Daily News

Court challenge to a permit for Enbridge’s tunnel for Line 5

On: January 15, 2025

The Canadian petroleum pipeline company Enbridge was granted a permit by the Michigan Public Service Commission in 2023 to burrow a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac. In an appeals court hearing Tuesday, tribal nations, environmental groups, and some businesses challenged the permit, saying the commission did not allow all the evidence to be heard. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-enbridge-case

Taaja Tucker-Silva

How an eel-like bloodsucking invasive species nearly wiped out fishing in the Great Lakes

On: January 15, 2025

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has supported a new documentary, set to be released at the end of January, about the sea lampreys’ devastation across the Great Lakes region. Read the full story by the CBC.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-lamprey-documentary

Taaja Tucker-Silva

How much of the Great Lakes’ water is used annually?

On: January 15, 2025

The Great Lakes Commission recently released its annual water usage report, providing hydrological and environmental insights for the region. In total, water usage from the Great Lakes supply was down in 2023 in comparison to 2022. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-water-use

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Where the DNR stocked 591,000 fish across Michigan

On: January 15, 2025

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources stocked seven species of fish at 78 locations across Michigan this past fall, bringing the year’s stocking total to 9.7 million fish. While most fish are stocked in the spring, and some in the summer, the final stocking round of 2024 included 590,504 fish during the fall. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-fish-stocked

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Winter work: Keeping aging lakers sailing on the Great Lakes

On: January 15, 2025

During their winter offseason, lakers operating in the Great Lakes typically undergo maintenance. The work done after the Soo Locks close in Michigan is important for an aging fleet of lakers. Read the full story by KBJR-TV – Duluth, MN.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-aging-lakers

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Soo Locks to close for maintenance, which ship will be the last one through?

On: January 15, 2025

Ship enthusiasts have until Wednesday night to track the big freighters heading upbound and downbound on the Soo Locks, then the locks will close for several weeks for annual maintenance work. Once the locks close, they will remain closed to ship traffic until reopening on March 25. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-locks-closing

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Montreal waterfront area gets a billion-dollar transformation

On: January 15, 2025

With its heritage buildings and cobbled streets, Montreal’s picturesque Old Port on the St. Lawrence River is destined to become the gateway to a new waterfront neighborhood. The estimated $2.5-billion project will take seven to 10 years to complete, with construction slated to begin in 2025. Read the full story by The Globe and Mail.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-montreal-waterfront

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Shipping channel near Soo Locks closed to traffic after freighter ran aground

On: January 15, 2025

The St. Marys River channel that handles downbound shipping traffic south of the Soo Locks closed temporarily on Sunday after a 497-foot cargo vessel briefly ran aground when it had a mechanical failure. There were no injuries reported, and no pollution seen after the grounding. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-freighter-aground

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Up North riverwalk upgrades get budget bump, work planned for this summer

On: January 15, 2025

Work on the riverwalk in Manistee, Michigan, was planned for summer 2024 but was delayed when no bids came in for the work. With a $400,000 budget bump, the project is now expected to go forward this year. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250115-manistee-riverwalk

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Could plastic-eating bacteria be a solution to microplastic pollution?

On: January 13, 2025

Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, have developed a way to break down microplastics by genetically altering bacteria. The researchers selected bacteria often found at wastewater plants, because not all microplastics are filtered out before being released into a stream or river. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-microplastic-breaking-down-process

Oberlin startup develops way to take ‘forever chemicals’ out of drinking water

On: January 13, 2025

A startup company based in Oberlin, Ohio, has drawn $2.9 million in private investment so far to remove PFAS, often called forever chemicals, from the nation’s drinking water. The company formed in 2019 to launch and license a chemical coating process that captures PFAS and isolates them for destruction during water treatment. Read the full story by WKSU – Kent, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-pfas-removal-development

Great Lakes ice season is underway. What to know about the Coast Guard’s icebreakers

On: January 13, 2025

The U.S. Coast Guard has officially launched Operation Taconite, its annual icebreaking operation on the Great Lakes, for the 2024-25 winter season. It is the Coast Guard’s largest domestic icebreaking operation, with efforts taking place on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac, and Georgian Bay. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-icebreaker-operation

