 a.m.–5 p.m. rain, changeover 5 p.m.–2 a.m., snow 2–9 a.m. Wed), with 1–2 inches expected in the Twin Cities (3–6 inches in central/northern MN), gusts over 40 mph possible in central Minnesota and a winter storm watch in effect for northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota; wet roads could freeze and create travel hazards.

The Twin Cities reached 72°F Friday — the warmest temperature ever recorded this late in the season in records back to 1872 — while St. Cloud tied its daily high at 68°F. State climatologist says autumn 2025 is likely to rank among Minnesota’s top-10 warmest seasons and nearly 63% of the state is abnormally dry or in drought, though a weak cold front should bring temperatures closer to normal in the coming days.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued geomagnetic storm watches for Nov. 11–13, including a rare G4 ('severe') watch on Wednesday that could make the Northern Lights visible across Minnesota, including the Twin Cities’ darker outskirts. The agency says a G2 watch is in effect Nov. 11 and a G3 watch Nov. 13, with visibility potentially extending as far south as Alabama depending on timing, storm strength, and cloud cover.

Hennepin County dropped a proposed second ‘vertical’ access at Lake Minnetonka’s North Arm public landing in Orono after resident and city pushback, revising its redesign to add a picnic area instead. The county still plans safety and sustainability upgrades — including ramp realignment, parking changes, stormwater controls, shoreline pods for anglers/paddlers, lighting and solar features — and Commissioner Heather Edelson said the controversy will spur broader coordination among 14 lakeshore cities, the county, LMCD and the DNR on commercial use of public landings.

The EPA under Administrator Lee Zeldin proposed loosening parts of a Biden‑era 2023 rule that accelerates the phaseout of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the 2020 AIM Act, arguing businesses need more time and flexibility. The plan, which follows a September step easing requirements for cold‑storage warehouses and delaying some compliance to 2032, would affect grocery chains, refrigeration firms, and HVAC companies nationwide, including in the Twin Cities, while environmental groups warn it will worsen climate pollution and disrupt ongoing industry transitions.

The Cottage Grove City Council voted 5–0 on Nov. 6 to deem adequate the final environmental impact statement for Amrize Nelson’s proposal to shift and expand sand-and-gravel mining into the Mississippi River backwaters near Lower Grey Cloud Island, moving the project to state and federal permitting. Friends of the Mississippi River objected, arguing shoreline mining is illegal under MRCCA rules, while the mayor said the three‑year review only assessed EIS adequacy; the expansion would tap about 400 acres and extend mine life by 20–25 years.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a strong geomagnetic storm watch as a coronal mass ejection is expected to arrive between Thursday evening, Nov. 6, and Friday morning, Nov. 7, potentially making northern lights visible across Minnesota, including the Twin Cities’ darker outskirts. Forecasters do not expect major radio or communications disruptions; a bright moon may reduce visibility, and viewing could continue Friday night depending on solar activity.

After the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board considered closing the Lake of the Isles outdoor skating rink due to climate pressures and budget shortfalls, a neighborhood campaign led by Kenwood resident Janet Hallaway gathered nearly 3,000 signatures, prompting staff to keep the rink open for the upcoming winter season. District 4 Park Commissioner Elizabeth Shaffer said the push also spurred plans to restore and maintain several other rinks that were slated for closure or were closed last year.

St. Paul Parks and Recreation says 32 recently planted trees were found cut a few feet above the ground along Shepard Road south of the Smith Avenue High Bridge on Friday, Oct. 24. The trees were planted last fall with nonprofit partner Tree Trust; officials are determining replacement options but no funding source is identified. Police are investigating, and the city notes a similar November 2024 incident in the same area destroyed 60 trees, causing roughly $40,000 in damage.

The Minnesota DNR will close Afton State Park and William O’Brien State Park in Washington County to the public for a weekend deer hunt. The temporary closures are intended to facilitate the controlled hunt and maintain visitor safety, with normal access resuming after the weekend.

Minnesota launched a 10-year Drinking Water Action Plan to tackle PFAS and nitrate contamination, with the Minnesota Department of Health reporting 97% of the state's drinking water meets federal standards while about 3% of communities fall below standards due to excessive nitrate and arsenic. The plan — financed by the Clean Water Fund (which expires in 2034) and updated every two years — directs the Clean Water Council to fund grants for testing and remediation, cites projects like a $330 million Woodbury treatment plant funded in part by the 3M settlement, and responds to more PFAS-positive residential wells and a PFAS plume moving toward the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers.

Forecasts had warned of record warmth — even a possible 91°F — and gusty 30–40 mph winds Saturday with overnight lows in the low 70s Friday night. Saturday’s high reached 90°F in the Twin Cities, topping the previous 89°F record, and other Minnesota locations also set records (Hibbing 83°F, Brainerd 86°F, Rochester 86°F, Duluth 84°F); cooler weather is expected Sunday with highs near 78°F and a further cooldown into the 60s next week as winds shift.

The Arden Hills City Council will take public comment Monday on proposed changes to its backyard poultry ordinance that would allow residents to keep ducks and loosen chicken rules. The proposal would raise the chicken limit from three to seven, permit larger coops, allow fenced-yard roaming, and enable coops in detached garages; a staff memo notes six metro cities already allow ducks and the Planning Commission recommended approval 7–0.

Urban farm activists seeking to buy Minneapolis’ Roof Depot industrial site in the East Phillips neighborhood missed a city-imposed deadline to complete the purchase. The lapse puts the future of the long-disputed site back in the City of Minneapolis’ hands as officials determine next steps for the property.