Michigan health officials are studying the frequency of certain respiratory conditions among residents living near an expanding paperboard factory in Kalamazoo that’s under scrutiny for allowing odorous chemicals to escape from its wastewater infrastructure. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-paper-mill
Conservation and Chatham-Kent officials have received numerous calls from residents concerned about spreading brown algae on the Thames River that looks similar to a fuel spill. Early indications suggest this algae is probably not of any concern in terms of toxin production. Read the full story by The Chatham Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-brown-algae
Michigan on Wednesday blacklisted a chemical distributor that’s been blamed for nearly contaminating a Metro Detroit community’s drinking water with sulfuric acid. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-chemicals
Michigan on Wednesday blacklisted a chemical distributor that’s been blamed for nearly contaminating a Metro Detroit community’s drinking water with sulfuric acid. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-chemicals
In addition to the beautiful sandstone cliffs, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore offers views of Lake Superior, massive sand dunes, stunning beaches, and elegant waterfalls. Learn more about all that this park has to offer. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-pictured-rocks
In addition to the beautiful sandstone cliffs, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore offers views of Lake Superior, massive sand dunes, stunning beaches, and elegant waterfalls. Learn more about all that this park has to offer. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-pictured-rocks
The City Council has scheduled a special meeting for Friday, Aug. 13, a session two members have called for to discuss Flint’s pending connection to the Genesee County water system and plans to blend that water with the city’s primary supplier, the Great Lakes Water Authority. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-flint
At least 36 known shipwrecks off the eastern coast of Wisconsin will get more protection since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration established a sanctuary there in late June. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-shipwrecks
Water levels in the Great Lakes have decreased from record heights in 2019 and 2020, although they still remain above their average levels, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicated in its weekly forecast. Read the full story by the Holland Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-water-levels
Freshwater turtles have become less abundant in coastal areas of Greater Toronto that have significantly decreased wetlands. Read the story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-wetlands
From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle. Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210813-senate
Scientists are carefully monitoring the bed of Lake Michigan to determine if small scale experiments to remove mussels from fish spawning habitat are working. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-mussels
MLive released a documentary titled: “The Fight for Environmental Justice in Michigan.” The 10-minute video tells a powerful story of how marginalized communities are saddled with some of the worst environmental circumstances in Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-documentary
The two surviving chicks reared by Monty and Rose, Chicago’s famous piping plovers, will soon have official names. Read the full story by WTTW-TV- Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-plover
A start-up water company is seeking approval to tap into an artesian well near the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin. Local residents are concerned about the environmental impacts of drawing water. Read the full story by WUWM- Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-water-bottle
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is part of a system of underwater reserves around the country. Run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the system will celebrate its 50-year anniversary in 2022. Read the full story by The New York Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-park-water
A fish pulled from Lake Ontario in 2015 contained 915 particles—a mix of microplastics, synthetic materials containing flame retardants or plasticizers, dyed cellulose fibers, and more—in its body, the most particles ever recorded. Read the full story by Environmental Health News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-harmful-particles
Protecting our Great Lakes is not only about stopping oil spills, reducing runoff that causes toxic algae blooms and reducing contaminants from flowing into our waters. Plastic pollution is a growing problem that must be addressed by our leaders. Read the full story by Crain’s Detroit Business.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-plastic-bags
There are dozens of potential on-the-water experiences to be had in hundreds of locations across the Great Lakes, and many on-the-water experiences can be had with minimal costs, in the $15 to $20 range. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-boating
Great Lakes Water Authority has selected engineering firms to look at system operations during heavy rainstorms that left thousands of basements and dozens of streets flooded in the Detroit area. Read the full story by the Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210730-glwa
Manure from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is spread onto farm fields in the Lake Erie basin as fertilizer. The debate continues regarding the amount of nutrients that spreading manure contributes to Lake Erie. Read the full story by The Columbus Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-poop-problem
Before traveling to the beach in Michigan, it is important to check the State of Michigan’s Beach Guard system to see an up-to-date map of the red-flagged beaches and details on water quality tests. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-beaches-closed
Each summer, an all-women cleaning crew has the strenuous and spider-filled job of cleaning the remote DeTour Reef Lighthouse before tourist arrive. The cleaning crew stays overnight and spends the days power washing the exterior and cleaning the interior as well as conducting maintenance. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-michigan-lighthouse
New York State Sea Grant published a suite of lake sturgeon educational resources that will help support student and public awareness about one of the Great Lakes’ largest and longest-living native fish. Read the full story by WWTI-TV- Watertown, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-disney-sturgeon
You may want to think twice before you release your pet goldfish into a local pond or lake. Officials in Burnsville, Minnesota, south of Minneapolis, shared images of football-sized goldfish discovered in a local lake, warning residents to refrain from letting their goldfish swim free in the water. Read the full story by WBUR- Boston, MA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-goldfish
A broad group of natural resource professionals are setting out to ensure that the Great Lakes are properly appreciated by lawmakers. The group of American and Canadian institutions includes the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and The Nature Conservancy, as well as economists, social scientists and conservationists. Read the full story by The Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-great-lakes-research
