‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the lakes, not a creature was stirring, not even a drake; The poles were all strung by the river with care, in hopes a big salmon went cruising by there… Read the full poem by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-fishmas-poem
For outdoor recreation enthusiasts, the colder weather heralds the arrival of snow sports.
One of the more popular winter recreation sports is skiing, with over 2 million skiers visiting Michigan slopes every year, according to Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism and information agency.
The post Michigan snowsports organization promotes outdoor recreation first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/20/michigan-snowsports-organization-promotes-outdoor-recreation/
As we come to the conclusion of the Fox Farmer Conservation Champions grant, the outcomes of this initiative to promote sustainable farming practices are becoming increasingly evident. The collaboration between Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, Outagamie County Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD), and local producers have not only yielded successful results but have also fostered trust and a shared commitment to the journey toward enhanced soil health.
Despite the conclusion of the grant this winter, the enthusiasm among local farms remains palpable. The prospect of experimenting with new ideas and implementing previously successful strategies underscores the enduring commitment of producers to soil health practices. And producers beyond those enrolled in the grant project are on board. Due not in a small part to the influence of the project’s farmers, many surrounding farms are installing cover crops with and without cost-share payments. The commitment the participating farms have to soil health practices has been one of the project’s most noted successes. This commitment is shown by both expanding soil health practices on acres outside those under contract and continuing practices on acres that no longer receive cost share from this grant or others. Soil health practices are beyond the minimum requirement of cover crops and no-til and are being incorporated as part of each farm’s operation. At first, the different practices seemed challenging or an extra step, for example buying seed or finding someone to drill in cover crop directly after harvest. With each year, the farms were able to better manage these challenges or “extra steps.” Now planting cover crop, for example, is almost fully incorporated into their mindsets.
A triumph of this initiative lies not only in tangible outcomes such as acres implemented but in the relationships and trust woven between farms and project staff. The willingness of producers to confront challenges head-on, coupled with their commitment to learning and adaptation
paints a vivid picture of the great work our these and other local farmers are undertaking. Thanks to funding and investments in planning resources, producers are empowered to navigate obstacles, forging a resilient path rather than abandoning sustainable practices. The harmony between producers and project staff reflects a shared dedication to the soil health journey.
As we wrap up this Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project that started back in 2019, the success stories and lessons learned from this collaborative venture resonate as a model to replicate in other grant projects. The commitment to innovation and adaptability by the producers and the strong relationships established between producers and project staff have demonstrated the need for conservation staff to support producers in adopting soil health practices. With each growing season, agricultural conservation work across the basin shows that by sowing the seeds of collaboration and sustainability, the harvest reaped is one of resilience, prosperity, and environmental stewardship.
These efforts are possible through a GLRI grant focused on:
Questions? Want to learn more? Contact the Lower Fox River Watershed Program Director, Katie Woodrow, at katie@fwwa.org
Questions? Contact us:
Basin Agriculture Coordinator: Justin Loehrke, 920.841-6938 or justin@fwwwa.org
Climate Smart Agriculture Project Manager: Katie Woodrow, 920.915.5767 or katie@fwwa.org
To receive periodic updates on these projects as well as many others, please subscribe to our newsletters: CLICK HERE
The post Sowing Success: Fox Farmers Wraps Up appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/12/19/fox-farmers-wraps-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox-farmers-wraps-up
In light of the ongoing PFAS crisis, stricter groundwater regulations were part of a Michigan statewide effort to protect resident’s health and improve water quality. This was before 3M corporation sued the state to invalidate these new rules. 3M prevailed in the lower courts and the state is currently awaiting a decision for an appeal filed with the Michigan Supreme Court.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/pfas-experts-gather-address-growing-crisis/
By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/can-michigan-reduce-phosphorus-pollution-getting-into-lake-erie-by-40-percent/
By Michael Phillis and Camille Fassett, Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Flooding is driving millions of people to move out of their homes, limiting growth in some prospering communities and accelerating the decline of others, according to a new study that details how climate change and flooding are transforming where Americans live.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/ap-flooding-drives-millions-to-move-climate-migration-patterns-emerge/
The calendar will soon flip to 2024. Our staff members are ready to tackle new projects in the coming months. Before they move more deeply into the new year, however, some staff members took a moment to retain the glow of their favorite 2023 project. Adam Bechle shared his thoughts. He’s our coastal engineering outreach specialist.
