Two former biologists from the EPA’s Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division in Duluth, Minnesota, have joined five other fired EPA employees in federal lawsuits alleging they were unlawfully terminated for signing a public letter criticizing the Trump administration’s environmental policies.  Read the full story by the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-duluth-biologists-epa-filed-lawsuit

Hannah Reynolds

Eight New York State Park beaches were closed to swimming due to water quality concerns, including elevated bacteria levels, harmful algal blooms, and impacts from recent rainfall. State officials continue to monitor beach conditions through regular testing and advise visitors to check water quality updates before swimming. Read the full story by the Democrat & Chronicle.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-newyork-beaches-closed-bacteria-algae-rainfall

Hannah Reynolds

The Black River in northern Ohio has moved a major step closer to being removed from the U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern list after federal regulators approved the removal of its final environmental impairment, known as “Degradation of Benthos,” which measures the health of bottom-dwelling aquatic organisms. The milestone reflects decades of cleanup and restoration work that transformed a river once heavily polluted by industrial activity, with formal delisting expected after final state and federal review processes are completed. Read the full story by Spectrum News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-black-river-us-epa-greatlakes-area-of-concern

Hannah Reynolds

Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials say the Fisheries Division faces ongoing financial challenges despite receiving one-time funding in the new state budget, because most of its budget comes from fishing license revenue that has not increased in more than a decade while operating costs continue to rise. Agency leaders warn that without a long-term funding solution, staffing cuts and reductions in fish stocking programs—including salmon and walleye efforts that support both Great Lakes ecosystems and local economies—may be necessary. Read the full story by Michigan Public.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-michigans-fisheries-division

Hannah Reynolds

The 77-foot schooner Inland Seas will visit Two Rivers and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on July 28–29, offering public sails and hands-on educational programs that teach participants about Great Lakes ecology, maritime history, and sailing. Operated by the nonprofit Inland Seas Education Association, the vessel gives residents and visitors a chance to experience Lake Michigan while learning about the region’s freshwater resources and environmental stewardship. Read the full story by the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-schooner-sails-two-rivers-manitowoc

Hannah Reynolds

After a year-long pause caused by low Lake Huron water levels and the retirement of the previous operators, Turnip Rock boat tours in Port Austin, Michigan, are returning under new owners. Favorable spring rains raised lake levels by about 20 inches, allowing the popular excursions to resume, and the new operators have added online booking while continuing to offer scenic trips past Turnip Rock and the nearby lighthouse. Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-turniprock-boat-tour-port-austin

Hannah Reynolds

A new study highlights how the endangered black-crowned night heron has adapted to urban life, with its largest remaining Great Lakes-region colony now nesting on the grounds of Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago. Researchers found the birds are successfully using city parks, the Chicago River, and even structures along Lake Michigan for feeding and breeding, making the urban colony a critical refuge for a species that has declined due to widespread wetland loss. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-windycity-wetlandbird-chicago

Hannah Reynolds

As part of the annual Great Lakes Landing Blitz education campaign at boat launches across the region, boaters and anglers are being urged to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species by following simple practices such as cleaning, draining, and drying boats and gear. The campaign highlights the importance in preventing the spread of invasive species like zebra mussels and other harmful aquatic organisms.  Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260708-editorial-boaters-anglers-invasive-species

Hannah Reynolds

Eighty years ago, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources created the Northern Highland Fishery Research Area. For decades, anglers on the five lakes in the research area have reported catch rates, what they were fishing for and lures they used, to help inform research.  Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-wisconsin-research-lakes

Autumn McGowan

In mid-June, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy held a final hearing on Enbridge’s request to discharge up to 5 million gallons of water per day into Lake Michigan as part of the construction process for a tunnel to bury its Line 5 pipeline. A decision on the permit, one of three needed from the agency, is expected in early July. Read the full story by Northern Express.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-line-5-updates

Autumn McGowan

Two biologists who were fired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Duluth last year after signing a public letter criticizing the Trump administration are suing to get their jobs back. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-duluth-epa-lawsuit

Autumn McGowan

A coalition of more than 200 business owners from throughout the Great Lakes region is calling on the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to reject permits for Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel pipeline, urging other business owners to sign on to a joint letter opposing the project. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260706-businesses-line-5

Autumn McGowan

Researchers working to recover the endangered Great Lakes piping plover are using DNA analysis to determine the sex of captive-reared chicks, allowing them to better balance the number of males and females released at nesting sites, thus improving the odds that returning birds will find mates in future breeding seasons. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-dna-analysis

