An extensive three-year research study of lakes in and around the Grand Portage Indian Reservation in Minnesota has found an abundance of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals in water, lake bottoms, and fish. Read the full story by The Circle News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200609-chemicals
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is planning a virtual public hearing on a Canadian company’s plans to reroute an oil pipeline around a Native American reservation in northern Wisconsin. Read the full story by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200609-pipeline
Michigan’s Gov. Whitmer announced that she is planning to send a letter to the federal government requesting a FEMA “major disaster” declaration for the areas impacted by the dam failure flooding. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200609-disaster
Michigan agencies have served the owners of the failed Edenville dam with a warrant to inspect the lake bed and adjacent wetlands for evidence that mussels or other aquatic creatures were harmed by its failure last month. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200609-mussels
Wastewater plants in the Great Lakes and across the country are experiencing clogged pipes from face masks, gloves, and wipes that residents have flushed down the toilet. Read the full story by Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200609-wipes
Anishinaabe tribes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are adapting to climate change by prioritizing relationship-building and observation of the land. Read the full story by Yale Climate Connections.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200609-climate-change
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s most recent early season projection for western Lake Erie, this year’s harmful algal blooms are expected to be smaller than last year. Read the full story by the Port Clinton News Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-bloom
A months-long, $1.6 million repair project on the south breakwater structure at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon, Michigan is almost completed, rendering the walkway out towards Muskegon’s iconic lighthouse safe to traverse. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-breakwater
For a place known as “The Walleye Capital of the World,” the combination of great hatches and smart management by Ohio fisheries officials has resulted in Lake Erie showing off this year like no other. Read the full story by the Tribune Chronicle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-walleye
Michigan’s Environment and Relative Risk, a report intended to set Michigan’s course for environmental protection, claimed that an uninformed, unaware public was one of the biggest environmental risks Michigan faced. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-education
A $139 million underwater box the size of six city blocks is being built to contain a contaminated zone underwater in Lake Ontario’s Hamilton Harbour for some 200 years. Read the full story by The Narwhal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-containment
Both state and federal experts advise shoreline communities and property owners to prepare for record high water levels through summer’s end on Lake Michigan — and associated conflicts bound to arise. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-levels
Once left ambiguously up in the air, the rest of the 2020 cruising season in the Great Lakes has been officially postponed until 2021, due largely to preventative measures taken by both American and Canadian ports restricting cruise ship docking to halt the spread of COVID-19. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-cruise
Two nonprofit groups are teaming up with communities in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to properly dispose of old automobile tires that have been dumped over the years and contain chemicals and heavy metals that can pollute land and water. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-tires
Great Lakes Commissioner and Northwest Indiana Forum Director of Environmental Affairs Kay Nelson was appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Advisory Board, which provides advice on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. Read the full story by the Northwest Indiana Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-glab
Data shows a gush of raw sewage into West Grand Traverse Bay last month was the largest of its kind in decades. Experts worry similar spills, and the conditions that cause them, will become more commonplace as climate change drives more frequent weather extremes. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200608-sewage
On Wednesday, June 3, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the re-establishment of the Great Lakes Advisory Board, during an event at the Grand Valley State University Annis Water Research Institute in Muskegon, Michigan. Read the full story by Holland Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-advisory-board
Bigheaded carp are a big threat to yellow perch, according to a new model that forecasts what would happen over the next several decades if bighead and silver carp made it into Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-carp-threat
Samples of water taken into Duluth’s Lakewood pump house “did not reveal any concerns about the safety of the drinking water drawn,” said a top state official in a letter to St. Louis County, Minnesota last week. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-duluth-pollution
On Tuesday, June 2, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, toured Lake Michigan around St. Joseph, Michigan to view cases of shoreline erosion, pollution clean up progress and more. Read the full story by the Holland Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-michigan-erosion
The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board had been deviating from the prescribed outflow levels set forth in its water management plan, Plan 2014, since last October in order to avoid a repeat of flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline in 2019. But officials now say that thanks to higher outflows, when Lake Ontario peaked in early May it was 20 inches lower than where it peaked last year. Read the full story by WRVO – Syracuse, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-ontario-levels
In a webinar held June 4, the coastal stewardship coordinator for the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation said its data suggests that 600 tonnes of microplastic enter Lake Huron annually. Read the full story by the Clinton News Record.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-huron-microplastic
It was a beautiful summer scene along the shores of Sandusky Bay in Ohio on Thursday… once you got past the smell. A few days before, plenty of dead fish lined the shores, with few now remaining that hadn’t been picked apart by other wildlife. Biologists say events like this are completely natural processes — especially with the specific type of fish floating up. Read the full story by WTVG – TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-dead-fish
Boaters recreating in Windsor waters are now required to stay at least 61 metres (200 feet) from the shore, according to the Windsor Port Authority. Read the full story by the Windsor Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-windsor-boating
Port of Thunder Bay experienced another strong month for grain shipments in May. More than 1.1 million metric tonnes (MT) of Canadian grain traversed the harbour, feeding strong demand for the commodity overseas. Read the full story by Lake Superior News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-thunder-bay
