Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota, received a designation from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration which will provide more opportunities for students who want to work in the maritime industry. Read the full story by KBJR-TV – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-maritime-college
The Canadian federal government is earmarking $50 million for predevelopment work at the Bruce Power site on Lake Huron in Tiverton, Ontario, for what would be the first new nuclear construction project in Canada in 30 years, if approved. Read the full story by The Sun Times (Owen Sound).
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-bruce-power
The nascent cruise industry in Cleveland, Ohio will take a hit this summer as one of the major players in Great Lakes cruising, American Queen Voyages, is going out of business. Last year, its two ships made as many as 30 stops in Cleveland – far more than any other cruise line. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-erie-cruising
Lake sturgeon have been listed as threatened in Michigan for decades, but now the federal government is considering a petition to list sturgeon as endangered throughout the region. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide whether the petition moves forward to public comment by the end of June. Read the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-sturgeon-petition
Starting July 1, service charges for water and wastewater services are going up 3-3.25% in southeast Michigan under a new budget approved by the region’s water authority to make up for cost hikes absorbed in the past. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-water-charges
A new documentary, “Bad River,” details the fight of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewas to shut down the Line 5 oil pipeline that traverses their ancestral land. An interview with the filmmaker dives into the details of the film. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-bad-river
The Indiana House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill requiring life rings at Lake Michigan entry points. The Indiana Senate unanimously passed the bill earlier this month, meaning it will soon go to the Indiana governor. Read the full story by WBBM-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-indiana-life-rings
Ferries to Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island, Ohio, will start on March 2, nearly a month early, due to lack of ice on Lake Erie. The early start allows construction workers to get a head start on work and allows residents and businesses to re-stock supplies ahead of schedule. Read the full story by WJW-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-erie-ferries
Ice clearing on the St. Lawrence River is scheduled to begin on Monday as part of preparations to open the Seaway for the season on March 22. Read the full story by WWNY-TV – Watertown, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240301-seaway-ice
A coalition between the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has approved nearly $1.7 million in grants to fund six different studies along the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-michigan-sea-grant
New York’s Thousand Islands Land Trust said the lack of ice cover has had major impacts on the local environment, including drastic water temperature fluctuations, changes in animal behavior and shifts in migratory bird patterns. Read the full story by WROC-TV – Rochester, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-low-ice
During the Anishinabek Nation Councils Panel at the Anishinabek Nation’s 8th Land and Resources Forum, Eshki-niigijig Advisory Council member Lance Copegog of Beausoleil First Nation discussed what is being done to protect the Great Lakes, including work on a program where bodies of water have the recognition of personhood. Read the full story by Anishinabek News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-great-lakes-personhood
Removal of the Lake Erie and Niagara River ice boom was set to begin Tuesday but was delayed due to weather conditions. It would have been the earliest date for the removal of the ice boom. Read the full story by Spectrum News 1.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-lake-erie-ice-boom
It may feel like ice fishing season just started, but Ontario Fish and Wildlife is reminding residents that ice fishing huts need to be taken down by specific dates in March. Anglers are also advised to closely monitor ice conditions. Read the full story by York Region News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-ice-huts-removal
A much-delayed and controversial plan to build a gas-fired power plant in Superior, Wisconsin, now faces opposition from local leaders who previously supported it. The $700 million project is contentious for its location — bordering a Lake Superior estuary and an Anishinaabe mass grave — and for its potential harm to the environment, property values and health of area residents. Read the full story by the Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-power-plant
Ice coverage on Lake Superior is at about 3%, making it the lowest recorded coverage since the federal government began measuring it in 1973. The Superior Watershed Partnership says the lack of ice has possible impacts on fish populations come spring, specifically for hatchlings that will not be protected from powerful waves that can wash eggs away. Read the full story by WLUC-TV – Marquette, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-fish-populations
A popular Lake Michigan dog beach in Ottawa County, Michigan, is fully reopening this spring after nearly four years of reduced hours. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-dog-beach
Earlier this month, Wisconsin Legislature’s budget-writing committee shot down about $1 million in grants under the state’s stewardship program for a boat launch project in the city of Ashland. That’s despite the committee previously signing off on a similar amount of grant funding for another northern Wisconsin project. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-wi-boating-grants
