The City of Rochester's Sustainability Division supported the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and shared information about local sustainability initiatives at the Minnesota State Fair. Kayla Betzold (Sustainability Coordinator) and Kristen O'Brien (Sustainability Associate) shared information to fair-goers in the Eco-Experience building at the Great Minnesotan Get-Together in August. 

The City of Rochester is accepting applications from October 1 through December 31 for the 2027 Rochester Garden Grants. Grants support the creation of pollinator habitats and rain gardens that beautify neighborhoods, support pollinators, reduce stormwater runoff, and help protect local waterways.

Rochester residents, community organizations, and schools are eligible to apply for funding for gardens established during the 2027 growing season. Eligible expenses include garden design, plants, mulch, soil amendments, and related materials.

For more information, visit the ⁠Rochester Stormwater webpage or contact Rachel Strauss at rstrauss@rochestermn.gov.

PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” are a large family of human-made chemicals used in products that resist water, grease, stains and heat. Because many PFAS persist in the environment and conventional wastewater treatment is not designed to remove them, reducing PFAS at the source is especially important. The City of Rochester’s Wastewater Division is working to better understand PFAS in our community by sampling the sewer system, investigating potential sources, and monitoring wastewater and biosolids. You can help, too: before buying or disposing of products, consider whether PFAS-containing features like “waterproof,” “stain-resistant” or “nonstick” are truly necessary, and look for PFAS-free alternatives when available. Visit the City of Rochester’s PFAS webpage to learn more about where PFAS are found, explore PFAS-free product resources, and find tools to help reduce PFAS entering our wastewater system. Small choices at home and in our businesses can make a big difference for our water and environment.

Cold weather is coming, and now is the perfect time to find out how your home uses energy and where you could save. Rochester Public Utilities and Minnesota Energy Resources offer the Neighborhood Energy Challenge to identify opportunities for improving your home’s comfort and energy efficiency.

Start by attending a free Saving Energy 101 workshop, available through virtual and in-person options. You’ll learn practical, low-cost ways to reduce energy use. Afterward, you can schedule a two-hour home energy visit for $75. A trained auditor will evaluate insulation levels and use blower door testing to find hidden air leaks that can let warm air escape. The visit may also include the installation of basic energy-saving materials.

You’ll receive personalized guidance on which improvements could make the biggest difference, from attic air sealing and insulation to appliance and HVAC upgrades. The program can also connect you with qualified contractors, financing options, incentives, and utility rebates. Discover how your home uses energy before winter arrives. Learn more and register for the Neighborhood Energy Challenge.

The Olmsted County Food Scrap Compost Program makes it easy for residents to keep food waste out of the garbage and put it to a better use. The program offers a convenient drop-off location at the county’s solid waste campus. Participating residents collect fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells and other compostable materials at home and drop them off at the collection bin. From there, the food scraps are brought to an industrial compost facility, where they are transformed into a nutrient-rich compost used locally for farming and landscaping.

The Food Scrap Compost Program is a free and growing resource available to all Olmsted County residents. To sign up, simply email Olmsted County Environmental Resources at reducewaste@olmstedcounty.gov to take a short registration survey. Then pick up a free countertop compost bucket and compost starter kit, complete with instructions and compostable bags, to get started.

Minnesota homeowners, businesses, schools, and other organizations may be eligible for state incentives to add battery storage to solar energy systems.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce currently has more than $1.4 million available through its Energy Storage Incentive Program for eligible customers located outside Xcel Energy's service territory. The program provides $250 per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity, up to $7,000. Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Battery storage allows solar energy produced during the day to be stored and used later, including when the sun isn't shining. Depending on the system and utility program, storage can also help reduce electricity costs and provide backup power during outages.

To qualify, battery systems must be paired with solar and cannot exceed 50 kilowatt-hours of capacity. Customers who already have solar can explore adding storage, while those considering a new solar installation can look at solar and battery storage together.

Click here to learn more about Minnesota's Battery Energy Storage Incentive Program.

A federal court has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to resume administering a $2.8 billion Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program created through the Inflation Reduction Act.

The program was designed to support community-led projects addressing environmental and public health challenges, including air pollution, extreme heat, climate resilience, stormwater and flooding, and high energy costs.

The EPA had terminated the program in 2025. In June 2026, a federal judge ruled that the termination was unlawful. In July, the judge issued an additional order clarifying that the EPA must resume administering the program through the end of September 2026.

The future of the funding remains subject to ongoing litigation. The case highlights the role federal environmental programs can play in helping communities address local environmental health, climate resilience, and energy challenges.

For Rochester and communities across Minnesota, federal programs like these can provide an important source of funding for locally identified sustainability and environmental projects.

Read this article to learn more.