A robot won’t solve the problem of plastics pollution on Presque Isle State Park beaches in Erie, Pennsylvania, but it could be part of the solution. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240624-beach-cleaning-robots-pesqueisle
The Cleveland Water Alliance has deployed 13 smart buoys along Ohio’s Lake Erie coast, including one in the Toledo area and others as far east as Ashtabula, and Ohioans who are curious may text each of them to get real time information. Read the full story by The Courier.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240624-lakeerie-buoy-waterwind-info
Summer is officially here, and for many of us Michiganders, there’s no better way to kick off the season than by visiting one of our state’s picturesque beaches. Read the full story by WXMI-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240624-mymichiganbeach-kickoff-summer
Most of the litter picked up by volunteers during beach cleanups is plastic. Volunteers with the Alliance for the Great Lakes have removed more than 9.7 million pieces of litter — more than 535,000 pounds — since its Adopt a Beach Program was launched in 1991. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240624-lakemichigan-beachcleanups
Most people explore nature in Michigan on its beaches or in its woods – but at a place called Bear Cave in Southwest Michigan, you can explore Great Lakes history underground. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240624-cave-near-lake-michigan
A couple of Michigan communities have considered a technology that’s just beginning to be used in the U.S.- floating solar panels. But the new technology has both benefits and drawbacks. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-water-solar-panels
Many parks and communities along the shore of Lake Michigan can no longer afford to staff full-time lifeguards and that’s where “EMILY” is beginning to make a difference. EMILY (Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard) is a remote-control robot designed to get out to potential drowning victims much faster than a lifeguard could. Read the full story by WLHT – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-robot-lifeguard
The Michigan Maritime Museum’s latest exhibit, “Full Steam Ahead: The Golden Age of Great Lakes Passenger Steamships,” transports visitors back to what traveling the Great Lakes was like in the early 1800s. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-sailing-history
The Brandon Road Interbasin Project in Illinois is one of the best lines of defense to keep invasive carp from entering into the Great Lakes. Governor Pritzker has until the end of June to sign the agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or the project will incur additional costs and continue to face delays. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-carp-barrier-delay
A Michigan artist has found that not everyone recognizes how important the Great lakes are so he made sure they could be seen from outer space in his mural which depicts a scene from the stars with two astronauts in the foreground with the Great Lakes seen behind them. Read the full story by WKAR – East Lansing, MI .
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-lansing-art
You can fish on the Great Lakes, go boating, swim, partake in water sports, all the while enjoying the spectacular views they provide. But here are some facts you may not know about our Great Lakes. Read the full story by Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-fun-facts
The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, Michigan, is offering drop-in sessions to pilot their ROV (remotely operated vehicle) in a test tank and to learn how these vehicles are used for science and industry. Visitors can modify their ROV’s to perform tasks such as lifting debris and restoring fish habitat. Read the full story by The Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-rov-fun
The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced a bill reauthorizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through 2031. The bill would increase annual funding levels from $475 million in 2026 to $500 million from 2027 through 2031. Read the full story by Soundings Trade Only.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-bill-advancement
The Great Lakes are warming up as the official start of summer nears and more people head to the beach. A regional heat wave may speed up the heating process. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-heat-wave
Cruise ship season in the Great Lakes is in full swing, and northern Michigan’s Thunder Bay has seen its fair share of cruise ships anchoring in its waters. A partnership between Alpena Shipwreck Tours and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has brought new tourists to the area. Read the full story by the WCMU- Mount Pleasant, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240621-great-lake-cruises
At a recent conference in Montréal, the focus was on an economic transformation in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region. The 10-year plan will launch in 2025 and calls for the region to “become a globally renowned economic corridor.” The region’s water, innovation and sustainability are at the core of the plan. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-economic-transformation
A decade after Toledo’s water crisis, harmful blooms remain a stubborn reality. Swamps and marshes alone can’t fix the problem, but they have an important role to play, experts say. Read the full story by Audubon Magazine.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-wetlands
In the past decade, the popularity of Great Lakes cruises has been steadily increasing. One city that’s given a lot of thought on how to capitalize on this new tourism market is Muskegon, Michigan. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-cruise-tourisn
A legal battle over the future of Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 gas and oil pipeline will continue in a state of Michigan court. That’s after Enbridge lost a key federal court ruling on jurisdiction that was released Monday. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-line-5
The Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum is gathering for the first time in person with the public since the pandemic to discuss beach economics, resiliency and issues regarding invasive species. Read the full story by WJET-TV – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-lake-erie-forum
In May, Alpena, Michigan’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office sent their native species crew to the southern part of the state to help with a large project by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services. The project utilizes eDNA, or environmental DNA, to detect lake sturgeon populations in a variety of rivers. WCMU – Mount Pleasant, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-edna
The schooner “Mojave,” which sank in 1864, was found in 2016 in Lake Michigan off the shore of Sheboygan County. The shipwreck has now been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Read the full story by WBAY-TV – Green Bay, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-mojave
The town of Arkwright, New York issued a declaration that many municipalities across western New York have shared in recent months at its most recent meeting. While the end result is the same — an official resolution in strong opposition to the placement of wind turbines in Lake Erie — the town’s perspective is unique. Read the full story the Observer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-wind-turbine
As warmer weather rolls in, experts advise that swimmers stay on the lookout for potential toxins on the shores of Lake Erie. Read the full story by WJET-TV – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-algae-bloome
The U.S. Coast Guard and American Bureau of Shipping examine each ship every year. The Coast Guard must issue a Certificate of Inspection before vessels can go out to the water, which helps protect marine transportation systems. Watch the video by WLUC-TV, Negaunee, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240619-freighters
