On:
In: Feature Homepage, fossils, history, History and Culture, Illinois, Latest News, Michigan, museums, News, Ontario, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Fossil Finds: Great Lakes coral and sea life remnants says much about its past and future

The Great Lakes region wasn’t always the freshwater realm we know today: rewind to a couple centuries ago and it was actually covered in tropical seawater. That’s why many of the fossils found in the area today are portions of coral reefs and ancient sea creatures.  

“When you think of Michigan or Illinois, you imagine cold and snow, but it wasn’t always that way.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/fossil-great-lakes-coral-remnants/

Maya Sundaresan

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In: Climate change, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Latest News, montreal, News, ports, Quebec, renewable energy, shipping, Shipping and Ports, sustainability, Waterfront Development
Sustainable Shipping: The Port of Montreal’s role as the Great Lakes’ green gateway

Shipping companies and ports around the world and on the Great Lakes are launching sustainability efforts to lessen their environmental impact, combat climate change, and improve their efficiency and images. With support from the Solutions Journalism Network, Great Lakes Now Contributor Kari Lydersen is reporting the four-part series “Sustainable Shipping.”

Read them here:

Are voluntary efforts enough to improve port sustainability?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/sustainability-shipping-port-montreal-green-gateway/

Kari Lydersen

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ohio, outdoor recreation, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Tourism
Walleye Windfall: Lake Erie bait and tackle is big small business

Scott Stecher would like it if all baits, or lures, were Reefrunners. He’s been manufacturing and selling his series of Ripshads, Rippers, Cicadas and Wiglsticks baits for decades, and they hold sway in the walleye community.  

Stecher, who lives in Marblehead, Ohio, said his lures have landed walleye (and other fish) in places like South America, Europe and Asia.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/walleye-windfall-lake-erie-bait-and-tackle-is-big-small-business/

James Proffitt

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Kathy Johnson, Lake sturgeon, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, science, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Sturgeon Restoration: Drawing in the public with a festival

This story is the fourth in a four-part series looking at sturgeon restoration efforts. 

Lake sturgeon restoration efforts are taking place across the Great Lakes basin.  

But what that restoration looks like is entirely dependent on location and other factors, such as whether or not any lake sturgeon remain in the area. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/sturgeon-restoration-public-festival/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Climate change, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Feature Milwaukee, Latest News, Milwaukee, News, ports, renewable energy, shipping, Shipping and Ports, Wisconsin
Sustainable Shipping: At the Port of Milwaukee the wind blows toward a greener future

Shipping companies and ports around the world and on the Great Lakes are launching sustainability efforts to lessen their environmental impact, combat climate change, and improve their efficiency and images. With support from the Solutions Journalism Network, Great Lakes Now Contributor Kari Lydersen is reporting the four-part series “Sustainable Shipping.”

Read them here:

Are voluntary efforts enough to improve port sustainability?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/sustainable-shipping-port-milwaukee-the-wind-green-energy/

Kari Lydersen

On:
In: Buffalo, Cleveland, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, lake erie, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, Ohio, Science, Technology, Research, technology, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Erie Hack Finals: Is Lake Erie’s most pressing water problem toxins, agriculture or infrastructure design?

The objects wouldn’t look out of place as decorative lanterns or centerpieces. But the winner of the 2019 Erie Hack did more than look nice, it was designed to capture debris from stormwater – including plastic, waste and needles – that normally go rushing into Lake Erie whenever there’s bad weather. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/erie-hack-finals-toxins-agriculture-infrastructure/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: benton harbor, Budget, Chicago, Drinking Water, epa, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature Lead, Feature-Chicago, Gary Wilson, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Q&A: New EPA Great Lakes administrator talks Benton Harbor, infrastructure, AOC cleanup

Conservation action for Debra Shore started with the driveway at her suburban Chicago home.

