A rising star in wildlife conservation

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November 6, 2026

Minnkota Power Cooperative has been recognized with the Rising Star Award from the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group for its successful implementation of the Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA).

The Rising Star Award recognizes a CCAA partner that demonstrated standout implementation or reporting during its first year of enrollment. In presenting the award, the Working Group specifically praised Minnkota for the level of detail included in its tracking and reporting for 2025.

"Tracking and interpreting data about habitat throughout our territory alongside our management practices is foundational to successfully implementing the CCAA program," said Kacey Borin, Minnkota environmental specialist II. "Receiving this award is therefore an encouraging reflection of our efforts heading in the right direction. We're excited to continue to integrate what we're learning from our data and the Working Group in the years ahead."

Through the CCAA, Minnkota supports monarch butterfly conservation by managing habitat along portions of its power delivery system right of way and other areas. Rights of way can provide important wildlife habitat by connecting fragmented landscapes and creating areas that support butterflies, birds and other species. The Working Group includes more than 400 organizations from private industry, government, nonprofit organizations and academia across the United States and Canada.

Minnkota's recognition reflects the cooperative's ongoing effort to balance the reliable operation of its power delivery system with responsible stewardship of the land it manages.

MAIN IMAGE: Minnkota's Kacey Borin displays the Rising Star Award, bestowed by the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group. (Minnkota/Michael Hoeft)