My favorite project for 2023 was helping organize a shipboard science workshop for educators in Milwaukee. Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Anne Moser and Ginny Carlton organized this annual professional learning opportunity through the Center for Great Lakes Literacy. This year, I was invited along to help bring a coastal engineering focus to the workshop.
The centerpiece of this workshop was two days aboard the R/V Neeskay, the research vessel of the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Science. The Neeskay was an excellent platform from which to explore the coastal processes and engineering that shape Milwaukee’s lakefront.
Our itinerary was planned in close collaboration with the Neeskay’s Captain Max Morgan and the SFS’s Manager of Outreach Programs Liz Sutton. Our journey took us through three unique environments: the inner harbor, outer harbor and open Lake Michigan.
Adam Bechle instructs educators during the Shipboard Science Workshop in 2023. Image credit: Anne Moser
At each location, participants measured water quality, temperature and lake-bottom sediments. These observations helped us understand how waves, currents and other processes impact the three environments. We also got to see underwater video of the different habitats along the lakefront, which have been mapped on UW-Milwaukee’s Harbor Maps. This included a look at the species that inhabit Milwaukee’s “green breakwall,” which was designed to provide aquatic habitat benefits.
Back on land, we introduced the educators to a hands-on wave tank activity to take back home to their learners. In this activity, learners use a simple wave tank to explore how a sand beach responds to different waves and water levels. Learners then get to design, build and test a coastal structure to slow erosion. Using what they learned, several participants took a nature-based approach to their design.
This project was full of good things: A cohort of enthusiastic educators to work with; productive collaboration with great partners; two days of beautiful weather on Lake Michigan. I learned a lot about Milwaukee’s lakefront and left feeling energized about future work.
The post Shipboard Science Workshop earns “favorite project” status first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/shipboard-science-workshop-earns-favorite-project-status/
High phosphorus levels can drive overgrowth of algae and plants, depleting oxygen and causing harmful algal blooms, fish mortality and habitat loss. A USGS study examined phosphorus-containing products used extensively at airports that experience freezing conditions.
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
https://www.usgs.gov/news/state-news-release/popular-ice-control-products-used-airports-can-increase-phosphorus-nearby?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news
Joint statement from the Alliance for the Great Lakes and the National Wildlife Federation regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rulemaking under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act.
Chicago, IL (December 18, 2023) – Today, a broad coalition of groups submitted comments to EPA limited to the most recently proposed supplemental regulatory options that EPA is considering, as well as comments on the rationale that EPA has put forward regarding its supplemental regulatory options and continuance of proposals from its 2020 proposed rule.
In 2018, Congress enacted the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act of 2018 (VIDA) and directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish national standards for vessel discharges, such as ballast water. The purpose of the statute is to protect the natural environment and the surrounding communities and economies from the introduction of aquatic invasive species or harmful pathogens that might be released or transported from vessels. In October 2020, EPA released its proposed draft VIDA rules, which we, and many others, found to be severely deficient in that they did not protect the environment and arbitrarily excluded “Lakers” (vessels that do not leave the Great Lakes) from regulation.
EPA proposes to create a new regulatory subcategory for “New Lakers” and is considering imposing a regulatory requirement for “New Lakers” to install, operate, and maintain ballast water management systems to reduce the level of discharges of harmful aquatic organisms into the Great Lakes. New Lakers are rarely built. The Mark W. Barker Laker was launched in 2022, and it was the first Laker built and launched in more than 35 years. EPA proposes to continue to exempt existing Lakers that can spread invasive species throughout the Great Lakes.
“Exempting any Lakers is the wrong approach to combat invasive species. The shipping industry has asked repeatedly for many years for uniform regulations for ballast water across the United States and that they be harmonized with Canada. What EPA is proposing is contrary to that demand. Exempting existing Lakers carves out this class of ship from regulation and puts the Great Lakes at risk. Most important, it fails to live up to our obligation to prevent new damage from the invasive species that have already cost the Great Lakes, and the people that rely on them, so much.” – Molly M. Flanagan, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Programs at the Alliance for the Great Lakes.