It was asphalt, and she wanted to replace it with gravel to absorb the rain and keep pollutants out of the stormwater drains. But her town administration said no to the permit, though it eventually yielded.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/epa-great-lakes-administrator-benton-harbor-infrastructure-cleanup/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: diving, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, I Speak for the Fish, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, sturgeon
I Speak for the Fish: Teamwork, smooth swimming and other lessons from Great Lakes fish

Watching how fish move, how they use the water to their advantage has made me a better diver. Underwater, I strive to be as trim as a walleye and as effortless as a sturgeon. And while my cameraman husband hunts for photo ops with the stealth of a muskie, I can usually be found frolicking in the shallows like a carefree sunfish. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/speak-fish-teamwork-swimming-lessons/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Feature Homepage, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ohio, outdoor recreation, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Tourism
Walleye Windfall: Lake Erie’s booming walleye population keeps Ohio’s economy going

Gary and Roseann Sauvey have been operating Kaspar’s Lake Breeze Cottages in one capacity or another for 65 years.

The Sauveys’ waterfront home sits on a couple acres, sporting a side yard with five 20×20 cottages that haven’t changed much over the decades. From beautiful, quaint wood interiors to a small fishing pier and breathtaking sunrises, it’s a site stuck in time.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/walleye-lake-erie-population-ohio-economy/

James Proffitt

On:
In: culture, Detroit, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, history, History and Culture, Lake Superior, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, Michigan, Minnesota, Natasha Blakely, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, shipwrecks, Wisconsin
Edmund Fitzgerald 2021: Attend a shipwreck memorial service in person or virtually

“The legend lives on…”

Nov. 10 has been an unassailable part of Great Lakes culture and history since 1975 when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior with its entire crew of 29 and was immortalized in the famous song by Gordon Lightfoot.

The ship went down in Lake Superior, near Whitefish Point, but it’s a piece of history that connects people all around the region who care about the lakes and their history or have experienced their own loss.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/edmund-fitzgerald-shipwreck-memorial-service-2021/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, indigenous communities, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, sturgeon, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Restoration: Starting anew in Sturgeon and Saginaw bays

This story is the third in a four-part series looking at sturgeon restoration efforts.

Lake sturgeon restoration efforts are taking place across the Great Lakes basin.

But what that restoration looks like is entirely dependent on location and other factors, such as whether or not any lake sturgeon remain in the area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/sturgeon-restoration-starting-anew-in-sturgeon-and-saginaw-bays/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Feature Homepage, freighters, infrastructure, infrsatructure, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, ports, shipping, Shipping and Ports, soo locks
In Progress: New Soo Lock looks at 2030 completion

The finish line is finally in view for the new Soo Lock, which was first authorized in 1986 and will help prevent the disruption of the supply chains in event of error or repairs.

“Having a new Soo Lock that has the same dimensions of the Poe and able to accommodate those largest freighters on the lakes will give us a great deal of resiliency and the ability to increase the time periods in which we do necessary repairs or maintenance or rehabilitation throughout the year,” said Lt.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/in-progress-new-soo-lock-2030-completion/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Climate change, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, shipping, Shipping and Ports, sustainability
Green Marine: Are voluntary efforts enough to improve port sustainability?

When zebra mussels emerged as a dire ecological and economic threat across the Great Lakes in the 1990s, it was a wakeup call that the existing patchwork of international, state and federal regulations were not protecting the delicate ecosystem, the source of drinking water for millions of people.

In response, some industry leaders came together to form a voluntary sustainability certification organization called Green Marine.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/green-marine-voluntary-improve-port-sustainability/

Kari Lydersen

On:
In: conservation, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, Lorraine Boissoneault, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, salamanders, Science, Technology, Research
Genetic Mystery: The all-female salamanders of the Great Lakes

Looking at them, you wouldn’t guess that the unisexual Ambystoma salamanders are any different than the other members of what was once considered their group.  

These interlopers were previously grouped with five other mole salamander species: the tiger salamanders with yellow stripes; the blue-spotted salamander, marked as its name suggests; the brownish smallmouth salamander and Jefferson salamander; and the pale streamside salamander.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/genetic-mystery-female-salamanders-great-lakes/

Lorraine Boissoneault

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, contaminated water, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
State of Michigan to avoid buying products containing PFAS

By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/michigan-avoid-products-containing-pfas/

Michigan Radio

On:
In: Detroit, detroit river, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, John Hartig, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, St. Clair River, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Great Lakes Moment: Endangered catfish indicates improving health of the Detroit and St. Clair rivers

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.