The escalating threat of invasive grass carp in Canada’s Great Lakes has prompted the Invasive Species Centre to initiate a comprehensive public awareness campaign. Read the full story by BNN Breaking.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240228-carp
With parts of the Lake Erie coast eroding at a pace of four metres or more a year — some of the highest rates in the Great Lakes — one group is appealing for federal funding to fight it. Read the full story by the Norfolk and Tillsonburg News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-thegrandcanyon-lakeerie-shoreline-erosion
Scientists are discovering that as we expel traces of pharmaceuticals, they may not be so good for the health of our aquatic wildlife, and perhaps us. A new report by researchers at the University of Montreal evaluates the occurrence and risks of 27 pharmaceuticals and metabolites in the St. Lawrence River watershed. Read the full story by the Watertown Daily Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-pharmaceuticalpollution-st-lawrence-region
Plenty of stories have been told about the mythical, mysterious Bermuda Triangle, but did you know that some claim Lake Michigan has one of its own? It is called the Lake Michigan Triangle. Read the full story by WOOD-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-lakemichigantriangle-greatlakes
Started in 1976, more than 410,000 Fish Ohio pins have been handed to anglers who submit a catch matching or surpassing established length standards for individual species. Some anglers try to earn at least one every year. Read the full story by The Columbus Dispatch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-ohiodnr-anglers-fish-rewards-pins
Congressional lawmakers are coming to Wisconsin later this week to talk about an important resource that keeps the Great Lakes region’s economy afloat: icebreaking. Senator Tammy Baldwin is set to host a hearing with U.S. Coast Guard officials and business leaders to testify on the need to expand icebreaking capacity on the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-greatlakes-economy-icebreakers-baldwin
The Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative was launched in 2007 by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust with a goal of letting students explore the Great Lakes’ ecosystems through projects. Last year’s projects included a rain garden and a beach cleanup. Read the full story by The Alpena News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-group-students-greatlakes
A bill that would enable private waterfront development on public lands that were once submerged in Wisconsin’s Great Lakes waters has passed both state houses and now heads to the desk of Governor Tony Evers. Read the full story by the Wisconsin Watch.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-greatlakes-waterfrontproperty-development-governor
The long, fast, toothy muskellunge (also known as muskie or musky) is nicknamed the “Fish of 10,000 Casts” due to its notoriously elusive nature. It is the apex predator in all waters where it’s found, known to hide in underwater cover, aggressively ambushing prey. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-wisconsin-statefish-top-food-chain
In Ontario, an icebreaker may be an unlikely sight in the Port of Thunder Bay this year, as ice coverage across the Great Lakes remains low. The lack of ice could mean an extended shipping season. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240226-greatlakes-lowicecoverage
Piping plovers have returned to the same shoreline breeding locations for decades, but new and less desirable nest sites are appearing because many old sites no longer exist. Climate change impacts water levels in the Great Lakes; when water rises, old sites are flooded out and beaches are reduced. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-piping-plover-habitat
While the Great Lakes shoreline is usually armored in the winter by ice cover, this year’s record low level of ice cover means coastal areas face a risk of more erosion. As climate forecasts anticipate continued dwindling of ice coverage each winter, ongoing maintenance along the shoreline to prevent erosion may be needed moving forward. Read the full story by WSJM-FM – Benton Harbor, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-coastal-threats
United States and Canadian Coast Guard representatives came together to sign a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier this month. The MOU is a new agreement to coordinate ice breaking efforts throughout the main waterways of the Great Lakes, as well as connecting waters like the Georgian Bay and St. Lawrence River. Read the full story by The Sault News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-binational-agreement
A group of water safety experts and other advocates headed to the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis Wednesday to argue in favor of the Lake Michigan Rescue Equipment Act. The bill would require life ring stations on piers and public access points along Lake Michigan in Indiana. Read the full story by WBBM-TV – Chicago, IL.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-beach-safety
The Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers recently signed the 20th company to the 100% fish pledge, committing to fully use the region’s whitefish, lake trout, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. The effort aims to improve the sustainability and value of commercially caught fish, which are used primarily for their fillets, as about 60% of the remaining fish becomes low-value animal feed or is discarded. Read the full story by The Mining Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-fish-sustainability
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the lack of ice, combined with the lack of typical winter weather, has led to a lot of evaporation that can impact water levels on Lake Michigan. Another issue is salt applied during winter storms that runs off into the lake, polluting the water. Read the full story by WTMJ-TV – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-freshwater-impacts
