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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.

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‘The water always wins’: Calls to protect shorelines as volatile Lake Michigan inflicts heavy toll

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

By Mario Koran, Wisconsin Watch

Mike Kahr, an engineer and owner of Death’s Door Marine, has watched Lake Michigan’s water levels fluctuate during his 40-plus year career. But even the veteran engineer hasn’t seen the lake’s water levels swing from low to high quite this rapidly.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/calls-protect-shorelines-lake-michigan/

Wisconsin Watch

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‘The water always wins’: Calls to protect shorelines as volatile Lake Michigan inflicts heavy toll

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

By Mario Koran, Wisconsin Watch

Mike Kahr, an engineer and owner of Death’s Door Marine, has watched Lake Michigan’s water levels fluctuate during his 40-plus year career. But even the veteran engineer hasn’t seen the lake’s water levels swing from low to high quite this rapidly.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/calls-protect-shorelines-lake-michigan/

Wisconsin Watch

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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.

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Great Lakes Now

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

John Hartig

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Seven Years On: The Flint water crisis has yet to conclude

Although it’s been seven years since the Flint water crisis became one of the state’s biggest public health disasters, Flint’s struggle with both the repercussions of the initial incident and with getting clean water have not ended. The court cases continue to unfold, and the city slowly replaces its lead lines.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/seven-years-flint-water-crisis/

Natasha Blakely

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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.

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

Maya Sundaresan

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Hoping to avoid Enbridge Line 5 shutdown, Canada asks U.S. to negotiate

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.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/10/enbridge-line-5-shutdown-canada-us-negotiate/

Bridge Michigan

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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.

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Great Lakes Now

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

John Hartig

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US Steel shuts down Indiana plant after wastewater discharge

PORTAGE, Ind. (AP) — U.S. Steel temporarily shuttered operations at a northwest Indiana plant Monday after it leaked an orange substance into a Lake Michigan tributary, prompting the closure of a water treatment facility and several nearby beaches.

The U.S. Steel Midwest plant in Portage has been idled as a precaution “after experiencing an upset condition with the finishing line wastewater treatment plant,” U.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/ap-us-steel-indiana-plant-wastewater-discharge/

The Associated Press

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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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Great Lakes Protection Fund: Award celebrates work tackling plastics, invasives, equity

Their daily work aims at reducing microplastics and invasive species in the Great Lakes, increasing attention to equity in the region’s environmentalism, helping communities finance water infrastructure, and better connecting foundations in coastline cities.

For this, six individuals from around the Great Lakes region earned a 2021 leadership award from the Great Lakes Protection Fund.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/great-lakes-protection-fund-award-plastics-invasives-equity/

GLN Editor

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Sensors provide a real-time glimpse at Chicago River quality

By Kathleen Foody, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Rowers, kayakers and other users of the Chicago River are getting a real-time look at one measure of water quality in the system that weaves through downtown and several neighborhoods.

Chicago nonprofit Current in 2019 installed three sensors in the river’s three main branches to continuously estimate the amount of bacteria from human and other warm-blooded animals’ waste.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/ap-sensors-chicago-river-quality/

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Minnesota court sends PolyMet air permit case back to agency

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northern Minnesota encountered a setback Monday when the state Court of Appeals ordered regulators to revisit a critical air emissions permit given to the project.

The court ruled that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency hadn’t sufficiently justified granting the permit after opponents raised allegations that PolyMet was planning a much larger mine.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/ap-minnesota-court-polymet-air-permit-case-agency/

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Illinois sues owner of plant where fire prompted evacuations

By Sara Burnett, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois prosecutors on Friday sued the owner of a chemical plant where a fire last month sent dark smoke and ash into the air for days and prompted evacuations, saying the company should be held accountable for air and water pollution and hazards that still exist.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/ap-illinois-sues-owner-plant-fire-evacuations/

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Court: DNR can impose farm conditions, consider well impact

By Todd Richmond, Associated Press Writer

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin regulators can impose operating conditions on factory farms and consider high-capacity wells’ cumulative environmental impacts when deciding whether to grant permits, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The decisions mark a major win for conservationists and clarify that the Department of Natural Resources has broad authority to protect Wisconsin’s waters.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/ap-dnr-farm-conditions-well-impact/

The Associated Press

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Dealing with the soup of chemicals that can get into your drinking water

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.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/soup-chemicals-drinking-water/

Michigan Radio

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Public Resource: Around the Great Lakes, everyday people help make science possible

Collecting data for scientific research across large geographic areas can be challenging, but researchers have found an easy solution – the public.

The Huron River watershed covers 900 square miles, and the Huron River Watershed Council has been collecting data from the watershed for years. Yet collection from such an expansive area would not have been possible without the help of an army of dedicated citizen, or community, scientists.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/great-lakes-everyday-people-science-public/

Noah Bock

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Citizen Science Opportunities: How can you get involved in scientific research?

For some, getting to contribute to scientific research might sound like a far-fetched possibility.

Jason Frenzel, stewardship coordinator at the Huron River Watershed Council, is one of the countless people working to change that assumption.

The HRWC is one of many organizations in the Great Lakes region that offer people, most with little prior scientific training, the opportunity to participate in science.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/citizen-science-opportunities/

Noah Bock

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In: AP, Illinois, News, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Owner of closed power plant to remove toxic waste near river

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The owner of an abandoned power plant has agreed to clean up toxic waste dumped into the flood plain of the Vermilion River, boosting efforts to protest Illinois’ lone national scenic river.