A small catfish that is endangered in both Michigan and Ontario is making a comeback thanks to improved water quality and artificial reef construction in the Detroit and St.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/endangered-catfish-health-detroit-rivers/

John Hartig

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Restoration: Streamside hatcheries on the Manistee, Milwaukee and Maumee rivers

This story is the second in a four-part series looking at sturgeon restoration efforts.

Lake sturgeon restoration efforts are taking place across the Great Lakes basin.

But what that restoration looks like is entirely dependent on location and other factors, such as whether or not any lake sturgeon remain in the area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/sturgeon-restoration-streamside-hatcheries-manistee-milwaukee-maumee-rivers/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Agriculture, canada, Farming, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Ontario, Science, Technology, Research
Farm Protection: Ontario invests in projects to help farms improve Great Lakes water quality

The Ontario government is funding projects aimed at helping farmers and landowners preserve water quality of the Great Lakes watershed.

More than $2.5 million was awarded to 19 projects that ranged from green infrastructure projects to helping spread good land management practices to reduce the amount of contaminants and excess nutrients, such as phosphorous, entering the Great Lakes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/farm-ontario-projects-great-lakes/

Brian Owens

On:
In: canada, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Latest News, Michigan, News, nuclear, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Quebec, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
Nuclear Question: Debate continues over long-term storage of nuclear waste in the Great Lakes

Canada’s plan to store spent nuclear fuel 1,600 feet below ground in the Great Lakes basin, some 30 miles from Lake Huron, is continuing to ruffle feathers throughout the Great Lake states.

Earlier this month, U.S. lawmakers called out the Canadian plan for failing to prioritize the health of the Great Lakes and the 40 million residents who depend on it for clean drinking water ahead of its own energy needs.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/storage-nuclear-waste-great-lakes/

Andrew Reeves

On:
In: AP, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, flint, Flint Water Crisis, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Arbitrator: Official wrongly fired in Flint water scandal

By Ed White, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — The only Michigan official fired in the Flint water catastrophe likely was a “public scapegoat” who lost her job because of politics, an arbitrator said in ordering $191,880 in back pay and other compensation.

It’s a remarkable victory for Liane Shekter Smith, who served as head of the state’s drinking water office when Flint’s water system was contaminated with lead.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/ap-official-wrongly-fired-flint-water/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Huron, Latest News, News, nuclear waste, Ontario, Research, Data and Technology
Animal Check: New project to monitor aquatic species that live near proposed nuclear storage sites

One of the main concerns opponents have to two of the proposed underground sites for storing Canada’s spent nuclear fuel, one of which is in the Lake Huron watershed, is the potential impact on the environment. A group of Ontario researchers is setting the groundwork to answer that question with a new project.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/monitor-aquatic-species-nuclear-storage/

Sharon Oosthoek

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Restoration: Studying Michigan’s and Wisconsin’s current flourishing populations

This story is the first in a four-part series looking at sturgeon restoration efforts.

Lake sturgeon restoration efforts are taking place across the Great Lakes basin.

But what that restoration looks like is entirely dependent on location and other factors, such as whether or not any lake sturgeon remain in the area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/sturgeon-restoration-studying-michigan-wisconsin-populations/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Restoration: Studying Michigan’s and Wisconsin’s current flourishing populations

This story is the first in a four-part series looking at sturgeon restoration efforts.

Lake sturgeon restoration efforts are taking place across the Great Lakes basin.

But what that restoration looks like is entirely dependent on location and other factors, such as whether or not any lake sturgeon remain in the area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/sturgeon-restoration-studying-michigan-wisconsin-populations/

Kathy Johnson

On:
In: Climate change, COP26, Feature Homepage, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, Policy
COP26 Coverage: What do you want to know about the U.N. climate change conference?

Climate change is one of the more pressing topics that Great Lakes Now has its eye on. Come Oct. 31, one of the largest global conferences will be convening to discuss that topic, so Great Lakes Now will be right there to help keep you up to date.

COP26 is the next annual UN climate change conference.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/cop26-questions-un-climate-change-conference/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: AP, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
EPA unveils strategy to regulate toxic ‘forever chemicals’

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is launching a broad strategy to regulate toxic industrial compounds associated with serious health conditions that are used in products ranging from cookware to carpets and firefighting foams.