Ohio EPA to defend sewage permit it authorized for Port Clinton at special hearing

On: January 13, 2025

A special public hearing is being held Tuesday night for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to defend itself from accusations that it failed to do enough to protect Lake Erie with a wastewater permit it issued to the city of Port Clinton in April. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-sewage-permit-hearing

Report says Line 5 tunnel project could cost 3 times initial estimate, as legal challenges persist

On: January 13, 2025

A new report from an international think tank says shutting down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline may be a better avenue for the Canadian energy company because of increased competition from renewable energy, multiple concerns about the viability of the company’s pipeline tunnel project, and the cost of a reroute amid ongoing efforts to shut down the pipeline. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-pipeline-report

Climate change, erratic weather taking toll on Michigan cherry industry

On: January 13, 2025

Many Michigan cherry growers are adapting to the difficult market and changing climate, planting different varieties or embracing high-density orchards with trees packed more closely together. By the time Michigan’s cherry growing season came to a close over the summer, as much as 75% of the state’s sweet cherry crop was lost. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-cherry-growing

Friends of the Fitz group aims to honor Edmund Fitzgerald’s last port of call in Superior

On: January 13, 2025

On New Year’s Day, Superior, Wisconsin, Mayor Jim Paine proclaimed 2025 as “Year of the Fitz,” marking five decades since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior. A group called Friends of the Fitz is working to raise money for a Wisconsin Historical Society marker to honor the loss of the Fitzgerald and its crew. Read the full story by KQDS-TV – Duluth, MN.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-fitzgerald-recognition

Ice on Lake Michigan has been key in shaping the region’s economic & cultural landscape

On: January 13, 2025

Over the centuries, the effect of ice on Lake Michigan has had an important role in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of the region. As the challenges of ice on the lake continue to evolve, Manitowoc’s enduring role in the Great Lakes maritime industry reflects both the city’s historical significance and its ongoing importance to the region’s economy and culture. Read the full story by the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-lake-michigan-ice

Photos: John J. Boland says hi and goodbye

On: January 13, 2025

As the shipping season nears its end, the John J. Boland, a 680-foot long laker built in 1973, made a quick visit to Duluth-Superior on Thursday. The ship is headed to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with an estimated arrival for early Saturday morning. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-shipping-season-end

13th Thunder Bay International Film Festival starts Jan. 22

On: January 13, 2025

The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan, will host the 13th annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival in January, featuring more than 50 ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. Read the full story by The Alpena News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250113-film-festival

Bill introduced to extend Great Lakes Restoration Initiative another 5 years

On: January 10, 2025

The Great Lakes delegation within the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025 to reauthorize GLRI through 2031. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-glri

Water withdrawals declined in the Great Lakes in 2023

On: January 10, 2025

According to the Annual Report of the Great Lakes Regional Water Use Database, water withdrawals from the Great Lakes declined in 2023. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-water-withdrawals

DNR completes fall fish stocking program. Here’s where they released nearly 600K fish

On: January 10, 2025

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday said it completed its 2024 fish stocking program by releasing nearly 600,000 fish into Michigan waterways during the fall. Read the full story by Lansing State Journal.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-fish-stocking

Port director looks back, advises successor, on winds of trade and politic

On: January 10, 2025

Next week, the shipping season concludes at the Port of Duluth and Superior, and with it, the impending retirement of the facility’s executive director, Deb DeLuca, who reflects on her time as executive director. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-port-director

Researcher breaks down how climate change is impacting the Great Lakes

On: January 10, 2025

Dr. Kevin Strychar says the Great Lakes have been warming since the 1970s, gradually creating a warmer climate. Dr. Strychar explains climate change and the associated observations happening in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WZZM-TV – Muskegon, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-climate-change

Detroit River cleanup spotlighted in Michigan’s 2024 Great Lakes report

On: January 10, 2025

Michigan’s 2024 State of the Great Lakes report underscores efforts to enhance water quality and ecosystem health in the Detroit River. This includes monitoring toxic PFAS chemicals, phosphorus, and bacteria, and implementing strategies to curb phosphorus runoff causing harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie. Read the full story by Planet Detroit.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-detroit-river-cleanup

A tale of two nuclear power plants along Lake Michigan: Extended life and a revival?

