By Anna Liz Nichols, Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan will build clean energy infrastructure and invest in green programs over the next 30 years with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 to confront climate change, a draft of a state plan says.
Gov.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/ap-plan-draft-carbon-neutrality/
Michigan’s top five safest small cities are all in Oakland County, according to a recent national study. Safety was calculated by factoring in the violent-crime rate, property-crime rate and motor vehicle crash deaths per capita.
The post Oakland County home to many of Michigan’s safest small cities first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/01/21/oakland-county-home-to-many-of-michigans-safest-small-cities/
The project to construct a new Soo Lock has been fully funded as of Wednesday, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which included $479 million directed to the new lock.
“In Michigan, we know how vital the Locks are to our economy and our national defense,” Sen.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/army-corps-millions-great-lakes-coastal-resiliency-soo-locks-invasive-carp/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/homeowners-money-fix-septic-systems/
Flint ranked the worst for economic health in Michigan small cities in a recent report by WalletHub, a personal finance organization that tracks financial and other trends. To evaluate economic health, the study looked at population, job and income growth, along with the unemployment rate.
The post Economic health affects other indicators of livability first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/01/20/economic-health-affects-other-indicators-of-livability/
Holland, Michigan ranks number one in the state for quality of life in “Best Small Cities in America,” a study published by WalletHub, a personal finance website that tracks financial and other trends. It is one of five measures the study used to rank the desirability of small cities. Quality of life was assessed by measures like average commute time, city walkability and number of bars, restaurants and cultural centers per capita.
The post Holland ranks first in quality of life for Michigan small cities first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/01/19/holland-ranks-first-in-quality-of-life-for-michigan-small-cities/
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (AP) — The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie are shutting down to marine traffic to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform critical maintenance.
The locks on the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron are expected to be closed from Saturday to March 25, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/ap-soo-locks-close-winter/
By 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/low-ice-coverage/
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — More than 400 water service lines in Benton Harbor have been replaced or verified to be free of lead, according to state officials.
City officials also are reviewing bids from contractors for removal of an estimated 3,900 lead service lines, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services said this week in a release.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/ap-lead-water-lines-benton/
By Anna Traver, Payton Wells and Hope O’Dell Great Lakes Echo Editor’s note: A recent study evaluated the quality of 1,322 U.S. small cities by five measures. This story is part of a series taking a closer look at one measure as it relates to the 39 Michigan cities in the study. HOLT – It’s […]
The post Some Michigan small cities are more affordable than others first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2022/01/18/some-michigan-small-cities-are-more-affordable-than-others/
Just like serious birders and all manner of naturalists, many divers keep a life list of the species they have seen. Typically, the more elusive the species, the more coveted the sighting. Size also plays a role in desirability, whether it’s a condor or a blue whale.
When it comes to impressively large and elusive freshwater species, a couple come to mind.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/meeting-mysterious-muskie/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/pfas-news-lake-superior-fish-michigan-superfund-list/
A new round of court proceedings commences in the long-running Enbridge Inc. Line 5 saga as Administrative Law Judge Dennis Mack oversees the cross-examination of a series of witnesses starting on Jan. 14.
The results of this cross-examination will play a role in the Michigan Public Service Commission’s decision on whether or not to grant Enbridge one of the key permits it needs to construct the Line 5 tunnel.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/enbridge-court-michigan-public-service-commission-line-5-permit/
For Professor Nancy Langston, our intransigence in protecting struggling species like caribou and others is a puzzle. These species exist in our memories and culture, and we’ve invested in protecting them, so why do their populations continue to crash?
That’s the question at the core of Langston’s latest book, “Climate Ghosts: Migratory Species in the Anthropocene”.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/climate-ghosts-author/
Inadequate regulations, infrastructure failures and developments, water quality and quantity, and climate migration were just some of the many pressing Great Lakes issues covered collectively by the Great Lakes News Collaborative over the past year.