Area marinas might become a little cleaner thanks to a research grant issued by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. Ohio Sea Grant is getting $49,998 for a marine debris prevention and removal program. The grant will, among other things, help support three case studies, one marine debris workshop, and five presentations or displays. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-cleaner-marinas
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission recently announced nearly $150,000 in Lake Erie Protection Fund Grants for three projects at the Commission’s meeting last week. The Lake Erie Protection Fund is supported by the Lake Erie license plate proceeds and tax-deductible donations. Read the full story by The News-Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-license-plates
Set sail on the Great Lakes this summer with Inland Seas. Inland Seas Education Association or ISEA, offers a unique educational sailing experience for people of all ages. The non-profit organization introduces students to hands-on learning on and around the Great Lakes through their public sail programs. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-inland-seas
A program launched in 2022 is taking the effort to clean up shorelines along the Great Lakes into a realm of high technology. Read the full story by The Herald Bulletin.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-litter-drone
The Michipicoten, the freighter rescued in Lake Superior after water poured into a mysterious 13-foot gash in its hull last weekend, is forever tied to Cleveland. Originally named for a Clevelander, the 698-foot ore boat was once the largest vessel to ever sail the Cuyahoga River. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-cleveland-freighter
Pearl Seas Cruises will offer its biggest season ever on the Great Lakes this summer. The cruise line will offer four unique itineraries, visiting 16 ports of call, including a brand-new 14-night “Great Lakes Explorer” cruise. Read the full story by TravelPulse.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-pearl-cruises
Lake Ontario has received a new designation as a National Marine Sanctuary and with it added protections and emphasis on its historic and cultural resources. Read the full story by Lockport Union-Sun & Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-marine-sanctuary
E.M.I.L.Y. is a remote-controlled robot that zips over waves to help struggling swimmers, which is being introduced on a pair of Lake Michigan beaches this summer. Supporters of the technology say it could save lives. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-rescue-robot
The oldest freighter still active on the Great Lakes arrived on the Saginaw River on Friday after departing Detroit on Thursday morning. The SS Alpena is a 519-foot cement carrier built in 1942. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-oldest-freighter
With summer just around the corner and a heat wave predicted for Michigan, there’s no better time for a trip to the beach. The Berrien County, Michigan, sheriff’s office shared several tips for beach goers to keep them safe. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240617-beach-safety
Commercial fishing on the Great Lakes began 150 years ago, and fishermen once numbered in the thousands. Now, only a handful of businesses are still at it, and many are aging out. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-fishing-workforce
Several government, labor and science leaders are calling on Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to sign an agreement to keep invasive carp from spreading to the Great Lakes. July 1 is the deadline for Illinois, Michigan and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to sign the Protect Partnership Agreement. Read the full story by WBBM – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-carp-protection
Mayflies and walleyes are species scientists use as an indicator of lake health; good populations of both normally indicate healthy Lake Erie water conditions. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-indicator-species
A beef farmer from Michigan is the first to be shut down by state standards of acceptable PFAS in biosolids. The farmer is now one of many across the country threatening to sue the U.S. EPA because the farm’s fertilizer was both approved and recommended for use on the farm by EPA. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-pfas-litigation
For the first time in its history, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians opened its walleye fish hatchery to the public. People were invited to learn about walleye rearing efforts as the fishery’s staff prepare to transport and release upwards of one million walleye fingerlings into nearby lakes and streams. Read the full story by WWTV-TV – Cadillac, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-walleye-hatchery
Two neighborhoods in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, will soon have access to Lake Michigan water, eliminating the current well-water system. Lake County Board officials said the aging well system would have been more expensive to repair than connecting the neighborhoods to lake water. Read the full story by WBBM-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-water-source
The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, Michigan, offers tours of ‘Shipwreck Alley,’ enabling participants to view nearly one hundred shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-shipwreck-tour
Cenovus Energy, in partnership with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the University of Toledo, will invest $100,000 for research on the effects of ice cover in Lake Superior and Lake Erie, including its effects on harmful algae blooms. Read the full story by KQDS-TV – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-ice-research
After a quarter century, the Conservation Resource Alliance has completed its “Free Spanning the Maple River” initiative. From beginning to end, all infrastructure such as dams and culverts have been removed from the Maple River in northern Michigan to allow for an entirely free flowing river. Read the full story by the Petoskey News-Review.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-river-flow
The Ohio Department of Health reported that Multiple Lake Erie beaches in Northeast Ohio were put under a bacteria contamination advisory this week, which indicates the level of bad bacteria in the water has reached unsafe levels and could make you sick. Read the full story by WJW-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240614-bacteria-advisory
The Biden Administration is providing $60 million for climate-adaptation training to students living in nine ecosystems, including the western Lake Erie shoreline in Ohio. Ohio State University is getting $4.85 million of Inflation Reduction Act funding to make first-ever “climate-ready” training affordable. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240612-climate-training
The Great Lakes freighter Michipicoten hobbled near Isle Royale, Michigan, over the weekend suffered a 13-foot crack in its hull, but the mishap likely wasn’t caused by an underwater collision as originally thought. Now, the Coast Guard suspects a stress fracture. Read the full story by the Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240612-freighter-crack
From the electrification of major cargo ports to sustainability improvements for Great Lakes ferries, a first-of-its-kind statewide “maritime strategy” could offer a roadmap toward a potential green future for shipping and boating in Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240612-green-shipping
In 2021, a start-up was denied a county permit that would’ve allowed the start-up to operate a pumping facility in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, near Lake Superior. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals’ decision to prevent pumping is the latest development in a years-long legal battle. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240612-pumping-denied
A total of seven ‘significant’ spills have occurred on Algoma Steel property on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in the past five years. A local environmentalist says he has uncovered additional spills that have not yet been reported to the public. Read the full story by SooToday.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240612-algoma-spills