Michael Regan, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said it is taking a series of actions to limit pollution from a cluster of long-lasting chemicals known as PFAS that are increasingly turning up in public drinking water systems, private wells and even food.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/ap-epa-strategy-regulate-pfas/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Climate change, Feature Homepage, Latest News, Michigan, News, United Nations
U.N. Climate Conference: Michigan’s role at the U.N.’s COP26 and in the U.S.’s climate future

Even when the topic is cars and climate change, in Michigan it still comes back to the Great Lakes.

“To me, really, the take home is always, always, always water,” said Liesl Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. She appeared at an event in Detroit that previewed COP26.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/un-climate-conference-michigan-role/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: AP, Climate change, Environmental Justice, epa, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Biden appoints Debra Shore to lead EPA Midwestern office

By John Flesher, Associated Press

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday appointed Debra Shore, a wastewater treatment official in Chicago, to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Midwestern office.

Shore will oversee EPA’s Region 5, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, along with 35 indigenous tribes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/ap-biden-debra-shore-epa-midwestern-office/

Mila Murray

On:
In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Indiana, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, Natasha Blakely, New York, News, News Roundup PFAS, Ohio, Pennsylvania, PFAS, Policy, Wisconsin
PFAS News Roundup: Michigan works on transparency, 3M could cost the Minnesota public billions, study recruitment in Michigan

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/pfas-study-michigan-wisconsin-minnesota-billions-transparency/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, flint, Gary Wilson, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, News
Intervention: Doctor who exposed Flint’s lead levels sees similarities in Benton Harbor water crisis

For Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, advocating for safe drinking water for Benton Harbor was an easy decision.

She called it a “duh” moment, a “choiceless choice.” Of course she would join a group of citizens and activists in requesting the U.S. EPA to use its emergency intervention authority in Benton Harbor, she said.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/intervention-doctor-lead-levels-benton-harbor-water-crisis/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ohio, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing
Walleye Windfall: 2021 sees another big hatch of fish in Lake Erie

Lake Erie, so far as modern fisheries biologists are concerned, has never been so flush with walleye.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimates there are currently about 95 million walleye in the lake two years old or older – that translates into fish about 15 inches or longer, the minimum size for keeping and eating.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/walleye-windfall-2021-hatch-fish-lake-erie/

James Proffitt

On:
In: AP, Detroit, detroit river, Feature Homepage, flooding, infrastructure, Michigan, News
Soil hauled from Detroit park as part of storm water project

By Corey Williams, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Tons of soil is being removed from a westside Detroit park as part of a storm water retention project to reduce flooding in streets and basements during periods of heavy rainfall.

The project at Rouge Park is expected to capture nearly 100 million gallons of storm water each year, alleviating pressure on the city’s combined sewer system, Detroit Water and Sewerage Deputy Director and Chief Engineer Palencia Mobley said Wednesday.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/ap-detroit-rouge-park-storm-water-project/

The Associated Press

On:
In: AP, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Lead, Michigan, News
City in Michigan urged to use bottled water due to lead risk

By Ed White, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan on Wednesday urged residents of Benton Harbor to use only bottled water for cooking and drinking, a major shift in response to the city’s elevated levels of lead.

The state recently said it would distribute free water and filters in the southwestern Michigan city.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/ap-benton-harbor-bottled-water-lead-risk/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Agriculture, Feature Homepage, lake erie, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Great Grapes: Soil and climate have made the Great Lakes a top wine-producing area

The gold medal winner of this year’s annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition was a light unoaked chardonnay from Debonné Vineyards – a vineyard located in the Lake Erie region of northeast Ohio.

Despite the American wine and grape industry’s association with California’s Napa Valley, the Great Lakes region boasts four of the top 10 wine producing states in the nation.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/grapes-soil-climate-great-lakes-wine-producing/

Capri S. Cafaro

On:
In: Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, PFAS
HBO Audience: John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” features the impact of PFAS on Michigan residents

Finding out their toddler had the highest-known level of PFAS in his blood of anyone in the United States was devastating to Seth and Tobyn McNaughton. The discovery that her well water was contaminated with those same industrial chemicals forced Sandy Wynn-Stelt to use water processed through a complicated pump in her basement that she’s nicknamed “Megatron.”

