LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Protections to prevent water shutoffs during the coronavirus pandemic are being extended to the end of the year under an order signed Wednesday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Since March, 2,477 Michiganders have had their water restored through a grant to help utilities reconnect consumers.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/ap-water-shutoff-extended-michigan-governor/
Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
In this edition: 713-mile Rover Pipeline at center of legal dispute between Ohio EPA and Ohio Supreme Court; Hi-Crush Inc., frac sand company filing for bankruptcy after reporting negative revenue, defaulting on loans; and Indiana regulators reject utility rate increase request.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/great-lakes-energy-ohio-pipeline-wisconsin-fracking-indiana-regulators/
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue tromped through a strawberry festival in central Florida, detailing the government’s new trade pact. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked about foreign policy at a roundtable in south Florida.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/ap-trump-cabinet-members-michigan-wisconsin-voters/
Nestle might be selling its contentious Michigan bottled water brand, but water rights activists in the Great Lakes region aren’t so quick to let go of the issue.
Swiss-based Nestle recently announced it’s looking for buyers for its North America regional brands including Ice Mountain which has operated in Michigan since the early 2000’s.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/nestle-great-lakes-exit-bottled-water/
By Enrique Saenz, Indiana Environmental Reporter
A group of native American tribes and labor and environmental groups filed suit to stop the implementation of a new federal rule that limits the scope of waterways under federal protection.
The Quinault Indian Nation, Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Pascua Yaqui Tribe filed suit in Washington state against the U.S.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/tribes-advocacy-groups-sue-epa-federal-waterway-protections/
By Beth Edwards, Indiana Environmental Reporter
Once known as the City of Mineral Water for the healing power of its spring-fed spas, Martinsville, Indiana, now faces the specter of health threats caused by the contamination of its water supply.
For the past 20 years, slow-moving groundwater plumes contaminated with potentially dangerous chemicals have seeped into the city’s municipal well field and drinking water plant.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/contaminated-indiana-water-health-threats/
Fatbergs — massive buildups of wipes and hygiene products congealed with greases and oils — make for a cringe-worthy topic. And the damage they cause to sewer systems can be a huge amount of trouble for the people in charge of those sewer systems.
That includes Candice Miller, the Public Works Commissioner in southeast Michigan’s Macomb County.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/legislation-flushable-wipes-court-law-fatberg/
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.
Scientists have predicted that warmer, wetter and wilder weather is coming and that this will be one of the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st Century.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/water-levels-climate-change-warmer-wetter-wilder/
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer doesn’t need another crisis.
For six of her 18 months in office she’s been grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic that grips Michigan and shows few signs of abating. Then came a May rain deluge that contributed to the failure of an already dangerous dam that displaced 10,000 people.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/whitmer-michigan-dilemma-line-5-northern-michigan/
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.
Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/pfas-michigan-foam-pfas-covid-19/
By John Flesher, AP Environmental Writer
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan judge Wednesday allowed Enbridge to resume pumping oil through a Midwestern pipeline, nearly a week after shutting it down because of damage to a structure that anchors a section of the line running through a Great Lakes channel.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/ap-michigan-judge-restart-line-5-oil-pipeline/
Angel Welke and her husband Paul own and operate Island Airways, the committed aviation service provider for Beaver Island. As such, the Welkes run the air ambulance that serves the island, which is located in the northern part of Lake Michigan and is home to about 600 year-round residents. When the island had a possible COVID-19 patient earlier this year, it was Paul Welke piloting the air ambulance.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/great-lakes-islanders-adapt-covid-19/
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine you are on a roller coaster ascending the first and highest hill on the ride. You hear the click, click, click as the car slowly climbs to the top and you start getting excited, even nervous, the closer you get to the peak.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/michigan-history-environmental-contamination/
DETROIT (AP) — A judge shut down an energy pipeline in Michigan’s Great Lakes on Thursday, granting a request from the state after the owner reported problems with a support piece far below the surface.
