On Nov. 15, 1938, the James E. McAlpine was in Milwaukee loading cargo. Vintage photographs from the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society and Milwaukee Public Library provide a glimpse into the ship’s history. Read the full story by On Milwaukee.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221116-portmilwaukee
Great Lakes shipping remains down, depressed by 5.15% so far this year despite an increase in transits. Read the full story by The Times of Northwest Indiana.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221116-greatlakes-cargo
Thursday marks 47 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald went down with 29 souls on board, becoming Lake Superior’s most haunting shipwreck. On Thursday night, Split Rock Lighthouse will mark the somber occasion with the tolling of a bell as victims’ names are read, after which the beacon will be lit in memory and hope. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-remembering-edmundfitzgerald
Even though two of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, border Wisconsin, many of the state’s residents in formerly redlined communities still do not have easy access to clean and safe drinking water. Advocates want to ensure funds are used to provide grants or forgivable loans to help disadvantaged communities invest in critical water infrastructure. Read the full story by Inside Climate News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-wi-advocates-waterjustice
Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network (WIN) is partnering with the University of Wisconsin Parkside and the Fund for Lake Michigan to reduce the stormwater runoff to the Pike River with a regenerative stormwater conveyance system. Read the full story by Kenosha News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-grantfunds-stormwater-improvement
A 10.15-pound smallmouth bass caught Thursday on Lake Erie set a new record for a Great Lakes smallmouth. Read the full story by New York Upstate News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-ohioangler-lakeeriesmallmouth-greatlakes-record
A multi-year project at Heddle Shipyards’ Port Weller Dry Docks will create more than 200 jobs after the company was awarded a $135.5-million contract to extend the life of Canadian Coast Guard Ship Terry Fox. The nearly three-year project will involve extensive engineering, planning and procurement phases, with shipyard work scheduled to begin December 2023. Read the full story by the Welland Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-heddleshipyards-coastguard
The Niagara Parks Power Station is Niagara Falls State Park’s latest attraction. In 2021 the park opened their generator hall where you can learn about the history of harnessing the power of the falls. Now you can walk through a tunnel that leads you to a spectacular view of the falls. Read the full story by WQBK- Malta, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-tunnel-niagarafalls
The mutual decision to hold talks about transferring the trust’s duties to the city marks a significant milestone for the agency. It was created in 2000 to steward development which would connect Hamiltonians to the harbourfront. Read the full story by the Hamilton Spectator.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-hamiltonwaterfronttrust-confidential
Electric utilities are gradually phasing out coal-burning power plants in Michigan. But environmental groups are warning that some of those power plants are leaving behind a poisonous legacy. Read and listen to the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-reportenvironmentalgroups-coal
Known as “The White Hurricane” and “The Freshwater Fury,” the Great Storm of 1913 claimed the lives of 250 sailors and 25 ships on the dangerous waters of the Great Lakes. Divers believe they have solved the mystery through a newly discovered historical account of an attempt to salvage a ship during World War I and by examination of shipwrecks. Read the full story by the Midland Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-greatstormmystery-greatlakes
Organizers battled uncooperative weather for the inaugural North Light Surf Classic, held in Frankfort, MI over the weekend. Surfers took to the water to show off their skills, surfing several hours until waves and wind became too much to handle. Read the full story by the Manistee News Advocate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221107-frankfort-mi-surfsup
A muskellunge, commonly known as a “muskie,” was recently caught in Toronto Harbor off the coast of Toronto, Ontario. Conservation authorities say it’s the first fish of its kind found in the Toronto waters in more than 30 years. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-muskie-toldeo-bigcatch
A pollution-free, solar-powered boat, able to run through the night after the sun fully charges it, recently emerged on the Kalamazoo River. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-solarpoweredlilypad-milaunch
A proposed $30 million investment in wetlands conservation would reduce algal blooms in Lake Erie, specifically in Monroe County, Michigan, and other areas in the Great Lakes region, if the money is approved through COVID relief funding. Read the full story by The Monroe News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-pointemouillee-wetlands-lakeeriealgae
It’s been one year since the H2Ohio Water Quality Program was rolled out from the Ohio legislature and into the farm fields of Northwest Ohio, and the response has been “overwhelming.” The state-wide program addresses several water quality issues in the state including the high nutrient levels of Ohio’s waterways. Read the full story by BG Independent News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-h2ohio-highdemand
In Rockford, Michigan, Wolverine Worldwide has earned a legal citation from Michigan environmental regulators for delaying the launch of a long-awaited system to remove contaminated groundwater entering the Rogue River where the company’s century-old shoe leather tannery once stood. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-wolverineworldwide-cited-pfascleanup
