Energy & Innovation Press Releases

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State Regulators tell Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light & Power Association to stop unlawful disconnection threats to Upper Sioux Community 

CURE News, Energy & Innovation, Energy & Innovation Press Releases

MN PUC Commissioners urge electric co-op members to use their  power to rein in Minnesota Valley leadership’s “bad behavior”  After two years of delays, threats, and legal battles, the Upper Sioux Community (Community) achieved a significant victory last week when the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ruled that Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light & Power Association

State Regulators tell Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light & Power Association to stop unlawful disconnection threats to Upper Sioux Community  Read More »

PUC hearing on MN Power sale in October 2025.

CURE petitions for reconsideration of Minnesota Power private equity takeover 

CURE Press Releases, Energy & Innovation Press Releases

Revelations about undisclosed data center project in utility’s territory raises community concerns  On December 30, 2025, CURE formally petitioned the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to reassess its approval of the sale of ALLETE, the parent company of Minnesota Power, to two private equity investors—the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP/BackRock), a subsidiary of BlackRock, the world’s

CURE petitions for reconsideration of Minnesota Power private equity takeover  Read More »

MN PUC Greenlights Private Equity Takeover of Minnesota Power

Energy & Innovation Press Releases

Today, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) unanimously approved the sale of ALLETE, the parent company of Minnesota Power, to two private equity investors, the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP) and Global Infrastructure Partners, a subsidiary of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager. This decision concludes a lengthy regulatory, legal, and public battle which

MN PUC Greenlights Private Equity Takeover of Minnesota Power Read More »

Erik Hatlestad honored for vital work on rural clean energy & electric co-ops 

CURE Press Releases, Energy & Innovation Press Releases

Last week, CURE’s Director of Rural Cooperative Energy, Erik Hatlestad, was named to the 2025 Grist50 list for his work on rural clean energy and electric cooperatives. This honor reflects Erik’s efforts helping design and pass the New ERA program that provides the largest investment in rural electrification in U.S. history. New ERA funding enables

Erik Hatlestad honored for vital work on rural clean energy & electric co-ops  Read More »

Duluth Night Skyline

Protect Minnesotans and the environment, reject the BlackRock buyout of Minnesota Power

Energy & Innovation Press Releases

Minnesota PUC must put public interest first by denying private equity greed The final comment period closed for the proposed private equity acquisition of ALLETE, parent company of Minnesota Power. Under the proposed acquisition, ALLETE would no longer be a publicly traded company and would be sold to two private equity investors, the Canadian Pension

Protect Minnesotans and the environment, reject the BlackRock buyout of Minnesota Power Read More »

Boswell Energy Center Sign

Environmental Organizations Demand that Minnesota Power Comply with Wastewater Rules at Boswell Plant One Year After Massive Coal-Ash Wastewater Spill

Energy & Innovation, Energy & Innovation Press Releases

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

Environmental Organizations Demand that Minnesota Power Comply with Wastewater Rules at Boswell Plant One Year After Massive Coal-Ash Wastewater Spill Read More »

Duluth Night Skyline

Judge sides with consumers & environment, slams proposed BlackRock buyout of Minnesota Power

Energy & Innovation, Energy & Innovation Press Releases

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

Judge sides with consumers & environment, slams proposed BlackRock buyout of Minnesota Power Read More »

pipeline in trench

CURE Seeks Reconsideration of CO2 Pipeline Permit in MN

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

Updated maps show new pipeline leg in Chippewa, Kandiyohi & Swift Counties  On March 13, CURE, a rural advocacy organization based out of Montevideo, filed an appeal to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) arguing that the decision to grant Summit Carbon Solutions, LLC a permit for 28-miles of CO2 pipeline in Otter Tail and Wilkin Counties

CURE Seeks Reconsideration of CO2 Pipeline Permit in MN Read More »

pipeline in trench

MN greases the wheels for Summit’s CO2 pipeline, SD voters deal a serious blow // MN PUC will decide on Summit’s permit in December 12th meeting

CO2 Pipelines, Energy & Innovation Press Releases

Montevideo, MN, November 12, 2024—Last week saw two important if contradictory decisions related to Summit Carbon Solutions LLC’s controversial $8.9-billion carbon-capture pipeline project. One moves the CO2 pipeline one step forward in securing the permit for its proposed 28-mile segment in Minnesota. At the same time, the other is a major electoral setback in South

MN greases the wheels for Summit’s CO2 pipeline, SD voters deal a serious blow // MN PUC will decide on Summit’s permit in December 12th meeting 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.