James Polidori

A new study from the University of Notre Dame analyzed 42 years of studies and combined nearly 2,500 samples of algae, fish, birds and other organisms to identify trends in how PFAS moves through the food web in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-pfas-study

James Polidori

The newest cohort of “Freshwater Fellows,” a group of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, high school students, are taking part in the second year of the Freshwater Institute – a county-led initiative to help create the next generation of freshwater stewards. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-stewardship-education

James Polidori

During Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Landing Blitz, participants will greet boaters and anglers at boat landings and access points across the state. They’ll be sharing information and simple steps that can help prevent invasive species from spreading. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-invasive-species-awareness

James Polidori

A new report shows some fish in the St. Lawrence River are contaminated with high levels of pollutants, including PFAS or “forever chemicals.” The report, published every three to five years by the Province of Québec, monitors levels of toxins such as mercury in fish. This is the first time PFAS levels have been included in the analysis. Read the full story by CTV News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-pfas-found

James Polidori

Ferry crossings, international bridges, and thousands of miles of shoreline are all part of what will one day be a continuous trail spanning the entire Great Lakes known as the U.S. Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. Read the full story by WJBK-TV – Detroit, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260701-future-trail

James Polidori

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed June 28 to July 4 to be Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week in Michigan. Biologists say there are three important words boaters should know to help stop invasive species: clean, drain and dry. Read the full story by WLUC – TV- Neguanee, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-ais-awareness

Nichole Angell

Over decades, waves of the Great Lakes transform discarded trash into brightly colored gems. Among the five Great Lakes, Lake Erie is the premier destination for beach glass due to its numerous shipwrecks and rough shallow waters. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-erie-beach-glass

Nichole Angell

For more than a century, Lake Superior water has been piped into the town of Superior, Wisconsin by a private, for-profit company, but Superior Mayor Jim Payne would like to change that. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-superior-water-supply

Nichole Angell

The William A. Irvin museum ship in Duluth will debut a new exhibit exploring the stories of vessels lost on the Great Lakes, and highlighting the human drama behind each sinking and how these events shaped modern maritime safety and industry practices. Read the full story by WDIO – TV – Duluth, MN.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-shipwreck-exhibit

Nichole Angell

The Great Lakes are the defining force behind Michigan’s history, economy, and identity, shaping everything from where people settled to how the state is viewed today, according to Dave Dempsey, author and senior policy advisor at For Love of Water (FLOW). Read the full story by the Huron Daily Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260629-great-lakes-influence

Nichole Angell

Water quality scientists predict Lake Erie’s harmful algal bloom will be moderate this summer, comparable to bloom levels seen in 2022 and 2024. Federal, Michigan, and Ohio university researchers presented the forecast Thursday at The Ohio State University’s Stone Lab in Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Read the full story by The Detroit News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-erie-bloom

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Water quality scientists predict Lake Erie’s harmful algal bloom will be moderate this summer, comparable to bloom levels seen in 2022 and 2024. Federal, Michigan, and Ohio university researchers presented the forecast Thursday at The Ohio State University’s Stone Lab in Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Read the full story by The Detroit News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-erie-bloom

Taaja Tucker-Silva

A new 2026 report from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency shows more than 2,000 lakes, rivers, streams, and ditches fail to meet water quality standards in Minnesota. About 6,518 impairments were found across 2,250 Minnesota waterways. Read the full story Northern News Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-mn-water

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Since a toxic algal bloom left hundreds of thousands of Toledo-area residents without safe drinking water in 2014, scientists have been working to curb the yearly threat. And now, researchers have developed another tool to prevent the blooms: a system of algae-busting buoys. Read the full story by The Ohio Newsroom.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-bloom-buoys

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Today’s sea lamprey control program relies primarily on lampricides and barriers that block adults from reaching spawning habitat. Researchers are now exploring a new approach focused on something far less visible: the chemical signals lamprey use to find each other. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-sea-lamprey

Taaja Tucker-Silva

For more than a decade, conservation groups have fought to protect Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from proposed copper-nickel mining projects. Now, following actions by the Trump administration to remove federal protections from the area, advocates’ fight for the region has entered a new phase. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-boundary-waters

Taaja Tucker-Silva

“Beyond Our Senses” is a new nature documentary that gives audiences a bird’s-eye view of the world of Bank swallows as they migrate from South America to Lake Michigan’s bluffs in the spring. Read the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260626-swallow-doc

Taaja Tucker-Silva

The mayflies are back along Lake Erie. The annual spectacle may look unsettling, but mayflies are harmless and their arrival is generally considered welcome news because their presence is a strong indicator of good water quality. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20260624-erie-mayflies

Nichole Angell