On: January 10, 2025

This year could be a big year for the status of two nuclear power plants around Lake Michigan, particularly shutdown plant in Michigan seeking a restart and the potential 20-year extension for another in Wisconsin. Read the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-nuclear-power

Lake Erie ice cover is below normal so far but growing

On: January 10, 2025

Temperatures have been below freezing in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan since the afternoon of New Year’s Day, and that has led to widespread ice development across western Lake Erie. Forecasts for the next couple days expect ice cover to keep expanding. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-erie-ice

COMMENTARY: Rawley Point Lighthouse has been a beacon on Lake Michigan for 130 years

On: January 10, 2025

The Rawley Point Lighthouse, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a historic landmark of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Celebrate the history and impact of this lighthouse over the last 130 years. Read the full story by the Herald Times Reporter.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250110-rawley-lighthouse

First Nations around Ontario’s Lake Nipigon come together to protect their waters

On: January 8, 2025

In December, several First Nation members came together for the first time to plan collaborative conservation efforts around Lake Superior with representatives from Lakehead University and the International Joint Commission. One of the main goals of the collaboration was to create a co-management agreement that better combines Traditional Knowledge and experiences with western science. Read the full story by The Narwhal.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-collaborative-conservation

Cold pattern means Great Lakes are finally starting to build some ice

On: January 8, 2025

The Great Lakes’ water temperatures have been running warmer than normal for most of 2024 and are still warmer than any January 6 in recent history. Starting January 1, most locations dipped below freezing and haven’t felt melting temperatures since, though the total ice amount on all the Great Lakes combined is now only 2.29 percent. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-ice-cover

Anti-erosion efforts get funding under new law authored by Ohio’s Dave Joyce

On: January 8, 2025

Federal programs to protect streambanks and lake shores from erosion will get a $20.5 million boost under bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Representative of Ohio and Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chair Dave Joyce that President Joe Biden signed into law over the weekend. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-streambank-protection-funding

Invasive species pose risk to Great Lakes, annual report says

On: January 8, 2025

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s annual State of the Great Lakes report highlights issues impacting the various industries and communities that rely on the Great Lakes. On the wildlife side, experts say that one issue stands out as a particular area of concern for the near future — invasive species. Read the full story by WWTV-TV – Cadillac, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-invasive-species-risk

Back to the shallows: after years of high water, Lake Michigan water levels dip below average

On: January 8, 2025

According to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, water levels for lakes Michigan and Huron recently dipped below the long-term average for the first time in a decade. While the water levels are over two feet above the lowest low on record, these trends stand out from just five years ago when water levels regularly hit numbers 20 inches above the long-term average. Read the full story by The Ticker.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-water-levels

Is Lake Erie freezing over yet? Status of ice cover on the lake this winter

On: January 8, 2025

The National Weather Service office in Cleveland is not reporting any significant ice cover on Lake Erie as of early January. Before the lake can freeze over, the water temperature needs to be around 32 to 33 degrees; on January 6, the water temperature for Lake Erie was recorded at 35 degrees. Read the full story by Erie Times-News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-erie-ice

60 years of coal ash will get new life after Michigan power plant shuts down

On: January 8, 2025

Decades of coal ash left behind at Consumers Energy’s J.H. Campbell Generating Complex north of Holland, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan will be repurposed into a cement replacement used in concrete manufacturing. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-coal-ash-reuse

Erie Canal Museum commemorates 200 years of Erie Canal history

On: January 8, 2025

The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York, is commemorating the final year of the Erie Canal Bicentennial in 2025 and has an exciting year of programming on the horizon to explore the last 200 years of Erie Canal history and look towards the next 200 years. Read the full story by This Is CNY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-erie-canal-bicentennial

Lake Michigan holds much mystery. But does it have the equivalent of a Bermuda triangle?

