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Michigan agency to include climate in tunnel permit review

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan agency delivered a split decision Wednesday in a high-stakes battle over a pipeline that carries oil beneath a channel that connects two of the Great Lakes.

The Michigan Public Service Commission is considering Enbridge Inc.’s application to replace the section of its Line 5 that runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/ap-michigan-climate-line-5-tunnel-permit-review/

The Associated Press

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In: Feature Homepage, great lakes now, Latest News, News, Sandra Svoboda
Anniversary Approaches: Celebrating Great Lakes Now’s monthly show as it nears its two-year mark

We get it. The first 24 months of something isn’t usually a big occasion. Not like the neat 5- or 10- or 25- or even 50-year marks.

But there are some good adages:

Two is better than one.

Double trouble.

It takes two.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/anniversary-great-lakes-now-monthly-show-two-years/

Sandra Svoboda

On:
In: Earth Day, Earth Week, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, outdoor recreation, Recreation, Recreation and Tourism
Earth Day 2021: What can you do and where?

The COVID-19 vaccine is still rolling out and making its way to people all around the world. How comfortable people feel about participating in events and group activities is extremely varied.

But that doesn’t have to stop anyone interested in taking part in Earth Day this year, whether they do it indoors, outdoors, around other people or alone.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/earth-day-2021-events-around-the-region/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Collaboration, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, history, History and Culture, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Ontario, Recreation and Tourism, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
How Microfishing Took the Angling World by (Very Small) Storm

By Ben Goldfarb, Hakai Magazine

This story originally appeared in Hakai Magazine and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

In the world of competitive sportfishing, the name Arostegui is royalty.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/microfishing-angling-recreational-fishing/

Hakai Magazine

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In: biden administration, Budget, Buffalo, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Chicago, Climate change, Collaboration, COVID-19, Detroit, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, New York, News, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Quebec, The Provinces, The States, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, water shutoffs, Wisconsin
Water Access: As moratoria on shutoffs end, old problems return to the forefront

As moratoria expire across the Great Lakes region, advocates say ongoing affordability and debt relief are key.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/water-shutoffs-debt-infrastructure/

Kari Lydersen

On:
In: Beaches, Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Feature Homepage, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Latest News, News, Recreation, Recreation and Tourism, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
Drownings Increase: Research shows possible connection between COVID-19 restrictions and Great Lakes drownings

As COVID-19 changed the pattern of life around the Great Lakes region in 2020, it also altered the pattern of Great Lakes drownings in unfortunate if predictable ways.

With larger than normal crowds and a fatigue with restrictions, the rise in drownings isn’t a surprise.

“You get no lifeguards, heavier beach crowds, more people who were just escaping their house in the heat, going to the beach, and you’re putting more people into a dangerous situation,” said Chris Houser, a professor in the school of environment at University of Windsor.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/drownings-increase-research-connection-covid-19-restrictions/

Andrew Blok

On:
In: Collaboration, culture, enbridge, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Feature Homepage, history, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, line 5, Michigan, News, oil pipelines
Michigan tribe seeks cultural property protection in path of Line 5 project

By Patrick Shea, Energy News Network

The discovery of a potential archaeological site in the Straits of Mackinac last fall has opened the door for a Michigan tribe to pursue a new, longshot legal strategy to stop the planned Line 5 pipeline tunnel project.

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians passed a resolution in January instructing its historic preservation office to begin compiling research for an application to classify the straits as a Traditional Cultural Property, a rarely used federal designation under the National Register of Historic Places.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/cultural-property-protection-michigan-line-5/

Energy News Network

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Commercial Fishing, fish, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Michigan, News, Policy, Politics, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing
A big fight in Lansing over fishing rules on the Great Lakes

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network.

