Back in April, we reported the big news out of South Dakota that would seem to strike a fatal blow to Summit Carbon Solutions’ multi-state, 2,500+ mile CO2 pipeline network. At yet, throughout the summer, Summit lumbered on across the prairie landscape like a zombie, not quite dead yet certainly not fully alive. Much of […]
What’s the deal with the Summit CO2 pipeline? Read More »
Re: In the Matter of the Petition of Minnesota Power for the Acquisition of ALLETE by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Global Infrastructure Partners, Docket Nos. E-015/PA-24-198 and E-015/M-24-383 CURE submits these initial comments to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) regarding the questions posed in the July 18, 2025, Notice of Comment Period on
Why the ALLETE/MN Power Acquisition Settlement Fails the Public Interest Test Read More »
Today, Sierra Club, CURE, and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) sent a letter to Minnesota Power demanding that the company address problems associated with storage and management of coal ash wastewater at the coal-fired Boswell Energy Center, which violate the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and associated federal regulations. Under a federal rule governing management of coal ash
Private equity acquisition of public utility would result in “net harm” On July 15th, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) released her report recommending that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) reject the proposed private equity buyout of ALLETE, Inc., parent company of Minnesota Power, a Duluth-based regulated electric utility serving northern Minnesota residential and industrial customers. Under
End of the 2025 Special Session This is the fourth and final CURE Legislative update of the 2025 Session. Check out our previous updates here: Keeping it Real and Rural; CURE’s Cliff Notes; and The Show Must Go On. Just before 2:00 am on Tuesday, June 9th, the Minnesota legislature wrapped up special session, passing all the necessary
A Brief Update on CURE’s priorities at the end of the Regular Legislative Session This is the third CURE Legislative update of 2025. Stay tuned for our end-of-session wrap-up at the conclusion of the special session. As of Monday, May 19th, the 2025 Regular Session of the Minnesota State Legislature has come to an end.
The Show Must Go On Read More »
MN PUC declines to reconsider CO2 pipeline permit decision for Otter Tail & Wilkin Counties On April 21st, Summit Carbon Solutions—the company proposing to build the controversial five-state, 2,500-mile Midwest Carbon Express CO2 pipeline network—faced yet another significant setback when South Dakota rejected its application for a permit to build and operate approximately 700 miles of pipeline
South Dakota regulators reject Summit’s CO2 pipeline permit Read More »
Why Minnesota Power Should Not Be Privatized ALLETE—a publicly traded energy company headquartered in Duluth MN—announced in May 2024 its plan to be acquired by two large, private investors: the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). Among ALLETE’s other holdings it owns Minnesota Power—a public utility serving 150,000 Minnesotan residents, 14 municipalities,
Take the Power Back Read More »
Minnesota, like states across the country, is facing a sudden influx of proposals to build massive “hyperscale” data centers to meet the demands of big tech companies looking to scale up artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency mining, cloud computing, and related digital technologies. But while the advancement of Big Tech projects careens forward at breakneck speed, the public scrutiny
Gird Your Loins: Navigating the Wave of Data Center Development in Minnesota Read More »
This is the second CURE Legislative update of 2025. Stay tuned for periodic updates at key points during the Session, which officially ends on Monday, May 19th. It’s been two months since Minnesota legislators assembled at the Capitol for the start of session, and after a halting start, we now have a better idea of
CURE’s Cliffs Notes on the First Act of MN’s 2025 Legislative Session Read More »
Kelsey Olson (she/her) joined CURE in 2025 as its Director of Environmental Stewardship. As a skilled environmental naturalist, Kelsey’s work focuses broadly on environmental education and advocacy with a keen focus on rural land use and how that use impacts our environment and climate. Working Lands, how land is used to support agriculture and forestry, is a key focus of her work. She brings 15 years’ experience in public communication, environmental education, and rural community engagement – strong communication strategies are core in her work. This includes two terms of service with AmeriCorps in the VISTA program in Oregon and Maryland and a nearly 10-year career as a naturalist followed. She recently worked on communications and marketing for rural economic development.
Kelsey lives in New London, MN, with her young children, husband, dog, and two cats. They enjoy spending time together outside and finding small treasures in nature. Visits to Minneapolis often include visits to one of their favorite historical museums, the Minnesota Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, whether this is canning local produce, making kombucha, or other treats!