On: January 8, 2025

The idea of an alleged 60-mile Lake Michigan triangle was popularized in a 1977 book called The Great Lakes Triangle. While there is no evidence for a specific Lake Michigan triangle, more ships have sunk in Lake Michigan than any of the other four lakes. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-great-lakes-triangle

How much ice will be on the Great Lakes this year? Forecasters make prediction

On: January 8, 2025

Federal forecasters at the U.S. National Ice Center are expecting another year of below average ice cover on the Great Lakes as ice is only just starting to form on some parts of the lakes. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-ice-forecast

Great Lakes Commission’s Industry Days Conference at Great Wolf Lodge to address commerce, safety & environment

On: January 8, 2025

The Great Lakes Commission is holding its annual Industry Days conference at the Great Wolf Lodge Conference Center from January 7-8. Speakers from the US Coast Guard, National Weather Service, the US Army Corps of Engineers and other specialists will exchange information and discuss proposed regulations that affect the shipping community. Read the full story by WWTV-TV – Cadillac, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250108-shipping-conference

New data shows winters in Great Lakes region shrinking by two or more weeks since 1995

On: January 6, 2025

A new study is contributing to the ever-evolving understanding of what occurs in the Great Lakes during the winter months, and how the lakes affect winter weather in the region. Read the full story by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-greatlakes-winter-season-shrinking

Hannah Reynolds

Coast Guard begins ice-breaking operations on Great Lakes

On: January 6, 2025

The U.S. Coast Guard is starting ice-breaking operations on Lake Superior today to ensure the flow of commercial vessels throughout the winter. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-coastguard-icebreaking-begins-greatlakes

Hannah Reynolds

Public input sought on permit for controversial Michigan salt mine

On: January 6, 2025

Many environmental groups oppose a proposed Osceola County, Michigan, salt mine out of concern that the “solution mining” process would contaminate aquifers and dry up surface water bodies. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-public-input-michigan-saltmine

Hannah Reynolds

Cargo tonnage lagging at Great Lakes ports as shipping season nears its end

On: January 6, 2025

The amount of cargo moving through ports on the Great Lakes is trailing behind shipments at the same time last year as the shipping season nears its end. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-cargotonnage-greatlakes-ports-shippingseason-ends

Hannah Reynolds

‘Vampires of the Great Lakes’: Parasitic sea lampreys exceed targets in all Great Lakes

On: January 6, 2025

Sea lamprey abundance exceeded targets in 2024 in all Great Lakes due to treatment restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, numbers of the parasitic fish are expected to decline. Read the full story by USA Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-vampires-greatlakes

Hannah Reynolds

Section of 19th century vessel comes ashore in Erieau

On: January 6, 2025

A large section of a 19^th century vessel that washed up on the shore of Lake Erie in Erieau, Ontario, has generated a lot of interest. Read the full story by the Chatham Daily News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-19thcentury-vessel-erieau

Hannah Reynolds

Great Lakes Moment: Connecting people to nature through The Great Lakes Way

On: January 6, 2025

A recent Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan report documents substantial progress in creating The Great Lakes Way — an interconnected set of greenways and water trails stretching from Port Huron, Michigan, on southern Lake Huron, to Toledo, Ohio, on western Lake Erie. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-greatlakesmoment

Hannah Reynolds

Photos: Mackinaw makes a path

On: January 6, 2025

With temperatures in single digits, more ice developed in Duluth, Minnesota, giving the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw a chance to show off its skills. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250106-photos-mackinaw-path

Hannah Reynolds

A Great Lakes ‘Pompeii’? Lake Huron’s depths hold secrets of human history

On: January 3, 2025

Humans once hunted caribou on a land bridge that’s now submerged under Lake Huron. Research in this area has uncovered new findings, including a peat bog containing preserved prehistoric DNA. However, with long-term funding in question, these discoveries could end before researchers can unlock more of Lake Huron’s secrets. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250103-huron-secrets

MSU is studying lamprey sex. Can birth control save Great Lakes from invaders?

On: January 3, 2025

Since the 1950s, chemical lampricides have kept invasive sea lamprey populations at bay, but the lampricides will eventually become ineffective. Michigan State University is studying lamprey breeding habits, hoping to find a way to sterilize the invasive fish. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250103-lamprey-reserach

Rye seeds were lost in Great Lakes shipwreck for 146 years. Now, they could make whiskey.

On: January 3, 2025

In 1878, a 178-foot ship full of rye encountered fierce winds, stuck a shoal, and sank. A shipwreck enthusiast found the ship and 36,000 bushels of rye that went down with it which is now being reintroduced in Michigan to create craft whiskey. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250103-rye-seed-recovery