Both scenes were first part of Great Lakes Now’s Emmy-winning documentary “The Forever Chemicals” and are now featured in John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” program on HBO.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/pfas-great-lakes-now-last-week-tonight/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Budget, Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, indigenous communities, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, Minnesota, News, News Roundup Drinking Water, Ohio, Ontario, Toronto, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: Indiana iron spill, Michigan lead reduction plan, potential nuclear accident in Ontario

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 Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/drinking-water-indiana-iron-michigan-lead-nuclear-ontario/

Maya Sundaresan

On:
In: AP, Feature Homepage, Indiana, Lake Michigan, News, wastewater
NW Indiana water facility restarts after US Steel discharge

OGDEN DUNES, Ind. (AP) — A utility has restarted a northwest Indiana water treatment facility one week after idling it following a U.S. Steel plant’s discharge of iron-tainted wastewater into a Lake Michigan tributary.

Indiana American Water said it restarted its Ogden Dunes treatment facility Sunday after water sampling results confirmed the discharge did not impact its Lake Michigan water source.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/ap-indiana-water-facility-us-steel-discharge/

The Associated Press

On:
In: cleanup, Feature Homepage, Habitat Restoration, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, John Hartig, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ohio, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Great Lakes Moment: Lessons from the Ashtabula River cleanup

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.

When the Ashtabula River and Harbor was identified as a Great Lakes pollution hotspot, or Area of Concern, in 1985, few people thought the day would ever come when it was cleaned up and no longer a detriment to the community and Lake Erie.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/great-lakes-moment-lessons-ashtabula-cleanup/

John Hartig

On:
In: AP, enbridge, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Feature Homepage, indigenous communities, line 3, Minnesota, News
Enbridge: Line 3 replacement complete; oil will flow Friday

By Steve Karnowski, Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Enbridge announced Wednesday that construction on the upgrade of its Line 3 crude oil pipeline across Minnesota is “substantially complete” and that the company will start filling it with oil later this week.

The Canadian-based company’s president and CEO, Al Monaco, said in a statement that the pipeline “will soon deliver the low-cost and reliable energy that people depend on every day.”

The project was completed despite stiff opposition from tribes, environmentalists and others who argued that the 1,097 mile (1,765-kilometer) pipeline — including the 337-mile (542-kilometer) segment across Minnesota — would violate treaty rights, worsen climate change and risk spills in waters where Native Americans harvest wild rice.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/ap-enbridge-line-3-replacement-complete/

The Associated Press

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In: cleanup, detroit river, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, Recreation and Tourism, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing
How to Magnet Fish: A guide to attracting junk and cleaning up local waterways

Twenty bicycles, miles of fishing line, antique cans, knives and sparkplugs – these are just some of the many things that Detroit magnet fisher Jason Vanderwal and his family have fished out of the waters.

“We have found all sorts of things in the Detroit River, 14 guns, all sorts of cutlery, horseshoes and even three large ngangas,” Vanderwal said.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/magnet-fishing-attracting-junk-cleaning-up-local-waterways/

Jacob Carah

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In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Boats, COVID-19, culture, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, James Proffitt, Latest News, News, Recreation and Tourism
Summer Fun Yet to Come: As times change, so do boat shows

At the 2020 Cleveland Boat Show, just before the pandemic struck, big changes were already afoot in the industry.

“I brought a huge lawn into the Cleveland Boat Show in 2020 so that people could stand around and play cornhole and relax, people could sit around a picnic table and drink beer and kids could run around,” said Michelle Burke, president of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/summer-boat-shows-change/

James Proffitt

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In: Feature Homepage, history, History and Culture, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, Lorraine Boissoneault, News, Research, Data and Technology, science, Wisconsin
Fossil Finds: Fleshy quarry fossils shed light on Wisconsin’s watery past

Ron Meyer and Jerry Gunderson had already spent decades collecting different items when they learned about the trilobites turning up in a quarry just outside Milwaukee in 1984. The two men, friends since childhood, took a trip to the active quarry site and spoke with the foreman about any fossils that might have been found.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/fleshy-quarry-fossils-wisconsin-watery-past/

Lorraine Boissoneault

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In: Budget, Drinking Water, equity, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Community Assistance: Report finds disparities in drinking water fund distribution

Drinking water systems in small and more diverse communities nationwide are less likely to receive state funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, according to a recent report.