Starting June 19, the Good Fortune pirate ship will set sail for passengers to receive daily and nightly tours to Mackinac Island. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200605-pirate-ship
For decades, toxic mining waste known as stamp sands was dumped into Lake Superior along the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. Now, these sands are drifting along the shoreline, smothering critical habitat for fish and aquatic wildlife and threatening historical fishing waters for Lake Superior’s Ojibwe tribes. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-stamp-sands
In Door County, Wisconsin, beaches are open, but people are asked to practice social distancing amid COVID-19 safety measures. However, with less space on land due to high lake levels and beach erosion, and people crowding as a possible result, some people may avoid beaches altogether. Read the full story by the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-door-co
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is stepping in to help the city of St. Joseph, Michigan, save their beaches. The Corps is spreading sediments dredged from St. Joseph Harbor along the beaches to offset losses from erosion. Read the full story by WSBT-TV – South Bend, IN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-st-joseph-harbor
Scientists at NOAA are predicting less severe harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie this year, unless there is excessive rainfall in the coming months. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-habs-forecast
Scientists in Michigan are investigating how the recent flooding in Midland impacted dioxin levels from the Superfund site along the Tittabawassee River, and whether areas downstream of the site may have been contaminated. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-dow
A research at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio received $700,000 for projects that develop new methods for removing contaminants from livestock manure and attempt to remove excess nutrients from agricultural runoff. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-case-western
The Ohio Power Siting Board recently approved a proposal for a six-turbine wind farm in Lake Erie that could become the first offshore freshwater wind power site in the U.S. However, the board placed several conditions on the installations that could kill the project. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-erie-wind
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will hold a hearing on a key water permit for Enbridge’s proposed Line 3 oil pipeline later this summer. Environmental groups and Minnesota tribes requested a hearing over concerns the pipeline could harm wetlands and streams. The move will further delay construction of the $2.8 billion oil pipeline. Read the full story by the Brainerd Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-line3
A U.S. House of Representatives committee is investigating the state and federal government’s oversight of a Midland-area dam that failed last month, and demanding answers to detailed questions about their oversight of the Edenville Dam. Read the full story by Bridge Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-midland
The draining of lakes in Michigan following the Edenville Dam collapse raises questions regarding ownership of the newly exposed land. The answer depends on the type of lake and the lakefront property in question. Read the full story by the Midland Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200604-bottomlands
Three Michigan state senators have introduced legislation aimed at protecting major waterways and public health in Michigan by requiring state-wide risk assessments of contaminated properties along major waterways. Read the full story by WILX-TV – Lansing, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-waterways-public-health-bill
High water levels in the Great Lakes can not only flood low-lying areas, but can also endanger critical infrastructure, like wells and drinking water systems. Read the full story Capital News Service.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-high-water-threatens-wells
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will expand their environmental impact investigations to include high-capacity wells used in large farms, municipalities, and industry. Read the full story by the Wisconsin Examiner.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-high-capacity-wells
More details of a planned Lake Michigan park have been released by Muskegon County, Michigan, which has applied for a $10 million state grant for the project that would convert a former sand mine into a public recreation area. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-lake-michigan-park
U.S. Congressman Fred Upton joined E.P.A. Administrator Andrew Wheeler in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to discuss issues facing the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WDNU – St. Joseph, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-water-quality-meeting
Residents of Midland County, Michigan, that were impacted by the catastrophic flooding in mid-May are now left to decide if they should stay and rebuild or start over somewhere else if they can. The only sure thing is that nothing will return to exactly as it was before. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-flood-restoration
Two class-action lawsuits were filed against Edenville and Sanford dam owners and the state of Michigan on behalf of 19 mid-Michigan residents that sustained catastrophic damage from the dam failures. Read the full story by WEYI-TV – Midland, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-dam-lawsuits
The Crystal Lake and Watershed Association in Benzie County, Michigan, is still planning to treat invasive Eurasian milfoil in Crystal Lake. The herbicide treatment will be applied by boat and applicators will use a drone to help locate treatment areas. Read the full story The Laredo Morning Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-watermilfoil-treatment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking the public’s input on its plan to clean up groundwater contamination at a Superfund site in Indianapolis that’s tainted with chemicals used by a dry cleaning company. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-superfund
The National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau of Economic Analysis found the nation’s ocean and Great Lakes-dependent activities contributed about $373 billion to the overall U.S. economy in 2018. Read the full story by the Treasure Coast Palm.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200603-great-lakes-economy
In 2019, ODNR staff rediscovered four species thought to be extirpated from the state. Read the full story by Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200602-high-water-impact
Communities along the Georgian Bay find themselves uneasy as they brace for the high Lake Huron water levels. Read the full story by Barrietoday.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200602-high-water-impact
To help detect and guide efforts to prevent Lanternfly damages, a citizen science project called Operation Spot the Spot has been launched. Read the full story by Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200602-invasive-species
The only high-speed ferry on the Great Lakes celebrates its anniversary today. Read the full story by OnMilwaukee.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200602-lake-express
