James Polidori

When the U.S. Coast Guard closed its Grand Marais, Minnesota, station in 2022, it left a gap in safety coverage along a large stretch of Lake Superior. In response, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has launched what the tribe says is the first Indigenous-led coast guard in the nation. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-indigenous-coast-guard

James Polidori

A fresh wave of midges — tiny, non-biting insects — has swarmed parts of Northeast Ohio this week, creating a rare sight for mid-October. Ohio Department of Natural Resources officials said the late-season emergence is tied to Lake Erie’s lingering warmth. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-midge-emergence

James Polidori

Village of Fredonia, New York, officials are urging residents to conserve water in any way they can due to a lack of rain. According to village officials, the water reservoir is in extreme danger of reaching a critically low point, which could hamper the village’s ability to produce and supply adequate drinking water. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-drought-conservation

James Polidori

The success of a sturgeon restocking program along the Maumee River led the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to expand it this year to the Cuyahoga and Sandusky rivers. On October 4, the Ohio DNR had 2,000 baby lake sturgeon released into the Cuyahoga River. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-sturgeon-restocking

James Polidori

Ohio state lawmakers are proposing legislation to ban oil and gas drilling under Lake Erie. While federal law currently prohibits drilling under the Great Lakes, the bill’s sponsors say the state needs to enact its own protections. Read the full story by WTVG – Toledo, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-drilling-ban-legislation

James Polidori

In a proclamation, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer dedicated Oct. 19-26 as Microplastics Awareness Week. The week includes events in which the public can learn about microplastics, participate in cleanups and discover practical solutions to reduce plastic waste at home. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-microplastics-proclamation

James Polidori

For the first time in its history, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin released lake sturgeon into Clam Lake as part of efforts to restore the ancient fish. The tribe has been working for years to bring sturgeon back to the Clam River system, which is home to a remnant population of the native fish. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-sturgeon-release

James Polidori

Community members, environmental professionals, and researchers will gather later this month for the 18th Annual Freshwater Summit, an event focused on the latest research and regional efforts to protect the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WWTV – Traverse City, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-freshwater-summit

James Polidori

From invasive species and pollution to the escalating impacts of climate change, Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes are grappling with a host of environmental challenges. But in Chicago, scientists and environmentalists are on the front lines, dedicating their time to finding solutions. Read the full story by WLS-TV – Chicago, IL.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-environmental-solutions

James Polidori

The F.T. Barney, a two-masted schooner, collided with another ship on Oct. 23, 1868, and quickly sank to the bottom of Lake Huron. According to the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, divers can clearly see its intact stern cabin, erect main mast, and a cargo hold still full of coal off the coast of Rogers City, Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20251017-intact-shipwreck

James Polidori

The Michigan Supreme Court said it will hear a challenge brought by Indigenous Nations and environmental advocates who argue that the Michigan Public Service Commission broke state laws in approving Enbridge’s proposal to construct a massive oil tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Read the full story by WLUC-TV – Marquette, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-pipeline-legal-challenge

James Polidori

The Michigan Supreme Court said it will hear a challenge brought by Indigenous Nations and environmental advocates who argue that the Michigan Public Service Commission broke state laws in approving Enbridge’s proposal to construct a massive oil tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Read the full story by WLUC-TV – Marquette, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-pipeline-legal-challenge

James Polidori

According to a new report by the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Clean Wisconsin, nitrate contamination could cost communities millions of dollars in remediation and lead to higher health care bills for thousands of residents in largely rural areas where people rely on private drinking water wells. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-nitrate-impacts-report

James Polidori

According to a new report by the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Clean Wisconsin, nitrate contamination could cost communities millions of dollars in remediation and lead to higher health care bills for thousands of residents in largely rural areas where people rely on private drinking water wells. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-nitrate-impacts-report

James Polidori

One billion dollars will be spent in efforts to “significantly” improve water quality in the Niagara River, according to an agreement announced Friday between the Buffalo Sewer Authority, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Attorney General’s Office. Read the full story by WIVB-TV – Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-water-quality-funding

James Polidori

One billion dollars will be spent in efforts to “significantly” improve water quality in the Niagara River, according to an agreement announced Friday between the Buffalo Sewer Authority, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Attorney General’s Office. Read the full story by WIVB-TV – Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-water-quality-funding

James Polidori

According to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), about 20,000 gallons of wastewater leaked into Lake Michigan from MMSD contractor Veolia’s South Shore facility on Sept. 18. MMSD is in the process of investigating and has reported the spill to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-sewer-overflow

