More than 100 coal ash waste sites, many unregulated, sit just feet from the Great Lakes, raising concerns for nearby communities and the 30 million people who rely on the lakes for drinking water. Read the full story by Inside Climate News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230206-coalash-greatlakes-waterquality
While the Great Lakes Compact bans diverting water from the lakes, years-long droughts in Western states have brought renewed attention to the possibility of pumping water in from the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-diversion-challenges
After receiving a Congressional authorization to build a second heavy icebreaker, the U.S. Coast Guard said the $350 million ship might take a decade or more to build. Jim Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association, believes they could finish building the ship in as little as four years. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-icebreaker-timeline
A report released this week by a binational group warns the task of sediment remediation from the Detroit River is massive, but a huge pot of U.S. federal funds is available to address that legacy of pollution. However, the scientists warn, it’s a case of use-it-or-lose-it with a deadline just a few short years away. Read the full story by The Windsor Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-river-remediation
Lake Erie’s water level rose to record highs in 2019 and 2020, damaging property and interfering with recreation before beginning a decline that continued into 2022. In 2023, the lake’s level isn’t projected to break any more monthly records but is expected to remain higher than average for the first six months. Read the full story by Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-erie-water-levels
Saying the steps the Biden administration took to bar mining in the Superior National Forest are not permanent, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) on Tuesday reintroduced a bill that would offer permanent protections. While U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has the authority to impose the mining moratorium in the Superior National Forest for a maximum of 20 years, subject to renewal, only Congress can legislate a permanent withdrawal. Read the full story by SC Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-boundary-waters-protection
On Monday, less than a half percent of Lake Erie was covered with ice compared to 87.3% on the same date last year, according to data kept by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The average date for maximum ice coverage on Lake Erie is Feb. 10, while maximum ice coverage has been declining on average by about 5% per decade. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-erie-ice
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recently added its largest public fishing easement acquisition to date in North East Township. The access includes three parcels of land that were formerly leased to a private fishing club and had been closed to the public for more than 10 years. Read the full story by The Corry Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-fishing-access
Erie County Executive Brenton Davis announced Wednesday that Erie County has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo to welcome cruise ships into its port. City officials said in October 2022 there is a possibility cruise ships could be coming to Erie’s Bayfront as early as this year. Read the full story by WHTM-TV – Harrisburg, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-erie-cruise
The Lake Huron Coastal Centre (LHCC) announced that the Ontario government is investing $44,000 in plastic pollution reduction projects on Lake Huron. Through the Great Lakes Local Action Fund, communities will protect and improve the health of the Great Lakes and their connecting waters. Read the full story by Goderich Signal Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-plastic-reduction
In St. Joseph, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan, residents have spotted hundreds of slabs of sand covered in snow and ice. Although they look more like rocks after decades of erosion on the bottom of the lakebed, the solid chunks are the end result of freezing temperatures, powerful wind gusts, and miles of coastline getting battered by mother nature forces. Read the full story by WJBK-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230203-sand-formations
A bipartisan Congressional task force has asked President Joe Biden to dedicate more money to the Great Lakes in his 2024 fiscal year budget. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-glri
A report from a U.S.-Canadian group is calling on Michigan to make clean-up of the Detroit and Rouge rivers possible by utilizing funds from the America’s federal Great Lakes Legacy Act. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-detroit-river
Michigan has reached its first settlement in a series of lawsuits over PFAS contamination. The plastics company Asahi Kasei Plastics North America will have to pay for the full cost of cleanup in Livingston County, Michigan. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-pfas
The U.S. Coast Guard says it will take at least ten years for a new heavy icebreaker to make it onto the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WKAR – East Lansing, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-icebreaker
More than 36 million tons of cargo transited the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system last year, with much of that tonnage an example of the critical role the system plays in the shifting global supply chain. Read the full story by Watertown Daily Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-seaway-system
The Sidney O. Neff, recognized for its innovative and architectural design as a steam barge, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The steam barge is submerged in Green Bay. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-shipwreck
