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Tribes urge U.S. to weigh in on Line 5 case as appeal sits in court

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

Twelve miles of the Line 5 pipeline cross the lands of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in northern Wisconsin.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/tribes-urge-u-s-to-weigh-in-on-line-5-case-as-appeal-sits-in-court/

Interlochen Public Radio

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Is the USDA’s spending on ‘climate-smart’ farming actually helping the climate?

By Max Graham, Grist

This story was originally published by Grist. You can subscribe to its weekly newsletter here.

America’s farms don’t just run on corn and cattle. They also run on cash from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Every year, the USDA spends billions of dollars to keep farmers in business.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/is-the-usdas-spending-on-climate-smart-farming-actually-helping-the-climate/

Grist

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Energy News Roundup: Chicago organization to build geothermal heating and cooling in south side alleys

Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.   

 

Click on the headline to read the full story:   

 

Illinois 

Chicago launches climate lawsuit against oil industry — E&E News by Politico 

 Chicago files a lawsuit accusing six oil companies and a major industry group of waging a campaign to discredit climate science and misleading the public about the dangers of fossil fuels. 

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/energy-news-roundup-chicago-organization-to-build-geothermal-heating-and-cooling-in-south-side-alleys/

Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

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Three Great Lakes commissions announce partnership to advance restoration

The Great Lakes Commission, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and International Joint Commission are all tasked with varying aspects of management in the Great Lakes. On Wednesday, they all gathered ahead of a Washington, D.C. event honoring the region to sign a groundbreaking formal agreement. Going forward, the three organizations will work together to protect local ecosystems and the economies that depend on them.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/great-lakes-commissions-announce-partnership-to-advance-restoration/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

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In: AP, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, lake erie, Latest News, News
Where will you be for the April 8 total solar eclipse? There’s still time to grab a spot

By Stephanie Nano, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Where will you be watching the April 8 total solar eclipse? There are just a few weeks left to pick your spot to see the skies darken along a strip of North America, whether by land, sea or air.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/ap-where-will-you-be-for-the-april-8-total-solar-eclipse-theres-still-time-to-grab-a-spot/

The Associated Press

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In: Authors, Detroit, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, John Hartig, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ontario, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Great Lakes Moment: Gordie Howe International Bridge becomes part of binational trail system

Imagine if the world’s longest trail (located in Canada) connected people even further, into another country, via Michigan’s longest trail. That happened last month when the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority announced that the Gordie Howe International Bridge would become part of a binational trail system. 

When the initial discussions for a potential new bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit started about a decade ago, residents of Windsor and Detroit, and a coalition of organizations, came together to envision cross-border linkages.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/great-lakes-moment-gordie-howe-international-bridge-becomes-part-of-binational-trail-system/

John Hartig

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In: Feature Homepage, Forests and Plants, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Ottawa National Forest creates shaded fuel brakes to help protect communities from wildfires

Driving through the Ottawa National Forest north of Land O’Lakes towards Dinner Lake you’ll see snow-covered piles stacked up every few feet in the woods along the road.

Many of the piles are wood debris and branches left over from logging operations on the Ottawa.

Some of the piles have been waiting there for two years as the Forest Service let them dry out.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/03/ottawa-national-forest-creates-shaded-fuel-brakes-to-help-protect-communities-from-wildfires/

WXPR

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Indiana conservation groups defend state’s wetlands that lost protection

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Kayla Nelsen, Great Lakes Echo

About 250 acres of Indiana wetlands have been lost in the two years since wetland protections were eased, according to the Hoosier Environmental Council.

Since the 2021 law passed, mitigation requirements have decreased.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/indiana-conservation-groups-defend-states-wetlands-that-lost-protection/

Great Lakes Echo

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“Bad River” documentary combines historical treatment of indigenous people with the fight to protect Lake Superior 

For documentary filmmaker Mary Mazzio, the trek from her first film to making her new release, “Bad River,” took 20 years and included a near-epiphany when the Bostonian first viewed a Lake Superior sunrise. Mazzio, an Olympic rower and attorney, has directed 12 significant films, including the Gracie Award winning “A Most Beautiful Thing.”  

