Kate Grumke
Senior Environment and Data ReporterKate reports on the environment, climate and agriculture for St. Louis Public Radio and Harvest Public Media.
She started at STLPR in 2021 as the education reporter, covering late night school board meetings and tagging along on field trips. Before that, Kate spent more than 5 years producing television in Washington, D.C., most recently at the PBS NewsHour. In that work she climbed to the top of a wind turbine in Iowa, helped plan the environmental section of a presidential debate and produced multiple news-documentaries on energy and the environment. She also won a Peabody, a National Murrow Award and was nominated for a National Emmy.
Kate grew up in St. Louis and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She also holds a certificate in data journalism from Columbia University’s Lede Program.
Have a story tip or idea? Email Kate at kgrumke@stlpr.org.
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A local organization is asking for data on Ozark witch hazel to better understand the timing of the plant’s blooms and how that might relate to the changing climate. -
The plant would be located on the site of a former coal plant in south St. Louis County. Proponents of renewable energy say more transparency is needed as the utility plans an $800 million investment in a fossil fuel energy source. -
The finicky plants are threatened by habitat loss and climate change, but as the Missouri Botanical Garden works to conserve them, scientists are learning the difficulties of growing native orchids in a lab. -
A federal program is sending free electric school buses to districts across the country. The buses are better for the environment and drivers say they’re fun to drive, but there are some downsides. -
Experts say the plants on the list are invasive and can quickly cause ecological harm. -
At least 21 states are considering legislation to block foreign companies and individuals from purchasing farmland. The issue has gained momentum in recent years. -
At a tense meeting Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency launched a new effort to get community input on the continuing cleanup of nuclear waste in St. Louis County. -
There is a growing effort around St. Louis to adopt new practices to reduce road salt during winter storms. -
It was the warmest year on record globally, and St. Louisans also felt the heat. -
The agriculture department’s annual projections show a slowing economy and lower crop prices for the upcoming year. The USDA also looks ahead to the next decade, showing rising crop yields but a competitive job market. -
As the EPA gets close to finalizing rules related to PFAS, some providers in Missouri could be forced to clean up their drinking water. -
The year in St. Louis’ climate was defined by nights that wouldn’t cool down and a record-setting lack of rain.