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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.
The post Statement on EPA Ballast Rule appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2023/12/statement-on-epa-ballast-rule/
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/i-speak-for-the-fish-twas-the-night-before-fishmas/
The Great Lakes may contain 84% of North America’s fresh surface water, but experts caution against thinking about dipping into them as a thirsty continent’s salvation from drought as the climate warms. Read the full story by the Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-diversions
The U.S. Brig Niagara, based in Erie, Pa., will get maintenance and upgrade work in the coming year in preparation for sailing Pennsylvania’s northwest coast in 2026 when the United States and the Commonwealth celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary. Read the full story by the Patriot News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-niagara
Once considered a promising location for offshore wind development, no commercial offshore wind turbines have yet to be installed in the Great Lakes region. Will this change? Read the full story by the Public News Service.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-offshore-wind
Giant goldfish are happily living in Lake Erie and other bodies of water crowding out native fish and wildlife. Here is why it is never okay to release the pet into the wild. Read the full story by the Akron Beacon Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-the-peoria
The Peoria, a cargo ship that ended up returning to the scene of its accident, and sinking yet again, is the most recent shipwreck in Door County, Wisconsin to be recognized and protected by the state. Read the full story by the Green Bay Press Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-the-peoria
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is seeking landowners in the Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay watersheds willing to add wetlands to their property. The DNR is hosting a webinar on Friday, Jan. 12 to talk with property owners interested in helping restore wetlands. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-wetland-restoration
Ice-covered lakes are used for recreation during the winter. No matter whether large or small, many waterways are experiencing ice coverage that is below normal. The Great Lakes usually have around 3% ice coverage in mid-December, but data from NOAA indicates coverage is just above 0% this year. Read the full story by FOX Weather.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-thin-ice
Lifeguards at Presque Isle, Pennsylvania play a crucial role in making sure people can enjoy the park without harm but staffing those beaches has been difficult. The Lifeguard Association at Presque Isle, they’ve been doing everything they can to stay competitive with those other organizations and offer a unique experience. Read the full story by WJET-TV – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-presque-isle-lifeguards
The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently approved the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Northeast Lakeshore Total Maximum Daily Loads for Total Phosphorus and Total Suspended Solids study. The study will investigate ways to reduce the amount of nutrients entering waters within the Lake Michigan watershed. Read the full story by the Door County Pulse.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-tc-phosphorus
TC Energy has an ambitious plan for Georgian Bay: to draw water up through a clay escarpment, store it in a reservoir, then send it down back into the bay past underwater turbines to create power for southern Ontario when it’s needed. To make this happen, the Calgary-based oil and gas behemoth wants the greenlight from multiple groups, including the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. Read the full story by The Narwhal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-tc-energy
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine plans to include the health of the state’s large rivers in the ongoing H2Ohio program aimed at water efforts. The H2Ohio program will expand to research PFAS contamination, remove eroding dams, conserve forest buffers and more. Read the full story by the Cleburne Times-Review.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-h2ohio
An annual survey by New York’s Thousand Islands International Tourism Council shows that nearly 80% of tourism operators were either satisfied or pleased with the 2023 tourist season, a large increase from how operators felt in 2020. Read the full story by the Watertown Daily Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231218-thousand-islands-tourism
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI126672921B30.SpecialWeatherStatement.126672926180WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b84abab2a0e5f76f50745403b6c3daf
With holiday travel approaching, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is urging dog owners to be aware of a “mystery illness” that is sweeping the nation.
The illness affects dogs’ respiratory systems, causing an unusual increase in coughing, sneezing, loss of appetite, eye and nasal discharge, fever and lethargy.
The post Caution urged for holiday travel with dogs due to virus first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/18/caution-urged-for-holiday-travel-with-dogs-due-to-virus/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1266729105D8.SpecialWeatherStatement.126672917720WI.GRBSPSGRB.c7af4845f2e9eb88e57e1747a63d15f5
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI12667283D0FC.SpecialWeatherStatement.126672908CC0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b84abab2a0e5f76f50745403b6c3daf
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1266728210F0.SpecialWeatherStatement.126672828EB8WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1266728137C0.SpecialWeatherStatement.126672820DD0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
John Koepke is a 5th generation dairy farmer from Waukesha County, WI. He has implemented regenerative agricultural practices throughout his operation. John is committed to protecting the land and the environment. Amber Radatz works for the Discovery Farms Program, a part of UW-Extension. Her background is in manure and nutrient management.