“Bad River” will run from March 15-21 in select AMC theaters.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/bad-river-documentary-combines-historical-treatment-of-indigenous-people-with-the-fight-to-protect-lake-superior/

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

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Not Just Pretty Pictures: Bearing witness to the night sky

Editor’s Note: “Nibi Chronicles,” a monthly Great Lakes Now feature, is written by Staci Lola Drouillard. A direct descendant of the Grand Portage Band of Ojibwe, she lives and works in Grand Marais on Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. Her two books “Walking the Old Road: A People’s History of Chippewa City and the Grand Marais Anishinaabe” and “Seven Aunts” were published 2019 and 2022, and she is at work on a children’s story.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/not-just-pretty-pictures-bearing-witness-to-the-night-sky/

Staci Lola Drouillard

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In: Feature Homepage, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, News, Recreation and Tourism, Wisconsin
Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Winter Games go on despite little snow on the ground

This story was originally published by WXPR. WXPR is a community-licensed public radio station serving north central Wisconsin and adjacent areas of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Listen to their stories here.

Lac du Flambeau 6th Grader Gertie Moustache pulls a wooden, dulled spear from a bin.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/lac-du-flambeau-ojibwe-winter-games-go-on-despite-little-snow-on-ground/

WXPR

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Waves of Change: Meet Milwaukee Water Commons Co-Executive Director Brenda Coley

Waves of Change is an online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.

This month, we spoke with Brenda Coley, Co-Executive Director of the urban network and non-profit organization Milwaukee Water Commons.

Listen to the full interview

The group has a Water City agenda that takes an intersectional approach to laying out climate issues and proposed solutions for Wisconsin’s largest city.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/waves-of-change-meet-milwaukee-water-commons-co-executive-director-brenda-coley/

Great Lakes Now

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, lake erie, Lake Michigan, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s state fish tops the food chain

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. They eat fish almost exclusively, though they have been known to consume just about anything they can swallow including birds, small mammals, and their own kind.   

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/wisconsins-state-fish-tops-the-food-chain/

James Proffitt

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In: Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The States
As some push for repeal, state seeks input on renewable energy siting law

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

The Michigan Public Service Commission is gathering public input on a controversial new law, Public Act 233, which gives it final authority in approving large renewable energy projects.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/as-some-push-for-repeal-state-seeks-input-on-renewable-energy-siting-law/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, I Speak for the Fish, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Science, Technology, Research
I Speak for the Fish: Bringing muskie to the masses

I Speak for the Fish is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/i-speak-for-the-fish-bringing-muskie-to-the-masses/

Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

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In: Feature Homepage, lake erie, Latest News, Milwaukee, News, Ohio, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Teachers and scientists work together on the Lake Guardian 

The Lake Guardian is currently in its winter home, nestled along the docks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In warmer months, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses this ship to gather data on water quality, and has for over forty years. And each year since 1991, a group of lucky educators has squeezed on board and, for nine days, also called this ship home. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/teachers-and-scientists-work-together-on-the-lake-guardian/

Lisa John Rogers, Great Lakes Now

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Want a healthy walleye fishery? Stock some muskie

As apex predators, adult muskie occupy the very top tier of the Great Lakes food chain. Reaching up to six foot in length with teeth lining their jaws, the roof of their mouths and their throats, few can escape them. They are feared by most species underwater and revered by many people above.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/want-healthy-walleye-fishery-stock-some-muskie/

Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

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What a permitting debacle in Fremont could mean for biodigesters across Michigan

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

• Michigan’s largest commercial food waste digester is shutting down after a permit dispute with the state.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/what-a-permitting-debacle-in-fremont-could-mean-for-biodigesters-across-michigan/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Authors, Brian Owens, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Recreation and Tourism, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Science, Technology, Research
How safe are Great Lakes fish to eat? Depends on who you ask

Catching and eating fish is a way of life for many people around the Great Lakes and connecting St. Lawrence River, but decades of industrial pollution have made it unsafe to eat too many, too often. The advice about how many and how often can vary wildly depending on which jurisdiction, even though the fish don’t care about the lines humans draw on a map.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/how-safe-great-lakes-fish-to-eat-depends-on-who-you-ask/

Brian Owens, Great Lakes Now

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Enbridge appeals to vacate an order that would shut down its pipeline

By Todd Richmond, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — An attorney for the energy company Enbridge tried to persuade a federal appellate court Thursday to vacate an order that would shut down part of a pipeline running through a Wisconsin tribal reservation.