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/2021/04/michigan-fishing-rules-dnr-great-lakes/

Bridge Michigan

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In: AP, biden administration, Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
The problem within: Biden targets lead pipes, pushes equity

By Aamer Madhani, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — In the modest bungalows and two-flats of Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, there’s never a shortage of needed home repairs staring residents in the face. And then there is the less obvious but more ominous problem lurking in their pipes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/the-problem-within-biden-targets-lead-pipes-pushes-equity/

The Associated Press

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In: animals, Art, birds, Books, Authors, Art and Music, culture, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Habitat Restoration, History and Culture, James Proffitt, Latest News, News, Ohio, Recreation and Tourism, recreational hunting, Recreational Hunting and Fishing
Duck Stamp: Little stamp has big impacts in the Great Lakes and nationwide

Waterfowl hunters began buying them nearly a century ago. Just after that, collectors joined the fun.

Since its inception in 1934 when Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act into law, the duck stamp (as it’s commonly known) has garnered more than $1 billion for habitat conservation in the national wildlife refuge system.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/duck-stamp-impacts-great-lakes-nationwide-refuge/

James Proffitt

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In: biden administration, Chicago, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Gary Wilson, Illinois, infrastructure, Latest News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water shutoffs
Spotlight on Infrastructure: Policy executive talks new Biden plan, definitions of infrastructure

While President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, officially the American Jobs Plan, emanates from the White House, a veteran Chicago policy executive says we should consider its genesis as broader than top down.

“It is something that cities and regions have requested – full partnership with the federal government – for quite some time,” said MarySue Barrett, president of the non-profit Metropolitan Planning Council.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/infrastructure-biden-administration-policy-qna/

Gary Wilson

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science
Scientists Concerned About the Bottom of the Food Web in the Great Lakes

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/2021/04/scientists-bottom-food-web-great-lakes/

Michigan Radio

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In: Agriculture, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Supreme Court weighs state power to protect water from farm pollutants

This article, first posted here, was republished with permission from Wisconsin Watch.

By Royce Podeszwa and Jim Malewitz, Wisconsin Watch

The state Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments in a case that could determine whether the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources failed to adequately protect water from manure pollution when awarding a permit to a giant dairy farm in northeastern Wisconsin — or whether the agency lacks the authority to issue such restrictions.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/wisconsin-supreme-court-protect-water-farm-pollutants/

Wisconsin Watch

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In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Indiana, indigenous communities, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: Ontario Indigenous lawsuit over water dispute, 50,000 sign up for Flint settlement, Ohio infrastructure loans

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.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Indiana:

  • Indiana Lawmakers Amend Environment Bills as Deadlines Near – Chicago Tribune

Dozens of amendments to bills affecting Indiana environmental policy have sparked debate among lawmakers as the Legislature enters its final stretch of the session.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/drinking-water-ontario-dispute-flint-settlement-ohio-infrastructure/

Grace Dempsey

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Groundwater Contamination, Latest News, News, Ontario, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Bolder Fish: New study looks at how pandemic antidepressant use might affect freshwater ecosystems

As the pandemic wears on, antidepressant use is on the rise.

Claims for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors increased by 17% in Canada between 2019 and 2020, according to one report. In the United States, the number of prescriptions filled per week for antidepressant, anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia medications increased 21% between Feb.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/fish-study-pandemic-antidepressant-freshwater-ecosystems/

Sharon Oosthoek

On:
In: Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Indiana, Latest News, News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wetlands
Local Governments, Organizations Ask Indiana Legislators to Consider Alternatives to Bill Repealing State Wetland Protections

By Enrique Saenz, Indiana Environmental Reporter

More than 60 organizations, including local governments, environmental and conservation groups and water management agencies, sent a letter to Indiana state legislators, asking them to consider policy changes instead of supporting a bill seeking to remove all state protections for Indiana wetlands.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/local-governments-environmental-organizations-indiana-legislators-state-wetland-protections/

Indiana Environmental Reporter

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Report: Lake Michigan is ‘running a fever.’ More storms, less fish possible.