9:30am– Registration and Welcome
10:00am– Keynote Speech: Amber Radatz & John Koepke
11:30am– Lunch
12:30pm– Farmer Panel
1:30pm- Lightning Talks and Roundtable Discussion
3:00pm– Happy Hour
Platinum
Gold
Silver
This event is being organized and hosted by the Winnebago Waterways and Low Fox River Agriculture Outreach Workgroups. This is a collaborative initiative by multiple conservation partners and farmers working to increase farmer adoption of regenerative agriculture practices in the Fox-Wolf Basin.
The post 2024 Winnebago Waterways and Lower Fox River Farmer Roundtables appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.
Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance
https://fwwa.org/2023/12/15/2024farmerroundtable/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024farmerroundtable
By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan
The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; 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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/michigan-farm-czar-our-fight-against-lake-erie-pollution-isnt-working/
Researchers documented two baby lake sturgeon in the Grand River in 2022, indicating that the species is successfully reproducing in that river. During the 2023 research season, the team documented an additional 15 sturgeon in the river. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-lakesturgeon-grandriver
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is investing $4 million to advance wetland restoration and reduce harmful algal blooms in both Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay watersheds to improve drinking water and wildlife habitat. Read the full story by WXYZ-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-dnr-michiganwetlands-investment-habs
Wisconsin archaeologists are crediting a man and his daughter with discovering the remains of what could be George L. Newman, which sank more than 150 years ago. Read the full story by the Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-lakemichigan-sonar-shipwreck
The EPA has chosen the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps (GLCCC) to receive a grant to recruit and train workers for community revitalization projects, including multiple green infrastructure initiatives and monitoring PFAS contaminants. Read the full story by the Journal Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-greatlakes-communitycorps-epa-grant
In a crucial step toward reintroducing Arctic grayling to Michigan waters, 2,000 young, healthy fish were stocked in three Michigan lakes last month. The initiative has been underway since the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources partnered to reintroduce the “iconic” species to Michigan waters in 2015. Read the full story by the Manistee News Advocate.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-michigan-cherishedsalmon
The Welland Canal, running between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, will close Jan. 7, which has typically been the case since 2019, when a canal “optimization program” was started. Read the full story by the Niagara-on-the-Lake Local.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-canal-close-january
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a contract for the dredging of Erie’s harbor in 2024. The Corps’ Buffalo District awarded the $682,000 contract to Michigan-based Ryba Marine Construction Co. on Dec. 6 for the work on the federal navigation channel in Erie Harbor. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-us-armycorp-erieharbor-dredging
Since 1964, the Niagara River of Lake Erie has installed an ice boom for each winter. The New York Power Authority could install the ice boom as-early-as December 16 for the 2023-2024 ice season. When it is installed, the ice boom will be near the outlet of Lake Erie where crews plan to reduce the amount of ice entering the Niagara River. The boom helps to strengthen the formation of a naturally made ice arch. Read the full story by WGRZ-TV – Buffalo, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-lakeerie-iceboom
In July 2010, one of the largest U.S. inland oil spills struck Michigan’s Kalamazoo River. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated the spill was upwards of 4.5 million gallons. As part of a wildlife rescue, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services relocated more than 700 northern map turtles to similar habitats along the Kalamazoo River. Over a decade later and researchers are learning just how far map turtles will move in response to environmental disasters. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231215-turtles-slowandsteady-race
The turtles had a long journey ahead.
They fought for 45 miles against the strong Kalamazoo River current. They left the river and walked up and over a dam blocking their path.
The post Slow and steady wins the race, even one that takes 10 years to move 45 miles first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/15/slow-and-steady-wins-the-race-even-one-that-takes-10-years-to-move-45-miles/
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/indigenous-land-and-historical-wildfire-management
Note: This blog was written by Vice President of Policy and Strategic Engagement Crystal M.C. Davis.