James Polidori

In celebration of “Coastal Awareness Month,” the Wisconsin Department of Administration announced $1.3 million in Wisconsin Coastal Management Program grants for 35 coastal communities across the state. Read the full story by WTAQ – Green Bay, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-coastal-grants

James Polidori

The Trump administration is stepping into the legal fight over whether Enbridge can continue to operate an aging pipeline beneath a Great Lakes channel, arguing that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer interfered with U.S. foreign policy when she revoked the line’s easement almost five years ago. Read the full story by The Associated Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-federal-intervention

James Polidori

The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, a partnership between Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, has announced its commitment to investing more than $4.2 million in funding to support water education and water research programs. The collaborative hopes the investment will boost Wisconsin’s water workforce for years to come. Read the full story by WTMJ-TV – Milwaukee, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-water-investment

James Polidori

Every dollar that the federal government directs to state environment departments enables the Great Lakes and every other region to steward natural resources, yielding many times the value of the federal contribution. State environment departments make the case that they merit more financial support, not less, and express concern over President Trump’s proposal to reduce the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by 55%. Read the full story by Circle of Blue.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-federal-funding

James Polidori

The Buffalo Sewer Authority has reached a settlement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation over past water quality violations, agreeing to pay a $20,000 penalty and invest at least $100,000 in improvements at Roosevelt Park in Buffalo, New York. Read the full story by WGRZ-TV – Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-park-improvements

James Polidori

On Saturday, the Alliance for the Great Lakes hosted its Adopt-a-Beach event as part of an international coastal cleanup. Around 2,000 of those volunteers worked to clean up the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WDJT-TV – Milwaukee, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250922-beach-cleanup

James Polidori

Michigan’s Invasive Species Grant Program is now accepting proposals for the 2025 funding cycle, with an anticipated $3.6 million available to applicants. The program – a joint effort among multiple state agencies – is a statewide initiative launched in 2014 to help prevent, detect and control invasive species in Michigan. Read the full story by The Alpena News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-invasive-species-grants

James Polidori

Analysis of water samples collected as part of a long-term monitoring project by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have shown small but measurable numbers of zebra mussel larvae in multiple inland lakes in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Read the full story by The Ely Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-zebra-mussel-collection

James Polidori

The historic USS Cobia, a Gato-class submarine that arrived in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1970, has left its home at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum for the first time since the 1990s. The submarine will soon arrive in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to undergo maintenance. Read the full story by WGBA-TV – Green Bay, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-submarine-maintenance

James Polidori

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has identified potential water quality violations linked to wastewater discharges from the Great Lakes Cheese facility in Franklinville, New York, which led to a large fish and wildlife die-off in Ischua Creek. Since the DEC’s initial response, water quality in Ischua Creek has shown significant improvements, the state said. Read the full story by WGRZ-TV – Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-fish-die-off

James Polidori

The inaugural Anishinaabe Canoe Migration set out over the weekend as 19 paddlers travelled down the St. Louis River. The project hopes to launch an even larger canoe migration intended to share cultural revitalization, Indigenous healing, and community empowerment in the future. Read the full story by KBRJ-TV – Superior, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-canoe-migration

James Polidori

WBGU-PBS is premiering a three-part docuseries that explores the history and legacy of eight Ohio lighthouses on Lake Erie and the people working to preserve them. The series is scheduled to air at 9 p.m. Thursdays starting September 11 and at 3:30 p.m. Saturdays beginning September 13. Read the full story by the Port Clinton News Herald.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-lighthouse-docuseries

James Polidori

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is halfway through completion of a $5 million grant project to remove 27 stream barriers to conserve and restore aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, improve resilience to flooding and other threats, and expand community access to nature. Read the full story by The Newberry News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-dam-removal-project

James Polidori

Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island, Ohio, offers scholarships for students enrolled in classes each summer through its Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program. One project collected close to 11,000 fish to better understand the influence of invasive round gobies on native darters in Lake Erie. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-invasive-species-project

James Polidori

The Great Lakes Museum in Kingston, Ontario, is celebrating its 50^th anniversary since its founding in 1975 by a group of divers conducting underwater archaeology in Lake Ontario. Since then, the museum has grown significantly and is a National Historic Site. Read the full story by The Kingston Whig Standard.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-museum-anniversary

James Polidori

The Great Lakes saw at least 27 confirmed, fair-weather waterspouts/funnels — and more may have spawned beyond view — on Sunday, including on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, according to reports by the International Centre for Waterspout Research, a nonprofit that tracks the phenomena. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250908-waterspout-reports