Enbridge Inc. has not provided enough information to Michigan officials to show that continued operation of the west leg of the Line 5 twin pipeline is safe, Ingham County Judge James Jamo said.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-judge-shuts-down-energy-pipeline-michigan-great-lakes/
Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
In this edition: Ontario Power Generation formally withdraws its application to construct a repository for nuclear waste near Lake Huron; Illinois looks to construct offshore energy wind turbines but faces resistance; University of Minnesota may expand viability of geothermal energy in Midwest; and flood-ravaged Midland, Michigan, coming around on renewable energy.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/energy-nuclear-huron-renewables-midland-wind-geothermal/
In May, the self-cloning marbled crayfish clawed Michigan and regional headlines by officially becoming an outlaw. And even though the little bugger—a popular species for aquarium aficionados—hasn’t committed any offenses in Michigan yet, wildlife authorities are hoping to stay one step ahead of the critters.
And the same goes for many others.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/great-lakes-aquatic-invasive-species-list/
MACKINAW CITY, Mich. (AP) — Michigan’s attorney general on Monday asked a judge to shut down a pipeline in the Great Lakes after an energy company discovered that an anchor support had shifted deep below the surface.
Enbridge Inc. insists the Line 5 pipeline itself was not damaged, and the company resumed the flow of oil and natural gas liquids in the west leg of the twin system Saturday.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-michigan-judge-shut-enbridge-pipeline/
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.
Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/pfas-amazon-lawsuit-epa-michigan-wisconsin/
In March, COVID-19 brought the Great Lakes economy and society in general to a grinding halt.
Three months later, it’s not yet business as usual and challenges remain.
That’s the consensus of a group of Great Lakes industries and scientific researchers Great Lakes Now first spoke with in April.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/covid-19-great-lakes-shipping-charter-boats-research/
The Trump administration has made a habit of rolling back federal environmental protections over the past few years.
According to The New York Times, 100 environmental rules have been reversed since President Donald Trump took office. Among those rules are thirteen changes or proposed changes that directly impact the Great Lakes, other regional waterways and drinking water.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/regulatory-rollbacks-federal-water-protections-great-lakes-region/
It’s still a pandemic, so we didn’t get to attend a gala – in fact I was still in filthy workout clothes when I got the news on Saturday night.
But I can’t imagine it was any less thrilling for any of us on the Great Lakes Now team that produced “The Forever Chemicals” when we all learned we won a Michigan Emmy in the Health/Science – Program/Special category for “The Forever Chemicals,” which premiered 15 months ago on Detroit Public TV.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/emmy-pfas-forever-chemicals-documentary-prize/
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer demanded Friday that Enbridge Energy provide proof that the damage to one of its dual oil pipelines under the Straits of Mackinac will not pose a threat to the area.
The Alberta, Canada-based company closed its Line 5 pipeline under the straits on Thursday after discovering that the anchor support had shifted from its original position, company spokesman Ryan Duffy said Friday in a statement.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-michigan-whitmer-enbridge-pipeline-damage/
This is the third in a three-part series that will explore the history of Lake Superior and the Boundary waters, the communities affected by two proposed copper mines, the arguments in favor and against the mines, and what the mines might mean for the future of the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/twin-metals-copper-mine-minnesota/
From lead pipes to PFAS, drinking water contamination is a major issue plaguing cities and towns all around the Great Lakes. Cleaning up contaminants and providing safe water to everyone is an ongoing public health struggle in the region.
Keep up with drinking water-related developments in the Great Lakes area.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/drinking-water-news-roundup-contamination-runoff-grants-lead/
Michigan’s dam safety program has been under intense scrutiny since the epic failure in Midland in May displaced 10,000 people.
Multiple lawsuits have ensued between Michigan, dam owner Boyce Hydro and citizens impacted by the failure, with each claiming the failure was someone else’s fault.
But a spotlight was put on Michigan dam regulators after it was revealed that the state’s 1,100 dams are monitored by a staff of two plus a supervisor, all with a meager budget of just $348,000, most of which is dedicated to salaries.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/dam-investment-michigan-other-states/
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.
NASA’s Earth Observatory worked up this cool comparison to show the impact of the recent dam bursting in Midland.