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

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/2021/04/report-lake-michigan-more-storms-less-fish/

Bridge Michigan

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In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Groundwater Contamination, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, Natasha Blakely, New York, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Wisconsin
PFAS News Roundup: Michigan governor invokes defense bill, high levels in Minnesota landfills, business lobby sues Wisconsin DNR

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/2021/04/michigan-governor-minnesota-landfills-wisconsin-business-dnr/

Natasha Blakely

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In: biden administration, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Latest News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
In Broad Strokes, Biden Infrastructure Plan Sketches a Future for Federal Water Spending

By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

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/2021/04/biden-infrastructure-plan-future-federal-water-spending/

Circle of Blue

On:
In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Detroit, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, John Hartig, lake erie, Lake Huron, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, Michigan, News, Recreation, Recreation and Tourism, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Tourism, Waterfront Development
Great Lakes Moment: A Great Lakes Way stretching from southern Lake Huron through Western Lake Erie

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.

The Eastern Seaboard has the Appalachian Trail, the Western Seaboard has the Pacific Rim Trail, and the Rocky Mountains has the Continental Divide Trail.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/great-lakes-way-southern-lake-huron-western-lake-erie/

John Hartig

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, enbridge, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Latest News, line 5, Michigan, News, oil pipelines, Ontario, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Is the Line 5 tunnel a bridge to Michigan’s energy future or a bad deal?

With climate action on the state and national agenda, critics of Enbridge Line 5 warn that investing in new pipeline infrastructure undermines Michigan’s pathway to carbon neutrality. Experts say it’s not so simple.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/enbridge-line-5-tunnel-michigan-energy-future-or-bad-deal/

Bridge Michigan

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In: Budget, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Detroit, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, water levels, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
In flooded Michigan neighborhoods, who should pay for sea walls?

For two straight summers, residents of Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood watched water pour into basements and pool in streets, a result of coastal flooding that will become increasingly common throughout the Great Lakes as climate change progresses.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/climate-change-flooded-michigan-neighborhoods-pay-sea-walls/

Bridge Michigan

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In: Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, Lead, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: New York water standards deferrals, microplastics in Pennsylvania

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.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Brain-damaging Lead Found in Tap Water From Most Illinois Communities During the Past 6 Years – Chicago Tribune

More than 8 of every 10 Illinoisans live in a community where brain-damaging lead was found in the tap water of at least one home during the past six years, a new Chicago Tribune analysis found.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/drinking-water-news-new-york-microplastics-pennsylvania/

Grace Dempsey

On:
In: Chicago, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Groundwater Contamination, Illinois, Indiana, Latest News, Lead, Minnesota, New York, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: New York water standards deferrals, microplastics in Pennsylvania

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.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Brain-damaging Lead Found in Tap Water From Most Illinois Communities During the Past 6 Years – Chicago Tribune

More than 8 of every 10 Illinoisans live in a community where brain-damaging lead was found in the tap water of at least one home during the past six years, a new Chicago Tribune analysis found.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/drinking-water-news-new-york-microplastics-pennsylvania/

Grace Dempsey

On:
In: culture, Feature Homepage, freighters, history, History and Culture, Latest News, News, shipping
Freighter Mystery: Can you help Great Lakes Now with more clues to identify people and places in a historic film?

The Great Lakes Now supervising producer, Rob Green, wants your help figuring out more about an old movie shot aboard a freighter. He’s done what he can to identify the ship, ports, time period and people in a mysterious black-and-white video he found in an online archive.

Green knows someone out there can help with more clues to answer: who shot this footage?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/freighter-mystery-identify-people-places-historic-film/

GLN Editor

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In: Feature Homepage, great lakes now, Great Lakes Now Watch Parties, Latest News, News, News Director's Pick-of-the-Week, Sandra Svoboda
Triple Threat: GLN Show, Website and Facebook Events all honored with media awards

As a public television initiative, Great Lakes Now talks, writes and, yes, tweets about our multimedia, multiplatform, engagement-focused approach to all things Great Lakes and freshwater.

This week we got some much-appreciated outside recognition for all that.