With timely stories set to a backdrop of visually compelling photos and video, the goal for the Great Lakes News Collaborative was to give voice to what residents all over the region are already seeing at their doorsteps.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/combined-effort-sierra-club-to-award-great-lakes-news-collaborative/
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A judge on Monday refused to dismiss a lawsuit against an engineering company, which is accused of not doing enough to stop the flow of lead-contaminated water in Flint in 2015.
Four families are suing Veolia North America. The company did not participate in the recent $626 million settlement with Flint residents, mostly paid by the state.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/ap-lawsuit-flint-water-contractor/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/red-bellied-snake-endangered/
By 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/flint-water-crisis-settlement-claims/
ESCANABA, Mich. (AP) — A paper mill in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has agreed to pay nearly $250,000 to settle an investigation of a fish kill in the Escanaba River, state regulators said.
A “catastrophic pipe failure” at the Verso Corp. site in Escanaba resulted in a discharge of partially treated wastewater in August 2020, regulators said.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/ap-ohio-company-pay-250k/
SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. (AP) — A southwestern Michigan town that swells with summer visitors is taking steps to keep people out of Lake Michigan during hazardous conditions.
The city council in South Haven agreed to install gates to close popular piers at certain times. Swimmers also could be fined if they’re in the lake, though surfers or kite boarders who embrace big wind and waves would be exempt.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/ap-south-haven-restrictions/
By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/road-salt-michigan-lakes/
Once living on the brink of extinction, the Kirtland’s warbler is now thriving thanks to collaborative conservation efforts.
The Kirtland’s warbler is one of the largest and rarest songbirds in North America. This handsome yellow-and-gray warbler is named for Dr. Jared Kirtland, on whose farm near Cleveland, Ohio, the first specimen was collected in 1851.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/01/great-lakes-moment-warblers/
Walking my 90-pound shepherd a few days after Christmas in our suburban neighborhood, the jangling bell on his collar seemed a festive touch, one of the neighbors told us.
But it was more of a reminder of our August trip to Drummond Island than some holiday décor.
My 11-day summer vacation this year involved throwing my dog, some swimsuits and a lot of sunscreen in my car and heading up to visit generous friends with houses along Grand Lake (north of Alpena) and Lake Huron.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/year-in-review-2021-canine-adventures/
Like many people, I made some really big changes to my life in 2021. One of the more significant changes was leaving my former role at WDET, Detroit’s NPR station, and joining the team at Great Lakes Now as associate producer.
Having joined the GLN team in October, it still feels like a brand new experience for me as the calendar year comes to a close, but so far, I’m learning a lot from Supervising Producer Rob Green and our fearless Program Director Sandra Svoboda.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/year-in-review-2021-summer-flooding/
By Lindsey Smith, 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/benton-harbor-residents-pay-water/
Earlier this month, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared December 2021 as “Christmas Tree Month” in Michigan.
It’s a move that makes sense — the Christmas tree industry provides jobs and bolsters the national and state economy.
“Michigan’s integrated network of family farmers, processors, wholesalers and retailers, work together to ensure a quality product that is enjoyed by millions throughout our state and country,” Whitmer said in a statement.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/christmas-tree-environmentally-friendly/
By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/high-costs-benton-harbor-water/
In the spirit of yuletide reminiscing, I recently found myself looking back at my journey to bringing more freshwater fish content to PBS audiences. One particularly poignant and mildly terrifying turning point was the first time I stepped onto a really big stage to speak on behalf of freshwater fish.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/center-stage-steelhead-trout/
By John Flesher, Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches, officials said Thursday.
The rule issued by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration designates those locations as “high consequence” zones where pipeline operators must step up inspections, repairs and other measures to avoid spills.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-safety-standards-pipelines/
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.
By Nicholas Simon, Great Lakes Echo
Efforts by politicians to create a hunting season for eastern sandhill cranes in both Wisconsin and Michigan are stirring debates among hunters, farmers and birders.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/eastern-sandhill-cranes-hunt/
By Michael Phillis, Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The amount of lead in Benton Harbor, Michigan’s drinking water has declined, new testing shows, after three straight years of elevated results compelled residents to consume bottled water and prompted a hurried effort to replace old pipes.
