The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago brought a hands-on learning experience to Racine, Wisconsin, students last week, teaching them about water pollution and microplastics in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Journal Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231222-racine-microplastics
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.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/nibi-chronicles-how-to-craft-a-memorandum-of-understanding-with-trout/
Michigan residents and activists are pushing the auto and steel industries to buy cleaner, more sustainable steel to clean up pollution in the Detroit-Dearborn area.
Recently Industrious Labs, a climate advocacy group, gave guided tours of Detroit and Dearborn auto and steelmaking factories to try to convince automakers to switch from steel produced traditionally into sustainable, cleaner steel.
The post Dirty steelmaking unfairly threatens low-income communities first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/22/dirty-steelmaking-unfairly-threatens-low-income-communities/
Four weeks into her new position as the top executive of the U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes office in Chicago, Teresa Seidel has mixed news for the region.
She readily accepts the goal she inherited from her predecessor to clean up decades-old contaminated sediment sites in the region by 2030, a mission she refers to as a “moon shot.” The sites, known as Areas of Concern (AOCs), are on a list developed in 1987 and their continued presence makes it hard for the region to shake its derisive “Rust Belt” stereotype.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/new-epa-great-lakes-executive-warns-on-moon-shot-cleanup-goal-for-toxic-sites/
If you’d like to enhance your cultural diversity in the upcoming year, you might want to consider joining a monthly online book group focused on Ojibwe culture and the Great Lakes. Wisconsin Sea Grant formed it for teachers, parents and librarians (anyone who loves to read with children) in partnership with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. The book club is open to anyone in the Great Lakes region who wishes to join. Each month’s discussion includes an Ojibwe honored guest who shares wisdom and stories based on the theme of the book.
Visit: go.wisc.edu/Maadagindan to see the recent titles and send an email to Anne Moser akmoser@aqua.wisc.edu to join the email list.
The post Maad (Maadagindan) Book Club first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/maad-maadagindan-book-club/
Books usually speak to readers through words and, sometimes, illustrations.
But we can learn what motivated their authors by speaking directly to them, as Great Lakes Echo correspondents did in interviews this year about new books about environmental issues in the region.
The post Great Lakes authors bare their motives first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2023/12/21/great-lakes-authors-bare-their-motives/
This year, River Alliance celebrated our 30th anniversary. While we looked back at the past three decades of clean water protection by inspiring advocates around the state (find some of their victories in our Fall 2023 newsletter), we’ve also spent a lot of time looking forward into River Alliance’s future.
Earlier this year, we dove deep into a strategic planning exercise that will guide our actions for the next five years. We had discussions with our staff, board, and friends who offered their insights into what River Alliance can uniquely offer.
Our new five-year strategic plan renews our focus on group engagement. We will work to establish relationships in new communities and deepen relationships in existing communities – especially marginalized communities that face systemic barriers to resources, access to clean/safe water, and the clean water movement.
In the future, we will also focus even more on climate resilience and a sustainable food system. River Alliance will continue to collaborate with local watershed protection organizations, farmer-led councils working on regenerative agriculture, and dam removal/hydropower reform advocates so that our interconnected waters will be clean for this generation and the next.
We are also putting strategies in place for new community-centric ways of building support for clean water, and diversifying our board, staff, and supporters.
As always, there is a lot of work to do, but we are prepared to work collaboratively to take action.
– Allison Werner, Executive Director
This message is made possible by generous donors who believe people have the power to protect and restore water.
Help River Alliance of Wisconsin celebrate our 30th anniversary! Support our work with your contribution today.
The post River Alliance of Wisconsin’s 2023-28 Strategic Plan appeared first on River Alliance of WI.
Blog - River Alliance of WI
https://wisconsinrivers.org/river-alliance-strategic-plan/
By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media
This story was originally published by Ideastream.
Cleveland’s off-shore wind turbine project has been halted after the project’s private development partner pulled financial support.
The Lake Erie Energy Development Corp, or LEEDCo, is leading the Icebreaker Wind project.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/clevelands-icebreaker-wind-project-on-hold-due-to-rising-costs-pushback/
A University of Wisconsin-Madison doctoral student lost a $10K remote controlled research craft after it stopped communicating with the controller on the west side of Lake Michigan. After a treacherous 15-day journey the craft was recovered 120 miles in the other direction. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-research-vessel
Many species of ducks, geese and swans migrate from as far north as the Arctic tundra to the Great Lakes during the winter when the waterfowl’s usual northern waters freeze. Read the full story by WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-weird-ducks
Experts are asking people to do their part to prevent the spread of invasive species in northern Ontario after the province added 10 new species to its restricted and prohibited lists. Read the full story by CBC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-invasive-registry
As a father-daughter duo chugged along the shoals of Green Island, Michigan, their boat’s sonar delivered images of a pattern far too regular to have been fashioned by erosion or waves. Read the full story by The New York Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-1871-shipwreck
The Line 5 oil pipeline that snakes through Wisconsin and Michigan won a key permit this month allowing a new section of pipeline to be built underneath the Great Lakes despite widespread Indigenous opposition. Read the full story by Grist.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-line5-tribal-opposition
At the Michigan Department of Environmental, Great Lakes, and Energy’s fourth annual Great Lakes PFAS Summit, attendees shared information regarding all aspects of PFAS pollution. This year’s event broke attendance records with over 2000 participants representing all 50 states and nine countries. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-pfas-crisis
Officials from Michigan want to reduce phosphorus pollution going into Lake Erie, but they’re not exactly sure how or when they’ll reach their goal. At a conference this week, state government leaders, researchers, and not-for-profits outlined a strategy to lower Michigan’s share of phosphorus feeding Lake Erie. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20231220-phosphorus-reduction
‘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