Oil refineries are discharging toxic pollutants into our waterways and the Great Lakes with little oversight from regulators and three of the very worst polluters can be found in the Chicago area. Read the full story by WTTW-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-oil-refineries
To provide adequate sewage capacity for the population growth it wants in York Region, the Doug Ford government has decided to move tens of millions of liters to wastewater to a facility on Lake Ontario and release it there after treatment. Read the full story by The Narwhale.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-sewage
A year-end report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that Lake Erie algae blooms were more severe than expected due to an increase in biomass. Read the full story by The Monroe News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-algae
World Wetlands Day celebrates the ability of wetlands to preserve important freshwater lakes, which is critical to the Great Lakes basin and the 30 million people who live around them. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230201-world-wetlands-day
A plan by the Great Lakes Commission spells out how the region can prepare for climate change, though progress may be hindered by differing state-by-state approaches to the shared threat. Read the full story by the Lansing City Pulse.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-climate-change-report
Though only 0.07% of the 9,900 square miles of Lake Erie was frozen by late January, having open water is just one variable that helps produce lake-effect snow. Read the full story by the Buffalo News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-ice-cover
On Monday, January 30, Indiana residents and concerned Audubon members from across the state will gather for Audubon Great Lakes Advocacy Day at the Indiana Statehouse to meet with elected officials to advocate for protections for birds, wildlife, and natural resources. Read the full story by WBIW – Bloomington, IN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-audubon-advocacy
The 11th Annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival is happening at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan. The theme for the festival was Great Lakes, Great Films with many of the films showing the harm and pollution affecting the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WBKB – TV- Alpena, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-film-festival
A $5 million grant will bring city water to as many as 157 homes in Norton Shores, Michigan that have been, or could be, impacted by PFAS at the Muskegon County Airport. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-pfas-muskegon
Double-crested cormorants are continuing to draw attention from wildlife researchers amid strong disagreements about whether the birds are harming fish populations, reducing recreational and commercial fishing opportunities, and damaging natural habitats in the Great Lakes region. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-cormorant
The five national parks along the Lake Superior shoreline will completely decarbonize buildings and vehicles within four years, a challenging goal meant to match the urgent need for climate action. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-park-decarbonize
The annual two-day Lake Superior Ice Festival, which took place on Barker’s Island, Wisconsin wrapped up Saturday, January 28, still drawing in folks regardless of the cold temperatures. Read the full story by WDIO – TV-Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-ice-festival
There will be a 10 percent increase in Chinook salmon stocking in Lake Ontario this year, the state New York Department of Environmental Conservation announced along with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Read the full story by the Orleans Hub.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-salmon-stocking
Federal Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has signaled that he may step in to fight for Ontario’s Greenbelt. His statements confirm that the federal government has both a responsibility and an obligation to protect the largest portion of the Greenbelt lands under attack. Read the full story by the Toronto Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230130-ottawa-greenbelt
Happy birthday Michigan! Whether you are all the way up north in Marquette or as south as Lambertville, Michiganders can all agree that Michigan has been aging with beauty and grace. From the Sand Dunes to Pictured Rocks, there are many ways to enjoy the beauty that Michigan has to offer. Read the full story by WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-michigansbirthday
Students from St. Clair County, MI are learning about the environment by raising salmon in the classroom. The Michigan DNR’s Salmon in the Classroom program aims to teach students between third and 12th grade about the ecology in the Great Lakes ecosystems, invasive species, and other topics. Read the full story by The Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-stclaircountystudents-salmonintheclassroom
The last ship of Green Bay’s shipping season set sail on Wednesday. Dean Haen, director for the Port of Green Bay, says warmer temperatures extended the season which was one of the longest-lasting ones on record. Read the full story by WeAreGreenBay.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-greenbay-extendedshippingseason
It’s no mystery where most of the salts are coming from. Water softeners and fertilizers are sources of chloride, but the major contributor, are the salts spread on roads, parking lots, and sidewalks to keep the pavement free from ice. A little salt can cause a lot of harm to our waterways. The U.S. EPA recommends water quality standards for rivers and lakes to prevent death and damage to fish, mussels, insects, and other aquatic species. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-roadsalt-pollution-miwaters