Lead levels in the majority Black city’s drinking water are now just within standards set by the state that if exceeded, force a utility to take corrective action and inform residents of a problem, according to state officials.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-tests-lead-benton-harbor/
By John Flesher, Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Enbridge Energy moved Wednesday to shift to federal court a Michigan lawsuit seeking shutdown of an oil pipeline that runs beneath a channel linking two of the Great Lakes.
The Canadian company argued that a 2019 lawsuit filed in a state court by Attorney General Dana Nessel should be heard by U.S.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-enbridge-federal-jurisdiction/
MUNISING, Mich. (AP) — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will soon begin charging visitors entrance fees for the first time in the 55-year history of the tourist destination in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Park officials announced Monday that the park along Lake Superior will start charging visitor fees starting March 1, 2022, and that camping fees and lighthouse tour fees will increase as of Jan.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-pictured-rocks-entrance/
Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
Click on the headline to read the full story:
Indiana:
Duke Energy Indiana set aside over $330,000 for customers facing difficulty paying their winter electricity bills.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/energy-news-roundup-financial-assistance-program/
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:
Illinois is expected to receive roughly $1.7 billion from the federal infrastructure bill to help address the issue of lead pipes in the state.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/drinking-water-roundup-infrastructure-funding/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/people-worried-health-great-lakes-poll/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/rock-snot-algal-blooms-lower-peninsula/
Approximately 85,000 homeowners in the Great Lakes region will see rate reductions for the first time because of the National Flood Insurance Program’s new risk rating system, experts say.
The flood insurance program is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It provides coverage to property owners, renters and businesses to help them recover from floods faster.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/flood-risk-assessment-reduce-insurance-rates/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/first-phase-cleanup-steel-mill-site/
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.
Contradicting the historical conservation planning tenet that gave preference to protecting larger, more intact areas, a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has shown that small, isolated patches of habitat are inordinately important for biodiversity conservation.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/small-habitat-patches-ecological-impact/
Where do we get our water? It’s a critically important and highly regulated question, yet it took some digging to find the answers.
Specific to Lake Huron, there are a total of 30 public water supply systems across Michigan and Ontario that source surface water for nearly 3 million people to drink.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/water-source-lake-huron/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/cost-water-michigan-affordability-problems/
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many Great Lakes national parks experienced record visitation as people sought to experience the outdoors and participate in safe forms of recreation.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was one of those parks. According to unofficial data from the National Park Service, over 1.7 million people visited in 2020, the highest attendance on record.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/covid-policies-park-attendance/
By 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/seawall-collapse-gravel-detroit-river/
By John Flesher, Associated Press
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer abandoned a lawsuit Tuesday aimed at shutting down an oil pipeline that runs through part of the Great Lakes but said the state would continue pursuing a separate case with the same goal.
Whitmer’s legal maneuver followed a federal judge’s decision earlier this month to retain jurisdiction over a suit brought by Enbridge Energy after the state revoked an easement allowing Line 5 to cross the Straits of Mackinac.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-michigan-drops-oil-pipeline-suit/
Tracking Michigan’s environmental issues has been a long, rewarding and at times arduous undertaking for Dave Dempsey.
He was an environment adviser to former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard in the 1980s and now provides policy advice to the Traverse City non-profit For Love of Water. In between were stops at the Michigan Environmental Council and the International Joint Commission.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/great-lakes-veteran-activist-author/
By Michael Phillis, Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — For years, testing of the tap water in an upscale Detroit suburb showed the city was in the clear. Then residents got a notice seemingly out of the blue: Their water could be contaminated with elevated levels of lead.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/ap-lead-testing-method-higher-levels/
By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan and 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/enbridge-line-5-wont-close/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/fossil-great-lakes-coral-remnants/
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday proposed $300 million in water spending to help local utilities address elevated lead levels, plan for pipe replacement and connect users of contaminated wells to municipal supplies.
The governor said the funding would expand her $500 million MI Clean Water Plan, some of which has been authorized since it was unveiled more than a year ago.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/ap-whitmer-300m-water-funding-communities/