James Polidori

The Supreme Court of Canada, in its decision released Thursday morning, announced it won’t hear an appeal of lower court decisions that confirm the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation’s ownership of a disputed piece of Lake Huron beachfront. Read the full story by CBC News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-beachfront-ownership

James Polidori

A dry summer in Montreal, as well as across southern and eastern Ontario, has pushed water levels in the lower St. Lawrence River to their lowest August level in more than a decade, affecting fishing, boating and commercial shipping. Read the full story by The Montreal Gazette.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-water-levels

James Polidori

Given society’s growing interest in AI, the data center industry will likely continue its rapid expansion. But without a consistent and transparent way to track water consumption over time, the public and government officials will be making decisions about locations, regulations and sustainability without complete information on how these massive companies’ buildings will affect their communities and environments. Read the full story by the Wisconsin State Journal.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-data-center-water

James Polidori

Lake Superior State University students are conducting one of the first studies to replicate real oil spill conditions in large mesocosms to potentially change how scientists respond to oil spills in freshwater systems. Read the full story by The Sault Ste. Marie Evening News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-oil-spill-research

James Polidori

Before boating season comes to an end, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is giving away free boat washes to address the threat posed by invasive plants and animals. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-invasive-species-prevention

James Polidori

The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in West Michigan has officially earned “operations status,” becoming the first commercial nuclear power plant in the U.S. to reopen after a shutdown. Once the 800-megawatt plant in Covert Township resumes power generation, it will provide enough electricity to serve over 800,000 homes and businesses. Read the full story by CBS News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-nuclear-plant-restart

James Polidori

The U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative awarded the Ohio Department of Agriculture a $1 million grant to help expand conservation efforts in the Western Lake Erie Basin to help reduce nutrient runoff. Read the full story by SpectrumNews1.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-conservation-grant

James Polidori

Cigarette butts are polluting Lake Erie, prompting local efforts to clean up the shoreline and protect the environment. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is leading initiatives to educate the public on the importance of proper disposal to prevent litter from entering the water. Read the full story by WJET-TV – Erie, PA.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-cigarette-pollution

James Polidori

A major step in the eventual removal of the Gorge Dam from the Cuyahoga River is about to commence. Dignitaries including Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and U.S. EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel are expected to celebrate the plan to remove nearly 900,000 cubic yards of sediment from behind the dam. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-sediment-removal

James Polidori

The SS Alpena, the oldest working freighter on Michigan’s Great Lakes, is back on course for another shipping season. The ship was built in 1942 and still carries cement to and from Alpena in northern Michigan. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250829-oldest-freighter

James Polidori

A new study shows that Great Lake surface temperatures have experienced increasing extremes from heat waves to cold spells dating back to the late 1990s. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-lake-temperature-extremes

James Polidori

Michigan Department of Natural Resources researchers said they determined a lake trout caught in Lake Superior in 2023 was 62 years old. According to officials, the fish, dubbed Mary Catherine, is the oldest known lake trout in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Detroit News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-old-trout

James Polidori

Experts on aquatic ecosystems say confirmed reports of blue-green algae blooms on Lake Superior are a cause for concern, but the degree to which they’re tracked nowadays is much more robust than in the past. Read the full story by SNnewswatch.com.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-superior-algal-bloom

James Polidori

Yorkville, Illinois, is preparing to receive Lake Michigan water from the DuPage Water Commission to replace the diminishing aquifer that currently serves the city. Officials say bids to build the first section of water pipeline are more expensive than expected. Read the full story by WSPY – Plano, IL.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-pipeline-bids

James Polidori

Work to reintroduce Lake Sturgeon to the Maumee River and Lake Erie is showing some promising results, researchers say. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-sturgeon-comeback

James Polidori

Earlier this month, the 1,000-year-flood event that hit Milwaukee led to the largest combined sewer overflow since the Deep Tunnel – a combined wastewater and stormwater sewer system – was installed in 1992, with more than five billion gallons of untreated water released into nearby waterways over the course of 78 hours. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-combined-sewer-overflow

James Polidori

Moving boats up and down through Erie Canal locks 34 and 35 in Lockport, New York used to take more than a dozen people 100 years ago; now, it’s a job of one. The current team of three operators, all of whom take solo shifts, is working through the celebration of the Erie Canal’s bicentennial anniversary. Read the full story by WKBW-TV – Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250822-erie-canal-bicentenntial

James Polidori