The images above were captured by Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 and show the Tittabawassee River on May 20, 2020 (right), compared to June 3, 2019 (left).
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/nasa-images-impact-midland-flooding/
Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
In this edition: Federal grant launches pilot program for nuclear plants to produce hydrogen for fuel cells; Canadian barge loaded with fuel, coal tar runs aground near where Lake Superior meets Soo Locks and Lake Huron; Minnesota regulators approve new contested case hearing over Enbridge Line 3 permit, delaying project; and First Nations and university educators in Ontario demand halt to further mining exploration during pandemic.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/great-lakes-energy-line-3-indigenous-mining-nuclear/
This is the second in a three-part series that will explore the history of Lake Superior and the Boundary waters, the communities affected by two proposed copper mines, the arguments in favor and against the mines, and what the mines might mean for the future of the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/polymet-copper-nickel-mine-litigation-indigenous-environmental-groups/
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that legislators did not violate the state constitution by allowing construction of an oil pipeline tunnel beneath a channel linking two of the Great Lakes, clearing the way for the project to proceed unless another court intervenes.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-court-michigan-great-lakes-tunnel-enbridge-line-5/
The state of Michigan on Tuesday put blame for the May dam failure that flooded Midland, Michigan, and displaced 10,000 people squarely on the dam’s owner, Boyce Hydro.
Michigan filed a lawsuit this week against Boyce Hydro seeking compensation, civil fines and damages that the state contends are the responsibility of the dam owner.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/legal-responsibility-michigan-lawsuit-midland-dam-failure/
The overall condition of the Great Lakes has been assessed as “fair and unchanging” in the 2019 State of the Great Lakes joint report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environmental and Climate Change Canada, published on June 3.
The lakes were assessed on nine indicators of ecosystem health as part of the 2012 Great Lakes Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/state-great-lakes-stable-rollbacks-protection/
By Daniel Baldwin Hess, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York and Alex Bitterman, Alfred State College of Technology, The State University of New York, The Conversation
is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
The United States and Canada have long enjoyed a stable relationship.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/shuttered-canada-us-border-highlights-different-approaches-to-the-pandemic-and-differences-between-the-2-countries/
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A $500,000 grant is expected to increase the number of soil conservation practices in Indiana and improve water quality in watersheds across the state.
The Indiana Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program announced the grant Monday.
The funding was provided from a legal settlement that was stewarded in part by the Indiana Wildlife Federation, according to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-grant-soil-conservation-practices-indiana/
As the author of Great Lakes Now’s Collection of Lesson Plans, educational consultant Gary Abud Jr. is now providing more support for parents, teachers and caregivers who want to incorporate Great Lakes learning into their time with children and students. His series of writings can be found HERE along with the lesson plans and a Virtual Field Trip.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/great-lakes-learning-lakes-no-boat/
Tropical Storm Cristobal could soon renew its strength by uniting with another storm system coming from the west to form one giant cyclone, forecasters say.
After drenching much of the South, forecasters now expect the remnants of Cristobal to bring fierce winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms to much of the Midwest by Tuesday.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-cristobal-new-storm-system-midwest/
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mayor Jim Kenney kicked off a recent briefing on Philadelphia’s coronavirus response with an unusual request for residents: Be careful what you flush.
Between mid-March, when the city’s stay-at-home order was issued, and the end of April, most of the 19 sewer and storm water pumping stations in Philadelphia had experienced clogs from face masks, gloves and wipes residents had pitched into the potty, Kenney said.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-wipes-and-masks-sewers-storm-drains/
As the author of Great Lakes Now’s Collection of Lesson Plans, educational consultant Gary Abud Jr. is now providing more support for parents, teachers and caregivers who want to incorporate Great Lakes learning into their time with children and students. His series of writings can be found HERE along with the lesson plans and a Virtual Field Trip.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/great-lakes-learning-cruises/
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.
Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/pfas-hunting-fishing-michigan-duluth-water-epa/
As the author of Great Lakes Now’s Collection of Lesson Plans, educational consultant Gary Abud Jr. is now providing more support for parents, teachers and caregivers who want to incorporate Great Lakes learning into their time with children and students. His series of writings can be found HERE along with the lesson plans and a Virtual Field Trip.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/great-lakes-learning-water-levels-currents-boating-speed-limits/
Once left ambiguously up in the air, the rest of the 2020 cruising season in the Great Lakes has been officially postponed until 2021, due largely to preventative measures taken by both American and Canadian ports restricting cruise ship docking to halt the spread of COVID-19.
When one of the largest players in the Great Lakes cruising industry, Victory Cruises, announced it would be cancelling its 2020 itinerary at the end of May, it became much more likely that others would follow suit.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/covid-19-cruise-great-lakes-season-2021/
This is the first in a three-part series that will explore the history of Lake Superior and the Boundary waters, the communities affected by two proposed copper mines, the arguments in favor and against the mines, and what the mines might mean for the future of the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/copper-mining-history-lake-superior-minnesota/
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The federal government is seeking the public’s input on its plan to clean up groundwater contamination at a Superfund site in Indianapolis that’s tainted with chemicals used by a dry cleaning company.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it would accept public comments from June 1 to June 30 on the agency’s proposed cleanup of the Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination site.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/ap-epa-public-comment-indianapolis-superfund-site/
Out of the tragedy that is COVID-19 can come opportunities to improve our lives, our workspace and our environment.
That includes softening the impact we have on natural habitat.
That’s the view of veteran Great Lakes executive Cameron Davis who says, like businesses in big cities that are assessing their space needs, we should pause and assess our impact on the environment.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/green-reset-covid-19-offers-opportunity-for-lighter-environmental-impact/
A $126 million, 20.7-megawatt wind turbine project on Lake Erie has the go-ahead from state regulators after years of halting progress.
If construction is completed, the six-turbine Icebreaker Wind farm in Lake Erie, 8 miles northwest of Cleveland, would be the first offshore freshwater site in the U.S.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/lake-erie-wind-farm-icebreaker-board-conditions/
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.
A new study on cleaning up Great Lakes pollution hotspots published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research finds that investing in pollution prevention and restoration pays off in the long run.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/06/pollution-prevention-restoration-study/
The animals at various aquariums are dealing with their own COVID-19 lockdown struggles as they adjust to new routines, new procedures and a distinct lack of the public, and each animal handles it a little differently.
Thanks to Great Lakes aquariums like Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the Aquatarium at Tall Ships Landing in Brockville, Ontario, and Belle Isle Conservancy in Detroit, the public can get a peek at the various things staff are doing to keep the animals happy and entertained.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/animal-quiz-great-lakes-aquarium-animal-covid-19-quarantine/
As the author of Great Lakes Now’s Collection of Lesson Plans, educational consultant Gary Abud Jr. is now providing more support for parents, teachers and caregivers who want to incorporate Great Lakes learning into their time with children and students. His series of writings can be found HERE along with the lesson plans and a Virtual Field Trip.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/great-lakes-learning-best-of-the-5/
For three long days, Terri Trotter – president and CEO of the Midland Center for the Arts – waited anxiously for floodwaters to recede far enough that a team of experts could assess the damages at Heritage Park and the Doan Center in downtown Midland, Michigan.
The Midland County Historical Society Doan Center located in Heritage Park houses a research library and archive comprised of thousands of historical documents and photographs, Trotter said.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/rescuing-history-museum-michigan-midland-flooding/
Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.
In this edition: Wind farm project in Lake Erie approved by regulators with potentially major handicap, Minnesota legislature approves first-of-its-kind renewable energy project for Prairie Island Indian Community, COVID-19 choking solar power projects in Illinois, and Wisconsin’s Alliant Energy to close 400MW coal plant.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/great-lakes-energy-news-ohio-wisconsin-minnesota-illinois/
Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is one of the more popular, well-known aquariums around the country with 2 million visitors every year.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has closed it to the public, which is a big change for the penguins, whales, fish and other creatures that live in the Shedd’s various habitats.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/covid-19-shedd-aquarium-visitors/
