Land & Water

water tower overlaid with industrial image

No More Piggyback Rides: The Loophole That Lets Big Water Users Avoid Accountability 

CURE News, Energy & Innovation, Land & Water

A loophole called “piggybacking” lets large industrial water users rely on municipal permits instead of getting their own, shifting liability and consequences onto local communities. Hyperscale data centers are the latest industry trying this maneuver. As Elko New Market shows, the impacts don’t go away—someone else just gets stuck paying the price. 

No More Piggyback Rides: The Loophole That Lets Big Water Users Avoid Accountability  Read More »

Core Civic Prairie Correctional Facility Sign

Say NO to an Appleton ICE Detention Center

Action Alert, Land & Water

The Federal government has recently released documents indicating that they plan to reopen the now-shuttered Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, MN, a 1,600-bed prison owned by private prison company CoreCivic, as an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Minnesotans saw this winter how ICE and its detention network are being used to systematically

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marcell experimental forest

Only You Can Prevent the U.S. Forest Service Reorganization Dumpster Fire 

Action Alert, CURE News, Land & Water

In late March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a plan to reorganize the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The proposal would shut down research labs, break the Forest Service into a disjointed state‑by‑state system, and move its headquarters to Utah — far away from Congressional oversight and other science-based agencies it’s supposed to work with.

Only You Can Prevent the U.S. Forest Service Reorganization Dumpster Fire  Read More »

Peg Furshong

CURE’s Peg Furshong appointed to Task Force on Future of Minnesota’s Water by Attorney General Keith Ellison

CURE Press Releases, Land & Water, Land & Water Press Releases

This spring, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison created the Advisory Task Force on Future of Minnesota’s Water. This Task Force aims to study issues affecting the stewardship of Minnesota’s water resources, explore best practices, and collaborate to develop a broad set of recommendations for policymakers and regulators, advocacy groups and business leaders, communities, and individuals. Additionally,

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people gathering in the MN state capitol rotunda for Rise + Repair 2025

CURE’s Cliffs Notes on the First Act of MN’s 2025 Legislative Session

Energy & Innovation, Land & Water, People & Communities

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

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45Q Delegation in Washington DC outside the Capitol

CO2 Pipeline Resistance to Congress: Cut the Waste, Repeal 45Q

CO2 Pipelines, Energy & Innovation, Land & Water, People & Communities

*99.9% of the tax credits are claimed by massive oil and gas interests. Carbon capture is the most expensive, least effective climate mitigation strategy.   Last week, I traveled to the Capitol with a small but determined group of Minnesotans: landowners, farmers, and community members who are experiencing the threats posed by the carbon capture

CO2 Pipeline Resistance to Congress: Cut the Waste, Repeal 45Q Read More »

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Kelsey Olson

Kelsey Olson

Director of Environmental Stewardship

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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 American Swedish Institute. Kelsey enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, canning local produce, and making kombucha.