Our website won first place in the Michigan Press Association’s “Better Newspaper Contest” in the Open Class.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/show-website-facebook-events-media-awards/

Sandra Svoboda

On:
In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Ontario, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Toronto, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Salt Levels: The effects of wintertime de-icing linger in Toronto-area rivers in the summer

As spring comes to the Great Lakes region and icy roads and sidewalks become a distant memory, a new study shows the salt we apply over the winter can linger in summertime rivers at alarming levels.

The University of Toronto study measured chloride in four Greater Toronto Area rivers and found it was high enough in many locations to put at least two-thirds of aquatic life at risk during early stages of their development.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/salt-levels-wintertime-de-icing-toronto-rivers-summer/

Sharon Oosthoek

On:
In: Feature Homepage, invasive species, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Early Detection: When it comes to Great Lakes invasives, prevention is the only cure

Of the many possible new invasive threats to the Great Lakes, 144 stand out in particular, according to a study released in 2021.

The study lists 144 fish, plants and invertebrates that could invade the Great Lakes or expand their range within them. The species were listed by the risk of damage they pose to the Great Lakes environment or culture and the likelihood they’d be introduced by one of six pathways.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/great-lakes-invasive-species-early-detection/

Andrew Blok

On:
In: boardman dam, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, dams, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, invasive species, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation, Recreation and Tourism, Research, Data and Technology, Traverse City
Last dam standing: Traverse City fish restoration project on the ropes

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan, through the Institute for Nonprofit News network

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/2021/03/dam-traverse-city-fish-restoration-project/

Bridge Michigan

On:
In: biden administration, Budget, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Michigan’s Rural Water Systems Confront Generations of Inadequate Investment

A critical juncture is reached for providing water to rural communities around the region.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/michigan-rural-water-systems-generations-inadequate-investment/

Circle of Blue

On:
In: biden administration, Chicago, COVID-19, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, epa, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, water shutoffs
Priority Shift: Great Lakes exec moves environmental justice to top of list

Chicago’s Joel Brammeier came of age advocating for the Great Lakes in an era when federal programs that are widely accepted today like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative were barely on the drawing board.

Brammeier started his advocacy work in 2001 when he managed habitat programs for the Lake Michigan Federation, which later became the Alliance for the Great Lakes as its mission expanded.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/great-lakes-environmental-justice-priority/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Agriculture, Algae Blooms, Budget, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, harmful algal blooms, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, Lead, News, Ohio, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wetlands
H2Ohio: Agency directors focus on wetlands, farmer subsidies, replacing lead lines

The first full-year report for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s much-publicized H2Ohio water quality initiative is out.

Introduced in 2019, the plan has already reaped benefits for Ohio residents and will continue to expand in its scope, according to officials charged with its implementation.

The report was offered in a web presentation by Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Laurie Stevenson.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/h2ohio-agency-directors-wetlands-lead-agriculture/

James Proffitt

On:
In: Books, Authors, Art and Music, calendar contest, Collaboration, Detroit, Drinking Water, environment, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, Latest News, Michigan, News, Sandra Svoboda, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Save Water, Save Nature: Kids calendar art contest promotes healthy water management

Hundreds of artistic entries from 4th and 5th grade students came in for this year’s Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Kids Clean Water Calendar Contest, and Great Lakes Now Host Ward Detwiler had to decide which drawings would be printed for each month.

“Fortunately, because I’d done this last year, I knew how hard it was going to be,” Detwiler said.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/kids-calendar-art-contest-healthy-water-management/

Sandra Svoboda

On:
In: AP, Climate change, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, lake erie, Latest News, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research
Scientists: Climate-whipped winds pose Great Lakes hazards

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Powerful gusts linked to global warming are damaging water quality and creating a hazard for fish in Lake Erie and perhaps elsewhere in the Great Lakes, according to researchers.