Under a deal brokered by the Illinois attorney general’s office, Texas-based Vistra on Monday agreed to drain pits of water-soaked coal ash along the Middle Fork Vermilion River, about 120 miles (193.12 kilometers)south of Chicago.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-closed-power-plant-toxic-waste-illinois-river/

The Associated Press

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Army Corps plans extensive review of Great Lakes tunnel plan

By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Wednesday it would conduct an extensive review of Enbridge Energy’s plan to build an oil pipeline tunnel beneath a Great Lakes channel in Michigan, which could significantly delay the project.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-army-corps-extensive-review-line-5-tunnel/

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PFAS News Roundup: PFAS in bottled water and makeup, “Filthy Fifty” list generated, corporations drop toxic packaging

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.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/pfas-bottled-water-makeup-filthy-fifty-list-corporations-toxic-packaging/

Noah Bock

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Tests show PFAS contamination in 500 French Island wells

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — More than 500 wells on French Island have been contaminated with some level of PFAS chemicals, according to final results of state testing.

The La Crosse Tribune reported Friday that 538 wells on the island just west of La Crosse showed some level of the chemicals and 165 of them had levels above the state’s recommended 20 parts per trillion hazard standard.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-tests-pfas-contamination-500-french-island-wells/

The Associated Press

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Big Convener: Watershed councils provide critical support across municipal boundaries

For Rebecca Esselman, the mission is clear even if there isn’t a big spotlight on her work.

Her goal is to protect the Huron River and its environs, a diverse 900 square miles of land that includes farmland, urban centers, suburban sprawl and intact forest. The river itself runs for 125 miles before emptying into Lake Erie.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/michigan-watershed-council-support-municipal-boundaries/

Gary Wilson

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Michigan’s climate-ready future: wetland parks, less cement, roomy shores

What does Michigan’s future look like if we adequately prepare the state’s water resources for climate change? Goodbye to septics and shore-hugging homes. Hello to more diversified crops on Michigan farms.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/michigan-climate-future-wetland-parks-infrastructure-agriculture/

Bridge Michigan

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Hundreds of lakes in U.S., Europe are losing oxygen

By Drew Costley, AP Science Writer

Oxygen levels have dropped in hundreds of lakes in the United States and Europe over the last four decades, a new study found.

And the authors said declining oxygen could lead to increased fish kills, algal blooms and methane emissions.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/ap-hundreds-lakes-united-states-europe-losing-oxygen/

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Tapped Out: Power, justice and water in the West

On the West side of the United States, residents are seeing problems crop up in their waters. Great Lakes region residents will find those issues familiar.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/tapped-out-power-justice-water-west/

GLN Editor

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Green Infrastructure: Cities around the Great Lakes plan for a changing future

Rain gardens, bioretention features, adaptable parks and more are popping up all around the region.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/green-infrastructure-great-lakes-climate-future/

Andrew Blok

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Great Lakes Water Diversions Could Be More Numerous

As the global climate warms and water scarcity mounts, Great Lakes water is more valuable than ever before. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/great-lakes-water-diversions-future-possibilities/

Circle of Blue

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As Line 5 debate continues, residents weigh risks to shorelines, economies

By Julie Riddle, The Alpena News

This article is part of a collaboration between The Alpena News and Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television to bring audiences stories about the Great Lakes, especially Lake Huron and its watershed.

ALPENA — In six days, oil escaping from under the Straits of Mackinac could reach Rogers City.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/line-5-debate-residents-risks-shorelines-economies/

The Alpena News

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Plastic debris is getting into the Great Lakes, our drinking water, and our food

Watershed cleanups are popular ways of dealing with local plastic pollution, but once large plastic trash disintegrates into microplastics, they're nearly impossible to pick up.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/plastic-debris-great-lakes-drinking-water-food/

Michigan Radio

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Chemical Impact: Microplastic pollution more complex than we think, says new research

Microplastics act like a chemical sponge, soaking up contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/05/chemical-impact-microplastic-pollution/

Sharon Oosthoek

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EPA awards Great Lakes grants to Central Michigan, Clarkson

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded grants to Central Michigan University and Clarkson University to continue monitoring coastal wetlands and fish contaminants throughout the Great Lakes basin.

Central Michigan will receive $10 million to monitor approximately 1,000 wetlands over the next five years.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/ap-epa-great-lakes-grants-central-michigan-clarkson/

The Associated Press

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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.

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

Kari Lydersen

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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.

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

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Controversial Indiana environmental bills inch near passage

By Casey Smith, Associated Press/Report for America

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Lawmakers approved two environmental bills Tuesday that critics say could damage the state’s ecosystems by scaling back current policy affecting water, energy and other resources.

A measure seeking to remove protections from Indiana’s already diminished wetlands would eliminate a 2003 law that requires the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to issue permits in a state-regulated wetland and end enforcement proceedings against landowners allegedly violating current law.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/ap-controversial-indiana-environmental-bills-near-passage/

The Associated Press

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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.

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

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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.

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Great Lakes Now

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

Grace Dempsey

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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.

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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 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.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/04/biden-infrastructure-plan-future-federal-water-spending/

Circle of Blue

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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: 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: 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: 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: 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

On:
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

On:
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