About 12 miles (19 km) of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline runs across the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/ap-enbridge-appeals-to-vacate-an-order-that-would-shut-down-pipeline/

The Associated Press

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The future of water management, with Curt Wolf

In order to do meaningful things at scale, everyone has to be at the table. This is what Curt Wolf, Managing Director of the University of Michigan’s Urban Collaboratory, said about the Michigan Center for Freshwater Innovation in an interview with Great Lakes Now. Last month, he explained the benefits of pulling together stakeholders, the Great Lakes Water Authority, and major universities like the University of Michigan, Wayne State, and Michigan State to all work alongside each other to collaborate on grand challenges, like catastrophic flooding in the region.  

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/the-future-of-water-management-with-curt-wolf/

Lisa John Rogers

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Wreck of ship that sank in 1940 found in Lake Superior

WHITEFISH POINT, Mich. (AP) — Shipwreck hunters have discovered a merchant ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1940, taking its captain with it, during a storm off Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society and shipwreck researcher Dan Fountain announced Monday the discovery of the 244-foot (74-meter) bulk carrier Arlington in about 650 feet (200 meters) of water some 35 miles (60 kilometers) north of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/ap-wreck-of-ship-sank-in-1940-found-in-lake-superior/

The Associated Press

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As Michigan winters vanish, researchers study snow for clues about what’s next

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/as-michigan-winters-vanish-researchers-study-snow-for-clues-about-whats-next/

Bridge Michigan

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In: AP, Climate change, Feature Homepage, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Science, Technology, Research
Globe breaks heat record for 8th straight month. Golfers get to play in Minnesota’s ‘lost winter’

By Seth Borenstein and Steve Karnowski, Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — For the eighth straight month in January, Earth was record hot, according to the European climate agency. That was obvious in the northern United States, where about 1,000 people were golfing last month in a snow-starved Minneapolis during what the state is calling “the Lost Winter of 2023-24.”

For the first time, the global temperature pushed past the internationally agreed upon warming threshold for an entire 12-month period, with February 2023 to January 2024 running 2.74 degrees Fahrenheit (1.52 degrees Celsius) hotter than pre-industrial levels, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Space Agency.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/ap-globe-breaks-heat-record-for-8th-straight-month-golfers-get-to-play-in-minnesotas-lost-winter/

The Associated Press

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In: Books, Authors, Art and Music, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, Latest News, Lighthouses, Museums and Cultural Institutions, Michigan, News
Photobook illuminates the beauty of Michigan lighthouses

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo

Michigan photographer Danielle Jorae wrote, designed and published Lighthouses of Michigan-Lower Peninsula to fulfill a wish of her childhood self.

“I ran across a document from when I was in kindergarten that outlined how I wanted to become an artist and a writer one day,” Jorae said.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/photobook-illuminates-the-beauty-of-michigan-lighthouses/

Great Lakes Echo

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In: Authors, Chicago, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Study calls for EPA to include human well-being in Great Lakes restoration program

A classic definition of “environmental restoration” talks about reclaiming habitat and restoring land and waters that plants and animals depend on. 

What’s missing from that long-standing approach? Humans. People who may live near toxic waters directly benefit when they’re cleaned up. People who fish  the Detroit River for subsistence, for example.  

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/study-calls-for-epa-to-include-human-well-being-in-great-lakes-restoration-program/

Gary Wilson

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In: Authors, Detroit, detroit river, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, John Hartig, Latest News, Michigan, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Great Lakes Moment: Lest we forget – A history of Detroit River oil pollution

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.

Today, the Detroit River is much cleaner, and sentinel wildlife species have returned.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/great-lakes-moment-lest-we-forget-a-history-of-detroit-river-oil-pollution/

John Hartig

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In: AP, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
Warm weather forces park officials to suspend Isle Royale wolf count for first time in decades

By Todd Richmond, Associated Press

A stretch of unusually warm weather has forced federal officials to suspend researchers’ annual wolf-moose count in Isle Royale National Park for the first time in more than six decades.

Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island situated in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/ap-warm-weather-forces-park-officials-to-suspend-isle-royale-wolf-count-for-first-time-in-decades/

The Associated Press

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In: Cleveland, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Illinois, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ohio, Science, Technology, Research
Points North: Doe, A Deer, A (Sterilized) Female Deer

By Ellie Katz, Interlochen Public Radio

Points North is a biweekly podcast about the land, water and inhabitants of the Great Lakes.