The public will keep the right to use Indiana’s Lake Michigan shoreline for recreation as the U.S. Supreme Court won’t consider arguments from nearby property owners who claimed they also owned the beach. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-ussupremecourt-lakemi-shorelinedispute
A new multi-agency partnership could provide new jobs training and career opportunities, all related to research on the Great Lakes. Five education and nonprofit partners are working together in hopes of developing a “Freshwater Research and Innovation Center” along Grand Traverse Bay in Michigan. Read the full story by WWTV – Cadillac, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-waterresearchcenter-grandtraversebay
Manitoulin is an island in Lake Huron, located within the borders of the Canadian province of Ontario. A record number of Great Lakes cruise ships visited the island in 2022. Read the full story by the Manitoulin Expositor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-greatlakescruiseship-recordyear
After two years of delay caused by the COVID pandemic, the 4th Great Lakes Islands Alliance Summit finally took place October 2-5, this time on the islands of Lake Erie, north of Ohio. Read the full story by The Manitoulin Expositor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221102-greatlakes-summit-lakeerieislands
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, hosted about a dozen cruise ships in 2021. So far this year that number has quadrupled. With the cruise ship traffic, the city is looking to update its infrastructure to support the rise in tourism. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-saultstemarie-greatlakescruising
The city of Yorkville, Illinois, is continuing the process of gaining access to Lake Michigan water, which will eventually replace a diminishing aquifer the city is currently using as a water source. Read the full story by WSPY – Plano, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-yorkville-lakemiwateraccess
The Medina County Park District and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will collaborate on a new 173 acre wetland project as part of Gov. Mike Dewine’s H2Ohio initiative. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-odnr-medinawetlandproject
Michigan prosecutors will appeal a judge’s dismissal of criminal charges tied to the Flint water crisis, they announced Tuesday. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-flintwatercrisis-criminalcharges
Isle Royale National Park is holding a public comment period for a proposed increase to its ferry’s fare structure beginning next year. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-ferryrateincrease-isleroyale
The city of Duluth is encouraging residents to sign up to adopt a stormwater drain of their choosing and provide periodic care for the drain, ensuring that none of the matter and material that routinely muck up the stormwater sewer system contributes to pollution of our water sources. Read the full story by WUBE-FM – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-duluthresidents-adoptadrain
A key Canadian shipping corridor is the latest waterway struggling with dwindling water levels. Parts of the St. Lawrence River near Montreal have hit 10-year lows. Seaway managers in Canada and the US are monitoring the conditions and considering boosting the flow of water from Lake Ontario to make conditions safer for commercial ships. Read the full story by Yahoo News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-canadas-stlawrence-shippingroutes
In all of Split Rock’s 112-year history, the lighthouse has always had a keeper. Right now, that person is Hayes Scriven, a self-described “history geek.” He and his family live on site. The site started in the hands of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, which was eventually absorbed into the Coast Guard. In the early 1970s, the State of Minnesota took over ownership. And in 1976, the Minnesota Historical Society began to run it. Read the full story by WDIO-TV – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-splitrocklighthouse-keeper
Portions of the Lake Michigan beachfront in Evanston, IL have been eaten up by rising waters, impacting not only the beaches, but also parkland nearby. Temporary fixes such as sand bags and rocks were used in 2020, but now the city is looking at a long-term fix. Read the full story by he Evanston Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-longterm-lakefrontfix
Governor Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, launched the PFAS Interactive Data Viewer on October 18, a new tool to understand how PFAS are impacting Wisconsin’s lands and waters. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Independent.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221026-pfascontaminationtool-dnr-wi
Pipelines could be coming down the pike as a coalition of farmers, industry experts, and local politicians are attempting to construct an irrigation network across Niagara to stave off the worsening effects of climate change. Read the full story by Niagara This Week.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-irrigation-niagara-waterscarcity
The Swim Drink Fish Great Lakes protection project was launched September 26 in Niagara on the Lake with a number of First Nations leaders from Manitoulin Island as key participants. Read the full story by the Manitoulin Expositor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-manitoulinfirstnations-swimdrinkfishproject
Great Lakes shipping is down 5.63% so far this year, but a strong September brought the total closer to its 2021 level. Read the full story by NWITimes.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-greatlakesshipping