With staffers on duty “24/7,” a network of contractors standing by and backup power sources handy, the Great Lakes Water Authority said Thursday it will be ready for the storms expected to hit southeast Michigan through Saturday. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-rain
Wildlife officials are moving to rename the so-called Asian carp —a group of four species originating in that continent but brought to the U.S. on purpose decades ago — with a moniker that doesn’t have racist overtones. Read the full story by New York Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210716-carp
To prevent drownings, Milwaukee area non-profits have developed the beach ambassadors to educate beachgoers regarding water quality, the flag warning system and dangerous rip currents. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-beach-ambassadors
With heavy rain and flooding in certain areas over the past few days, officials are asking people to take precautions when heading out to the beach this holiday weekend. High rain and flooding can quickly cause the lake to load up with bacteria. The rain can also contribute to high water and wave levels, which can make it unsafe to swim or go boating. Read the full story by Erie News Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-flooding
Port Milwaukee director Adam Tindall-Schlicht said the $31 million investment is the largest one-time investment into Port Milwaukee since the 1950s and going forward it will be instrumental to the port’s continued growth. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-milwaukee-port
A 425-mile paddling expedition is giving voice to the Great Lakes and the people who seek its protection. Three participants will paddle from the Mackinaw Bridge to Lansing to rally political forces on behalf of the lakes. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-paddling-journey
Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy plans to test the soil from an abandoned rail bed near the former Velsicol Chemical Co. plant in St. Louis for hazardous chemicals. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-chemicals
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and two Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation are calling for state-led assessments of a recently designated marine sanctuary in Lake Michigan. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-marine-sanctuary
The EPA’s floating laboratory – Lake Guardian – was spotted upbound in St. Mary’s River North Channel. The Research Vessel Lake Guardian is the largest research vessel in the E.P.A. fleet and the largest research vessel operating on the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Lake Superior News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-floating-lab
Six inches of rain battered the Detroit metro area last weekend, a deluge that overwhelmed the region’s drainage system. Hundreds of basements flooded, cars floated on freeways, and the usually-packed Interstate 94 looked more like a river than a roadway. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-flooding-detroit
The city of Waukesha, Wisconsin got official news Wednesday that it can pipe Lake Michigan water to residents, replacing their radium-tainted supply. Some still question whether Waukesha should be granted a diversion under the Great Lakes Compact. Read the full story by WUWM- Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-waukesha
The city of Waukesha, Wisconsin got official news Wednesday that it can pipe Lake Michigan water to residents, replacing their radium-tainted supply. Some still question whether Waukesha should be granted a diversion under the Great Lakes Compact. Read the full story by WUWM- Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-waukesha
The Lake Erie coast in Ohio is home to a piping plover family for the first time in 83 years. Four piping plover chicks hatched at Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio on Thursday, July 1. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-plover
The Lake Erie coast in Ohio is home to a piping plover family for the first time in 83 years. Four piping plover chicks hatched at Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio on Thursday, July 1. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210702-plover
For the second consecutive year, experts are anticipating Lake Erie’s seasonal harmful algal bloom will be smaller than the year before, according to the most recent early projection made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Read the full story by the Port Clinton News Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-hab
It’s been a relatively easy year for Kenosha shorelines in 2021, as Lake Michigan has dropped from historically high water levels last year due to a combination of factors. Read the full story by the Kenosha News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-water-level
The Lake Superior Magazine is recognizing a Marquette County partnership for its dedication to Lake Superior. The Superior Watershed Partnership was named the recipient of the 2020 Achievement Award for its significant contribution to Lake Superior and surrounding communities. Read the full story by WLUC-TV- Marquette, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-award
A provincewide effort to monitor and limit the spread of invasive species, such as the zebra mussel, is looking for help from some citizen scientists. Read the full story by the Whig Standard.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-invasive
Along the beaches and coastal areas of Saugeen Shores, Ontario don’t be surprised to see youth participants in the Coastal Conservation Youth Corps this summer. The program gives high school aged students a summer opportunity to take action on conservation and restoration projects. Read the full story by the Shoreline Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-youth-program
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is receiving a boost in its effort to designate the Bay of Green Bay as a national research site. On Thursday afternoon, the state provided nearly $49,788 to help in the process. Read and view the full story by WLUK-TV- Green Bay, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-greenbay
Bay City, Michigan’s own Appledore IV is officially sailing the straits for the summer. BaySail, an environmental education non-profit, takes passengers on an hour and half sail through the Straights of Mackinaw. Read the full story by WEYI-TV- Saginaw, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-sail
Workers at Toledo Refining Company worry that they will lose their jobs if Enbridge Line 5 pipeline is shut down. The Ohio Senate this week unanimously passed a resolution urging Whitmer to stand down. Read the full story by WTVG-TV- Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-refinery
The U.S. Coast Guard honored three “good Samaritans” Wednesday for a rescue in Lake Superior last year. Read and view the full story by WLUC-TV- Munising, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-kayakers
Wisconsin regulators have ordered the Village of Somers in Kenosha County to halt construction on its project to draw water from Lake Michigan. The village began work before receiving all the necessary approvals to move forward. Read and listen to the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210618-divert