The DeTour Reef Light in northern Lake Huron has expanded its lighthouse keeper program, previously only available on weekends, to include weeknight stays for $50 per person per night. The 83-foot lighthouse, built in 1931, is a strategic and historic landmark that marks a dangerous reef to help guide ship traffic to and from Lake Huron and Lake Superior via the St. Marys River. Read the full story by The Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-lighthouse-keeper
Three Michigan artists are spreading awareness about the value of the Great Lakes by creating trash murals, shredding waves and telling legends about shipwrecks. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240223-art-awareness
This spring, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ fisheries team will start using underwater cameras in select areas of Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan to capture video footage of fish communities without disturbing them. Read the full story by WICA – Traverse City, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-fish-footage
Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) has approved $2.5 million in university funding to support construction of a $10 million facility along the Saginaw River. When completed, SVSU’s Lake Huron Environmental Research Station will be the first university environmental research facility on Lake Huron. Read the full story by WEYI-TV – Saginaw, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-university-research
In northwest Ohio, WIN Waste Innovations is seeking Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval to expand its landfill. Because the landfill lies within the vicinity of Lake Erie tributary watersheds, residents fear toxins from the landfill could affect water quality all the way to Lake Erie, and they worry that an expansion of the landfill could worsen the negative environmental impact in their towns. Read the full story by The Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-landfill-pollution
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this year’s historic lack of ice coverage could have a big impact on people living in communities around the lake, as well as some fish species that use the ice for protection from predators during spawning season. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-ice-impacts
A study in Niagara County, New York, determined sport fishing put $58.55 million into the local economy in 2022. One facet of the county’s success story is the fishing pens operated and maintained by the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association. The Niagara County Legislature will be looking at a resolution to grant the volunteer group $4,000 for the repair and replacement of those pens. Read the full story by The Lockport Union-Sun & Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-fish-pass
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced some $7.5 million earmarked for Barcelona Harbor, and other harbors in western New York. The funding came as a bipartisan effort between Schumer and Buffalo-area House Representative Nick Langworthy; both noted the state of disrepair the harbor has fallen into. Read the full story by WJET-TV – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-harbor-funding
Michigan bills to get rid of the state’s Environmental Rules Review Committee are on their way to the governor after passing the state Senate on Tuesday. The committee was created six years ago as an extra check on the rulemaking process for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or EGLE. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-environmental-review
About 250 acres of Indiana wetlands have been lost in the two years since wetland protections were eased in a 2021 law, according to the Hoosier Environmental Council. A new bill that advanced through the state Senate recently would further reduce wetland protections, allowing developers to avoid costly permitting and mitigation. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-wetland-protection
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) muskie hatchery has to start with hundreds of thousands of eggs to successfully stock tens of thousands of fish, but muskies have the added challenge of being highly cannibalistic. The key to keeping muskies from eating each other is making sure they have plenty of other options without being wasteful. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-muskie-hatchery
Lake Erie currently has about 3% ice coverage, up from 10 days ago when there was basically no ice. During a cold stretch in northeast Ohio earlier this year, ice coverage on the lake increased to 35%. Average ice coverage peaks in late February, but the lake is on pace to remain below average this season. Read the full story by WEWS-TV – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240221-ice-coverage
A proposed bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct high-resolution bathymetric mapping of Great Lakes lakebeds and authorize $200 million in appropriations. Read the full story by WWMT-TV – Kalamazoo, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240219-lakebed-mapping
The Duluth Economic Development Authority approved funding to plan to dredge an area where cruise ships can safely navigate to a shoreside U.S. Customs and Border Control facility in Duluth, Minnesota. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240219-duluth-dredging
Fodor’s travel guide added Lake Superior to its 2024 “No List,” a group of beloved destinations to reconsider for travel, alongside such over-touristed sites or environmental disasters as Venice, Athens, and Chile’s Atacama Desert. Read the full story by The Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240219-fodors-list
Chicago will remain the supplier of Lake Michigan water to DuPage County, Illinois for the next 17 years despite plans to seek an alternate supplier. If the DuPage Water Commission cuts ties with Chicago, it could take 12-15 years to build the infrastructure necessary to connect with a different supplier and cost upward of $7 billion. Read the full story by The Daily Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240219-dupage-water