Extremely high winds occasionally churn up deep water with low oxygen and high levels of phosphorus in Erie’s central basin and shove it into the shallower western section, creating a hazard for fish and insects on which they feed.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/ap-scientists-climate-whipped-winds-great-lakes-hazards/

The Associated Press

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In: canada, enbridge, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, line 5, Michigan, Natasha Blakely, News, oil pipelines, Ontario, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The States, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
Canada Speaks: In Enbridge Line 5 debate, Canadian representatives point to the impact on their economy

In the ongoing conflict over Line 5’s presence and future in Michigan, much of the debate has been between the Canadian energy company Enbridge, Inc. and the state of Michigan, or between Michigan environmentalists and Michigan businesses.

A recent joint committee session in the Michigan Senate heard from a third party: Canada.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/enbridge-line-5-debate-canadian-representatives-impact-economy/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Grand Rapids, green infrastructure, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Some cities are turning to natural infrastructure to deal with extreme rain events

Climate change in the Great Lakes region means more intense storms. Already some towns are finding they’re flooding where they never have before. One city in Michigan is finding the solution is nature.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/cities-natural-infrastructure-extreme-rain-events/

Michigan Radio

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In: biden administration, Cleveland, Climate change, Detroit, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Environmental Justice, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Cleveland, Feature Detroit, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ohio, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, renewable energy, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
Air, Wind, Solar: In the Great Lakes region, energy stands out in President Biden’s efforts

If you have the good fortune to gaze at a Great Lake – any Great Lake – sometime in this strange year, you’re not likely to spot a glaring example of President Joseph R. Biden’s new emphasis on protecting the environment.

But that doesn’t mean they aren’t coming.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/air-wind-solar-great-lakes-energy-president-biden/

Dave Spratt

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In: Agriculture, animals, birds, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Habitat Restoration, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wetlands
Wetlands can help prevent property damage and save lives during floods

Last year when the Midland dams gave way, more than 21 billion gallons of water rushed into the Tittabawassee River. More than three and a quarter billion gallons of that ended up in the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/wetlands-property-damage-save-lives-floods/

Michigan Radio

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In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, fishing, indigenous communities, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Latest News, line 5, Michigan, News, oil pipelines, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, The States, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Treaty Rights Acknowledged For First Time in Oil Pipeline’s Controversial History

By Elena Bruess, Circle of Blue

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/2021/03/treaty-rights-line-5-oil-pipelines-controversial-history/

Circle of Blue

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In: AP, enbridge, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Latest News, line 5, Michigan, News, oil pipelines, Politics
Whitmer offers plan to supply propane after pipeline closes

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration released a plan Friday to make sure Michigan will have enough propane if a controversial pipeline is shut down.

The strategy addresses a frequent objection to the Democratic governor’s demand that Enbridge Inc.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/ap-whitmer-plan-supply-propane-line-5-pipeline/

The Associated Press

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In: Drinking Water, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Groundwater Contamination, Indiana, Latest News, Michigan, Natasha Blakely, New York, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin
PFAS News Roundup: Indiana introduces PFAS bills, Michigan citizens unhappy about 8-month disclosure delay

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/2021/03/pfas-news-roundup-indiana-introduces-pfas-bills-michigan-citizens-unhappy-about-8-month-disclosure-delay/

Natasha Blakely

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In: Books, Authors, Art and Music, Drinking Water, History and Culture, Illinois, Latest News, Lead, Minnesota, New York, News, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Drinking Water News Roundup: Lead in NY schools, Minnesota water exhibit, Wisconsin water week

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.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Eaton Boil Water Advisory Lifted – Star Press

A boil water advisory announced Thursday for the town of Eaton has been lifted after the issue was repaired and testing showed the water was safe, the town announced Saturday night.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/drinking-water-great-lakes-lead-schools-minnesota-water-exhibit-wisconsin/

Grace Dempsey

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In: canada, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, First Nations, Groundwater Contamination, indigenous communities, infrastructure, Latest News, News, Ontario, Quebec, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
HotSpots H2O: Canadian Government Misses Target to End Water Insecurity for First Nations Communities

By Elena Bruess, Circle of Blue

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/2021/03/canadian-government-water-insecurity-first-nations-communities/