This episode was shared here with permission from Interlochen Public Radio. 

White-tailed deer are one of a few species that have managed to thrive as we urbanize and suburbanize the Midwest.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/02/points-north-doe-a-deer-a-sterilized-female-deer/

Interlochen Public Radio

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Chicago could be first major Midwestern city to ban gas in new construction

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/chicago-could-be-first-major-midwestern-city-to-ban-gas-in-new-construction/

Grist

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In: Detroit, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Parts of Detroit could be radically transformed by city solar plan, for better or worse

This article was republished here with permission from Planet Detroit.

By Brian Allnutt, Planet Detroit

Neighborhoods east of Palmer Park could soon be transformed by a city plan to power municipal buildings with six solar fields, and neighbors are divided over the prospect.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/parts-of-detroit-could-be-radically-transformed-by-city-solar-plan-for-better-or-worse/

Planet Detroit

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Mandated East Palestine creek cleanup is entering final phase, environmental officials say

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

Norfolk Southern is making progress on the next phase of its mandated cleanup of East Palestine’s creeks, according to Ohio environmental officials, following the company’s train derailment nearly a year ago.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/mandated-east-palestine-creek-cleanup-is-entering-final-phase-environmental-officials-say/

Ideastream Public Media

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You can’t stop the lake

In Douglas, Michigan, houses dot the coast of Lake Michigan, with wooden stairs — some newly built, others with broken steps — descending the steep hillside to give shoreline residents access to the narrow sandy beach. When winds grow fierce, waves crash against the boulders and large sandbags stacked along the base of these homes.  

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/you-cant-stop-the-lake/

Astrid Code

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Waves of Change: Meet Wisconsin Green Muslims founder and director Huda Alkaff

Waves of Change is a new online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.

This month, we spoke with Huda Alkaff, an ecologist, environmental educator and the founder and director of Wisconsin Green Muslims. The group’s work touches a variety of climate issues, including renewable energy.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/waves-of-change-meet-wisconsin-green-muslims-founder-and-director-huda-alkaff/

GLN Editor

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In: Climate change, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, Science, Technology, Research
‘It only makes sense’: Houses of worship adding solar arrays

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

On a Sunday morning in Charlevoix, people gather in the small, one-room building of the Greensky Hill Indian United Methodist Church.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/it-only-makes-sense-houses-of-worship-adding-solar-arrays/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Chicago, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Army Corps plans $1 billion barricade to deter invasive carp at Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/army-corps-plans-1-billion-barricade-to-deter-invasive-carp-at-illinois-and-des-plaines-rivers/

WBEZ

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Nibi Chronicles: Violence in Ma’iingan Country

“Nibi Chronicles,” a monthly Great Lakes Now feature, is written by Staci Lola Drouillard. A direct descendant of the Grand Portage Band of Ojibwe, she lives and works in Grand Marais on Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. Her two books “Walking the Old Road: A People’s History of Chippewa City and the Grand Marais Anishinaabe” and “Seven Aunts” were published 2019 and 2022, and she is at work on a children’s story.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/nibi-chronicles-violence-in-maiingan-country/

Staci Lola Drouillard

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In: AP, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
The Supreme Court wrestles with major challenges to the power of federal regulators

By Mark Sherman, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative Supreme Court justices on Wednesday voiced support for weakening the power of federal regulators, but it was not clear whether a majority would overturn a precedent that has guided American law for four decades over everything from the safety of food and drugs to environmental protection.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/ap-supreme-court-wrestles-with-major-challenges-to-power-of-federal-regulators/

The Associated Press

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In: Beaches, Boating, Paddle Sports and Sailing, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, lake erie, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ohio, Recreation and Tourism, shipwrecks, Tourism
Strong winds uncover spectacular features and long-lost structures

People on the western shore of Lake Erie witnessed strange sights after a winter storm came through on January 13. Parts of the lake that are usually under water were suddenly dry and visible, after wind gusts up to 55 mph pushed large volumes of water east. At least one long-lost human-made structure and striking natural features were revealed.  

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/strong-winds-uncover-spectacular-features-and-long-lost-structures/

Sharon Oosthoek

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In: Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
The Toxic Sands Threatening Fish in Lake Superior

By Shantal Riley, Undark

Shantal Riley is an award-winning health and environmental reporter, focused on water quality in communities of color. Her work has been featured by Frontline PBS, NOVA PBS, the Washington Post Magazine, and other publications.

