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Ominous forecasts about the impact of climate change serve as the backdrop for the world — led by U.S. lawmakers and companies — to debate big action on the problem, which could upend energy systems and our way of life.

Energy & Environment

Minnesota agencies said this week that they are monitoring the cleanup of a 400,000-gallon radioactive water leak from a nuclear power plant outside Minneapolis from last November.

Driving the news: The leak was contained to the plant site in Monticello and it poses no health or safety risks to the community or nearby environment, according to Xcel Energy, a Minneapolis-based utility company.

The plant leak was not revealed to the public until now because it "poses no health and safety risk to the local community or the environment," the company said in a statement.

The plant in Monticello is about 35 miles northwest of Minneapolis and upstream from the Mississippi River, per AP.

The leak, which occurred at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, was first reported to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the state of Minnesota on Nov. 22, 2022, Xcel said.

The leak never reached the threshold that would have required a public announcement, the company said.

Xcel said it has since worked with state and federal regulators, as well as local officials, to monitor the cleanup. The company added that it "has been pumping, storing, and processing the water for reuse."

What they're saying: "We have taken comprehensive measures to address this situation on-site at the plant," Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy–Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, said in a statement.

"While this leak does not pose a risk to the public or the environment, we take this very seriously and are working to safely address the situation," he added.

Victoria Mitlyng, a spokesperson with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told KARE 11 that "the public in Minnesota, the people, the community near the plant, was not and is not in danger.”

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said in a statement Thursday that the leak was "stopped and has not reached the Mississippi River or contaminated drinking water sources."

"There is no evidence at this time to indicate a risk to any drinking water wells in the vicinity of the plant," the MPCA said.

The leaked water contained levels of tritium, a compound that "is naturally present in the environment and is commonly created in the operation of nuclear power plants," Xcel said.

Tritium can release low levels of radiation, but on a similar level as common materials and food, the company said.

 The compound can be created from electricity production at nuclear power plants, according to the Minnesota PCA.

Xcel said it has recovered about 25% of the tritium released and will continue to do so over the next year.

Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety with the Union of Concerned Scientists, told KARE 11 that there would only be a health risk if people consumed a high amount of tritium. 

What's next: Clark, of Xcel Energy, said the company will "continue to gather and treat all potentially affected water while regularly monitoring nearby groundwater sources."

The MPCA said that Xcel is exploring the possibility of building aboveground storage tanks or a retention pond to store the contaminated water that has been recovered.

Everything we know about the Minnesota nuclear plant leak

Xcel Energy said the leak was contained to the plant site in Monticello and it poses not health or safety risk to the community or nearby environment.

Monticello nuclear power plant. Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

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Continental U.S. seasonal drought outlook

With California’s mountains buried under a historically deep snowpack and more storms on the way, the latest drought outlook from NOAA shows continuing improvement in the state’s drought situation.

The big picture: California has long experienced sudden swings between drought and flood, but the rapid fire assault by about a dozen atmospheric river storm events since December is on the extreme end of weather whiplash.

Driving the news: The Drought Monitor shows no coverage of the top two most severe categories of drought, “exceptional” and “extreme,” eliminating them from the state’s drought map for the first time since 2020, NOAA stated Thursday.

Statewide, the snowpack stood at 223% of average for March 16, and could break the seasonal record on April 1. This is typically the seasonal peak for the state’s snow cover.

When this snowpack melts, it will pose flooding dangers, particularly if any mild Pacific storms affect the higher elevations with rainfall, or spring heat waves occur.

Zoom in: The drought shift is striking — as of March 14, 36% of California was in some category of drought conditions, compared to 99.7% at the start of the water year on Oct. 1.

At the start of the water year, 40.9% of the state was classified as being in the two worst drought categories. Today that figure is down to 0%.

The snowpack is so thick it has forced several ski areas to close in order to dig out their ski lifts.

The water supply picture in California is drastically improved for the upcoming dry season compared to the past few years. Compared to this time last year, the water levels in Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville are up by about 80%.

Reflecting this improvement, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California announced Wednesday it would end emergency water restrictions for about 7 million people.

Yes, but: The improvements in the California drought as measured by the snowpack and Drought Monitor statistics do not mean the Southwestern megadrought, which began in 2000, has ended.

It will take more wet winters to replenish groundwater supplies depleted by farmers, ranchers and other water users in California and surface drought has not fully relented in neighboring states.

Context: Research published this week provides observational evidence for worsening water extremes, both heavy precipitation and drought conditions, around the world due to the effects of human-caused climate change.

Other studies have shown that climate change is causing atmospheric rivers to carry more water vapor, and for the movement from wet to dry extremes to become more pronounced and frequent.

What we’re watching: The pace of the snow melt in California. Any heat waves or mild storms that bring rains into high elevations could cause serious flooding concerns with reservoirs already filling up and major rivers elevated. 

With homes entombed in snow throughout the Sierras, structural failures could also arise as the snow melts.

California's historic snowpack eases drought concerns through spring

Snow in the Sierras is so deep it has shut down some ski areas.

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Denver Parks and Recreation gave 35 bison to Native American tribes in three states this week, per multiple reports.

Why it matters: The donation is another step toward Indigenous people claiming back stewardship over animals their ancestors managed for centuries.

Details: Seventeen bison went to the Northern Arapaho Tribe and 12 were given to the Eastern Shoshone Tribe in Wyoming after a ceremony on Wednesday, the Colorado Sun reports.

Five others went to the Yuchi Tribe in Oklahoma.

One bison will remain in Colorado at the Tall Bull Memorial Council.

Of note: Denver has donated dozens of bison to Native American tribes over the years in an effort to return the wild animals to their native lands and support conservation efforts.

Just last year, 33 bison were donated to the Northern Arapaho Tribe, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and Tall Bull Memorial Council.

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Denver gives 35 more bison to tribal nations

It's another step toward Indigenous people claiming back stewardship over animals their ancestors managed for centuries.

Bison grazing on the tall grass at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Photo: Kathryn Scott Osler/The Denver Post via Getty Images

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A look at the scientific breakthroughs changing the world, explorations in space and in worlds beyond our own and the threats posed to us by our own planet, both out of our control and of our own making.

Saturday's energy & environment stories

Everything we know about the Minnesota nuclear plant leak

California's historic snowpack eases drought concerns through spring

Denver gives 35 more bison to tribal nations