The deadline is here for residents who are looking to give their input on Wolverine Worldwide’s updated plan to help clean-up a dangerous chemical in Rockford, MI. PFAS, the chemicals known as “forever chemicals” are man-made and have been linked to a number of health issues. Read the full story by WXMI-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-publiccomment-wolverineworldwide-pfascleanup
DTE Energy must soon stop depositing a toxic waste product into surface water ponds at two Michigan coal-fired power plants because the facilities are not adequately protecting nearby groundwater, regulators say. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-dte-toxiccoalash-miplants
Winter spreading of manure is a practice that is under intense scrutiny because of the elevated risks for nutrient losses and its effect on water quality. The risk of runoff to surface water increases when applied on frozen or snow-covered ground. Read the full story by Environmental Defence Canada.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-wintertimefarming-waterpollution
The pace is picking up with the development of the waterfront Science North project in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Organizers are closing in on their end dates in the schematic design phase of the project, which is expected to wrap up on March 31. Read the full story by the Chronicle Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-thunderbay-waterfront-sciencecenter
Great Lakes ice coverage is running way behind averages in the milder than normal winter weather. This early week analysis of the percent of each Great Lake with ice underscores how the milder than normal winter weather has impacted ice coverage. Read the full story by WGN-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-greatlakes-icecoverage
From Milwaukee, Mark Jones and his wife set off on a cruise around the Great Lakes, travelling north to Mackinac, where the tips of lakes Michigan and Huron merge. Read the full story by the Daily Mail.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230126-commentary-greatlakescruise
A warmer than usual winter is having an adverse effect on the Great Lakes. Without colder temperatures, the region can expect more lake effect snow, a result of cold air passing over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes. Because the water is warmer, fish migration and the quantity of fish in our water could change and low water levels could also force ships to carry a lighter load to avoid being grounded. Read the full story by CTV News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-winter-impacts
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) recently released a report on their work across the Great Lakes in New York, and their watersheds. The most recent report highlights work done on the Genesee River to help reduce phosphorus pollution caused by runoff and other sources, among other projects. Read the full story by WROC-TV – Rochester, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-newyork-accomplishments
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will study whether to toughen regulation of large livestock farms that release manure and other pollutants into waterways. Runoff of waste and fertilizers from the operations — and from croplands where manure is spread — fouls streams, rivers and lakes. It’s a leading cause of algae blooms that create hazards in many waterways and dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Erie. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-livestock-regulations
After a Christmas thaw, 20 million gallons of untreated sewage was dumped into the Black and St. Lawrence Rivers. The practice may be legal, but it’s not popular. Read the full story by WWNY- TV – Carthage, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-sewage-regulation
Local and federal officials are cautiously optimistic construction will be underway this spring for a water pipeline to serve the Oneida Nation of the Thames in southwestern Ontario. The pipeline, still in the design phase, is expected to be 18 kilometers long and connect the First Nation community with clean drinking water through the Lake Huron Water Supply System. Read the full story by Global News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-water-pipeline-construction
Lake Huron typically sees a long-term, historical average of 28% ice coverage in mid-January; so far this winter, the coverage has been around 8%. Lake Huron’s ice coverage is usually at its highest in late February or early March. Read the full story by The Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-lake-ice-cover
The State of Michigan has recently updated its fish consumption guidelines to account for PFAS chemicals in smelt and carp. Under the new guidelines, the state recommends eating only 6 servings of smelt a year from Lake Huron and just 1 serving a month from Lake Michigan due to PFOS levels. Read the full story by WKAR-TV – East Lansing, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-pfas-guidelines
Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior could see some changes in the years ahead under a new plan from the National Park Service. The plans include renovating historic structures like lighthouses and cabins, and offering more access and guidance to visitors. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230125-park-plan
A map of forever chemicals detection in the Great Lakes reveals samples caught in the Detroit River, the southern opening of the St. Clair River, the Black River at the north opening, and multiple spots of Lake Erie all came back positive for dangerous amounts of PFAS. Read the full story by WJBK – TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20230123-pfas