Milwaukee has launched the Water Current Tour, a self-guided walking tour that showcases how the city manages its natural water resources in a sustainable and resilient way. The Water Current tour is part of Milwaukee’s Water Centric City Initiative. Read the full story by WITI-TV- Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-milwaukee-watercurrenttour
Saved from recent high-water levels that threatened its very foundation, Fishtown in Leland, one of Northern Michigan’s most iconic tourist attractions is working to help with a save of its own: preserving the state’s fading commercial fishing heritage. Read the full story by Traverse Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-fishtown-mifadingfishingheritage
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the City of Lorain dedicated the Martin’s Run Wetland And Stream Restoration Project in Lorain County on Oct. 18, as a part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-odnr-newwetland-loraincounty
A study soon to be released reveals that due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing limited treatment control on sea lamprey, there was an increase in the invasive species numbers throughout the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Manitoulin Expositor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-pandemic-negativeimpacts-invasivespeciescontrol-greatlakes
This summer was a record-breaking cruising season along the Great Lakes: 52 cruise ships visited Detroit in 2022, more than double the last cruising season in 2019. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-cruiseships-detroit
The U.S. Supreme Court may decide next week whether to hear an appeal filed by three lake-adjacent property owners in the town of Porter who have been unsuccessful in their attempts to claim ownership of a private beach on Lake Michigan. Read the full story by Northwest Indiana Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-ussupremecourt-lakemi-beachowners
Enbridge Energy, the owner and operator of the Line 3 pipeline project in northern Minnesota, will pay more than $11 million after investigations identified water quality violations and three aquifer breaches related to the pipeline’s construction. Read the full story by WIZM – La Crosse, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221019-minnesota-pipelineviolations
In May of 2022, an infrastructure project was completed modernizing Flint’s water plant and establishing a secondary connection to Lake Huron. The city of Flint is now entering its final phase of lead service line replacement. Read the full story by CBS Detroit.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-flint-replacement-leadserviceline
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently released the draft “New York’s Great Lakes Action Agenda 2022-2030,” a multiyear action plan to guide restoration and conservation, and foster sustainable, resilient communities in New York’s Great Lakes region. Read the full story by Niagara Frontier Publications.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-dec-greatlakesactionagenda
The Canadian Coast Guard recently purchased a light icebreaker that will supplement its operations in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence, and Atlantic regions. Today, it was officially announced that icebreaker has been named the CCGS Judy LaMarsh. Read the full story by PRNewswire.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-canadiancoastguard-icebreaker-judylamarsh
The effort to replenish the decimated lake sturgeon population in Lake Erie has shown early signs of success, but it will be decades before biologists know if they have accomplished their mission. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-lakesturgeon-stockingmaumeeriver
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers recently announced a new initiative called “100% Whitefish” that aims to use all of the fish. The group is looking to Iceland for guidance and as an example. That country, among others, has pioneered using all of the fish it catches in various products, greatly increasing the value of the catch while developing new products and markets. Read the full story by The Mining Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-whitefish-expandingmarket
Plastic Free MKE encourages businesses to become “Lake Friendly” by making decisions that benefit the long-term health of Lake Michigan. Transfer Pizzeria in Milwaukee is one business making this commitment. The business has a landfill, a recycling stream and organic waste that turns into compost. Read the full story by Spectrum News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-plasticfreebusinesses-protectthegreatlakes
In the largest design and construction project of its kind currently underway in North America, crews are restoring the natural systems of the mouth of the Don River, where it empties into Lake Ontario. The river, in its current configuration, is being moved. Read the full story by Canadian Architect.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-recalibratinginfrastructure-ontario
Watersheds in Indiana deposited massive amounts of toxic chemicals into the Great Lakes region in 2020, according to a report released Tuesday by Environment America Research and Policy Center. The Little Calumet River is ranked sixth of the top 20 watersheds in the United States for releasing chemicals known to cause cancer and have negative reproductive effects, the report said. Read the full story by The Times of Northwest Indiana.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-littlecalriver-harmfulchemicals
The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority promotes industrial, commercial and recreational opportunities on Erie’s bayfront. The authority, located at 1 Holland St., is also a landlord to both a shipbuilder and a shipping facility and is the entity that ensures public access to the bayfront. Read the full story by Go Erie.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20221003-lakeerie-valuableproperty