Attending the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai was an incredible experience, one that I was fortunate to be a part of thanks to the Black Environmental Leaders Association (BEL). As a founding member and board member, it was amazing to see how the organization’s support brought our mission to a global stage, showing just how far our collective efforts in environmental advocacy can reach.
Celebrating the Role of Black Environmental Leaders
Our delegation’s presence at COP28 was a testament to the organization’s commitment to environmental advocacy and its impact on a global scale. I was privileged to represent not only the Alliance for the Great Lakes but also the voices and perspectives that BEL leaders bring to the forefront of environmental justice.
Global and Local Interplay: Understanding Our Collective Impact
At COP28, the interconnectedness of local and global environmental efforts became increasingly clear. The insights I gained there have deepened my understanding of how our regional work across states and cities aligns with national and global environmental initiatives. It’s evident now more than ever that our individual efforts have profound global implications. This revelation was a recurring theme throughout the conference, emphasizing the significant impact of water stewardship and innovation on a global scale. COP28 was not just about global dialogues; it was about finding local relevance in these discussions. The insights gained from the conference will be instrumental in shaping our approach to water and climate issues in the Great Lakes region. The shared knowledge and strategies from the global stage will help us develop more effective local solutions.
Water Stewardship: An Economic Imperative
The conference illuminated an essential truth: water stewardship and innovation are not only environmental responsibilities but also make sound economic sense. This alignment of environmental, racial, health, and economic justice was a key focus, with several sessions exploring the financial aspects of climate action. The discussions at COP28 reinforced the notion that environmental conservation is intrinsically linked to broader economic strategies.
The Alliance for the Great Lakes: Bridging Justice and Environmental Action
At the Alliance for the Great Lakes, we’ve recognized the intertwined nature of environmental, racial, health, and economic justice. COP28 served to reaffirm this understanding, highlighting how environmental initiatives, especially those focused on water, are crucial in building a just and sustainable economic future. Our commitment to these principles was echoed in the global discourse at the conference, reinforcing the value and urgency of our work.
Forward with Renewed Vision
Reflecting on the experiences and lessons from COP28, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity. As we move forward, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is more equipped than ever to play a pivotal role in fostering environmental justice and economic sustainability, both regionally and globally.
Together, we are making strides toward a future where environmental stewardship and economic progress go hand in hand.
The post Reflections from COP28: A Journey of Global Impact and Local Stewardship appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
News - Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2023/12/reflections-from-cop28-a-journey-of-global-impact-and-local-stewardship/
NCEI News Feed
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-202311
Guinness World Records recently announced that the world’s new hottest pepper is a veggie known as Pepper X, grown by Puckerbutt Pepper Co. of Fort Mill, South Carolina.
But Ryan Karcher, a veteran pepper grower from Howell, Michigan, is contesting Pepper X’s spice and flavor with his own pepper. It will be featured in a January 22 television show called Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People.
The post Pepper wars: Michigan grower disputes Pepper X’s record for world’s hottest pepper; says his may be hotter first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/14/pepper-wars-michigan-grower-disputes-pepper-xs-record-for-worlds-hottest-pepper-says-his-may-be-hotter/
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says a record amount of invasive silver carp have been pulled from an Illinois River impoundment using seine nets, marking the single largest fish removal ever undertaken by the agency. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231213-carp-harvest
Tens of thousands of acres within a remote forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula will become part of the state’s forestry program after grant funding from a national nonprofit. The vast, non-fragmented forestland includes hundreds of miles of streams and rivers, nearly 100 lakes and ponds, and dense boreal forest critical to climate resiliency. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231213-michigamme
The director of Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says Michigan’s efforts to curb the farm pollution that fuels Lake Erie’s toxic green algae are not working. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231213-farm-czar
This week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer cleared the way for federal Superfund status for a contaminated groundwater plume that has spread for decades in the Ann Arbor area. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231213-annarbor-superfund
Port Washington, Wisconsin, will get nearly $1 million to stabilize Valley Creek, which is prone to flash flooding and has been experiencing harsh erosion, threatening key infrastructure. Read the full story by WDJT-TV – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231213-port-washington
Mackinac Island Tourism says Great Lakes cruise passenger spending generated nearly $2 million for the island in 2023, and about 20,000 passengers visited Mackinac Island aboard cruise ships. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231213-cruise-ship