Through the fund, the EPA awards grants to each state and the states add a 20% match, according to the agency.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/report-disparities-drinking-water-fund-distribution-inequity/

Taylor Haelterman

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In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, Latest News, News, Ohio, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing
Tips, Tricks, Recipes: Want to know how to eat Great Lakes fish?

Tens of millions of fish from the Great Lakes are caught and kept every year by recreational anglers, and it’s common knowledge the vast majority of them meet the same culinary fate: filets coated in some type of breading or dipped in batter, and then fried in oil.

Walleye and yellow perch are the two species who suffer this fate the most.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/regionwide-local-fish-game-recipes/

James Proffitt

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In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, I Speak for the Fish, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, News
I Speak for the Fish: No petting for these cats

I Speak for the Fish is a new monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/i-speak-for-the-fish-catfish/

Kathy Johnson

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In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Boating, COVID-19, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, James Proffitt, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Recreation
Great Lakes Breakdowns: There’s a thin line between affordable and not for boat tows

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, millions of Americans suddenly found themselves out of work or working remotely, their recreational options severely limited with the closure of bars, eateries, gyms and countless public spaces.

So what better way to spend time with family while remaining socially distanced than buying a boat and hitting the water?

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/great-lakes-boat-tow-affordable-expensive/

James Proffitt

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In: Climate change, Drinking Water, economy, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, infrastructure, Latest News, News
Q&A: Climate, equity and diversity top priorities for new national non-profit executive

Manish Bapna believes that, as a country, we are at a critical juncture with climate change and the time to act is now.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to overcome the climate crisis and build a healthier, more equitable and more vibrant world,” Bapna said in a statement on his appointment in August as president and CEO of the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/natural-resources-defense-council-climate-equity-diversity-qna/

Gary Wilson

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In: Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, History and Culture, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, map, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
What Makes a Region: A look at three definitions of the Great Lakes

Beyond the obvious proximity to the five Great Lakes, what makes a region? The Midwest has its own stereotypes – the Rust Belt has become a popular term for northern post-industrial cities – but perhaps the draw of the Earth’s bounty of freshwater is more meaningful?

Aside from the cultural influence of the lakes, the Great Lakes region is a combination of environmental science, politics and economy.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/map-region-definitions-great-lakes/

Alex Hill

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In: Budget, Climate change, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Habitat Restoration, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Bridge Over Warming Water: Grants fund fish habitat conservation projects around the Great Lakes

Rivers, streams and lakes are warming, casting a dark shadow on the future of coldwater fish in the Great Lakes region. To save them, state and federal agencies around the Great Lakes are investing millions in these fish.

Currently, the Great Lakes are home to coldwater fish like ciscoes, walleyes, suckers, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, chinook salmon and coho salmon.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/warming-water-grant-programs-fish-habitat-conservation/

Rachel Duckett

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In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, indigenous communities, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, News
Raising Fish: An inside look at how one hatchery is helping to restore native Great Lakes species

Running a Great Lakes fish hatchery requires a thorough understanding of biology, an affinity for mathematics, a solid grasp of physics and engineering, enough plumbing skills to qualify for union wages and a stomach impervious to the aroma of stinky fish.

Kris Dey has been running the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians’ fish hatchery for five years.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/fish-hatchery-restore-native-great-lakes-species/

Kathy Johnson

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In: Budget, canada, clilmate change, Climate change, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, Ontario, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Quebec, Toronto, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
Adaptation vs. Mitigation: Canada’s national climate change adaptation strategy needs balance

Amid wildfires, heat waves, drought and catastrophic flooding, Canada is moving ahead with its first ever national adaptation strategy to help Canadians identify and deliver on meaningful ways of adapting to the worsening effects of the climate emergency.

First announced in December 2020 and updated in mid-August, the government aims to consult widely with Indigenous groups, youth and environmental organizations to create a framework for concrete actions that businesses, governments and individuals can take to ensure the resilience of their communities.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/adaptation-mitigation-canada-national-climate-change-strategy/

Andrew Reeves