This story was supported in part by The Uproot Project, which is operationally and financially supported by Grist. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/the-toxic-sands-threatening-fish-in-lake-superior/

Undark

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In: Climate change, Feature Homepage, Habitat Restoration, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Elk Rapids wants to help its shoreline through new state Climate Corps program

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

Elk Rapids is surrounded by water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/elk-rapids-wants-to-help-its-shoreline-through-new-state-climate-corps-program/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Latest News, News, Ohio, Science, Technology, Research
Where Northeast Ohio’s wildlife spends the winter

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

Northeast Ohio’s parks are frequented by white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and a variety of squirrel species throughout the year, along with migratory birds, monarch butterflies and more. But where do these critters spend their winters?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/where-northeast-ohios-wildlife-spends-the-winter/

Ideastream Public Media

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In: Asian carp, Feature Homepage, Illinois, invasive species, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Great Lakes policy advocate calls out Illinois for intransigence on invasive carp solution

The trek in the Great Lakes region’s efforts to stop the advance of invasive carp could be classified as a long, strange and seemingly never-ending trip. 

It started in the early 2000’s when advocates were successful in securing electric barriers to repel the fish. That was an interim measure and was followed by an over-the-top $18 billion plan to separate two great watersheds.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/great-lakes-policy-advocate-calls-out-illinois-for-intransigence-on-invasive-carp-solution/

Gary Wilson

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, I Speak for the Fish, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Science, Technology, Research
I Speak for the Fish: The great seasonal flip

I Speak for the Fish is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/i-speak-for-the-fish-the-great-seasonal-flip/

Kathy Johnson

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In: Books, Authors, Art and Music, Duluth, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Food, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Lake Superior, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Ontario, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research, Wisconsin
Twenty companies pledge to use all parts of Great Lakes fish by 2025

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Shealyn Paulis, Great Lakes Echo

Fish-leather purses and wallets may make their way into Great Lakes fashion with an initiative to use 100% of commercially caught fish by 2025.

One of the latest projects of a binational Great Lakes organization is to fully use the region’s whitefish, lake trout, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/twenty-companies-pledge-to-use-all-parts-of-great-lakes-fish-by-2025/

Great Lakes Echo

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In: AP, Climate change, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research
Carbon pollution is down in the US, but not fast enough to meet Biden’s 2030 goal, new report says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Climate-altering pollution from greenhouse gases declined by nearly 2% in the United States in 2023, even as the economy expanded at a faster clip, a new report finds.

The decline, while “a step in the right direction,” is far below the rate needed to meet President Joe Biden’s pledge to cut U.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/ap-carbon-pollution-is-down-in-the-us-but-not-fast-enough-to-meet-bidens-2030-goal-new-report-says/

The Associated Press

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In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Michigan hopes community groups can get piece of $2B climate justice fund

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

Michigan officials hope a new federal program will help community groups tackle climate and environmental justice projects.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/michigan-hopes-community-groups-can-get-piece-of-2b-climate-justice-fund/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Feature Homepage, News
Episode 2312 Lesson Plans: The science of stonefly larvae

This lesson will explore the phenomenon of stonefly larvae as an indicator species for water quality in the Great Lakes and some of the citizen science efforts being done to utilize stoneflies to learn about the ecosystems in the Great Lakes. Students will create an infographic about an indicator species, learn about the history of canaries in coal mines, and model ecosystem health using an ecosystem model with indicator species.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/episode-2312-stonefly-science-lesson-plan/

Gary Abud Jr.

On:
In: Climate change, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, Science, Technology, Research
Traverse City-based policy center appeals Michigan’s Line 5 permit

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

A Great Lakes water law and policy center in Traverse City is appealing a state permit for the Line 5 tunnel project.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/traverse-city-based-policy-center-appeals-michigans-line-5-permit/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research
For the first time in a century, martens have been spotted on Lake Superior’s Madeline Island

By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio

This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio.

Wisconsin’s only state endangered mammal is notoriously difficult to spot, which isn’t surprising since the American marten is very rare.

The small number that exist in the state make their home in a few areas of northern Wisconsin, including the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/for-the-first-time-in-a-century-martens-have-been-spotted-on-lake-superiors-madeline-island/

Wisconsin Public Radio