Circle of Blue

On:
In: Algae Blooms, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, harmful algal blooms, lake erie, Latest News, Michigan, News, phosphorous, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, toxic algae, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
U of M team makes discovery about Lake Erie dead zone

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/2021/03/university-michigan-discovery-lake-erie-dead-zone/

Michigan Radio

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In: Algae Blooms, Climate change, Drinking Water, harmful algal blooms, lake erie, Lake Superior, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, science, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Lake Superior Winter: Researchers belatedly turn their eyes to the impact of warming winters

Deep below the cold, dark surface of Lake Superior, sensors strung like pearls along a vertical steel cable sway with the currents. Recording the lake’s dropping temperatures as winter sets in, their gentle rhythm belies their worrying readings: the lake is getting warmer.

Jay Austin heaved several of these science experiments off a boat last fall – tossing concrete blocks into the deep water to anchor the cable of sensors stretching down from floating platforms just below the surface.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/lake-superior-researchers-impact-warming-winters/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: Agriculture, Algae Blooms, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, harmful algal blooms, lake erie, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ohio, Ontario, Policy, toxic algae, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Too few farmers are curbing pollution in Lake Erie. Should they be forced?

As climate change complicates Lake Erie’s algae problem, scientists say farmers must do far more to reduce phosphorus runoff. But will enough farmers change their ways without a government mandate?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/farmers-pollution-lake-erie-regulations/

Bridge Michigan

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In: animals, AP, Fish, Birds and Animals, Hunting, Latest News, News, Policy, Politics, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Wisconsin, wolves
US states look to step up wolf kills, pushed by Republicans

By Matthew Brown and Iris Samuels, Associated Press Writers

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Payments for dead wolves. Unlimited hunting of the animals. Shooting wolves from the air.

Wolf hunting policies in some states are taking an aggressive turn, as Republican lawmakers and conservative hunting groups push to curb their numbers and propose tactics shunned by many wildlife managers.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/ap-us-states-wolf-kills-pushed-by-republicans/

The Associated Press

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In: Climate change, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Indiana, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, line 5, Michigan, Minnesota, Natasha Blakely, News, Ohio, Ontario, Wisconsin
Energy News Roundup: Q&A with energy secretary Granholm, Indiana enviromental bills struggle, Ontario rate payers prepare for hike

Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

In this edition: Environmentalists in Wisconsin sue EPA over regulation rollback favoring coal plants, bankruptcy plan for Ohio nuclear power company upheld by appeals court, Prairie Island tribe prepares for massive investment in renewable energy, and Ford Motors to invest millions for electric vehicle construction in southeast Michigan

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Indiana:

  • 75 environmental bills were filed this session; more than two-thirds of them are now dead – Indianapolis Star

When the 2021 legislative session began, more than 75 bills related to the environment had been filed in Indiana’s General Assembly.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/energy-news-indiana-bills-ontario-hike-line-5-oversight-panel/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: conservation, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, History and Culture, ice fishing, James Proffitt, Latest News, Michigan, News, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, sturgeon
Short Season: Sturgeon spearing plays big role in conservation efforts for the ancient fish

When Chris Wilson speared a 63-inch, 61-pound sturgeon, it was only moments after he lugged the fish out of his shanty before a small crowd appeared. Some trotted over from nearby shanties and one man rode up on an ATV – he wasn’t fishing but simply spending the morning checking out the season.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/sturgeon-spearing-conservation-efforts-fish/

James Proffitt

On:
In: AP, Latest News, News, Pennsylvania, plastic, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Pennsylvania hauled to court over blocking plastic bag bans

By Claudia Lauer and Marc Levy, Associated Press Writers

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia and three other municipalities in Pennsylvania sued the state Wednesday over what they say was a covert abuse of legislative power to block local bans or taxes on plastic bags that retailers give out to customers and, they say, end up as pollution and litter.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/03/ap-pennsylvania-court-plastic-bag-bans/

The Associated Press