Great Lakes Now Featured Articles About Chicago
Chicago residents risk daily lead exposure from toxic pipes. Replacing them will take decades.
The city with the most lead service lines in the country doesn’t plan to finish replacing them until 2076.
Sinking cities: Great Lakes cities not immune from under-recognized threat
New research says Chicago and Detroit are at risk of sinking from things like groundwater extraction. Researcher says officials need to be more proactive.
‘Everyone deserves clean air,’ says a Chicago EPA worker who fears her job will end
Ellie Hagen is a scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency. She worries proposed cuts at EPA will put people’s health at risk.
What would the Great Lakes region be like with bullet trains?
Exploring how high speed rail could transform the Great Lakes region.

Buses vs. Trains: The Future of Public Transit in the Great Lakes Region
As cities invest in greener, more accessible transit, a key debate emerges: sleek light rail or cost-effective bus rapid transit? The answer may depend more on perception than performance.

Experts explain criticality of regional EPA office
Cultural connection to the region allows EPA staff to bring value to the Great Lakes, former EPA executive Dave Ullrich says.

‘Everyone deserves clean air,’ says a Chicago EPA worker who fears her job will end
Ellie Hagen is a scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency. She worries proposed cuts at EPA will put people’s health at risk.

What would the Great Lakes region be like with bullet trains?
Exploring how high speed rail could transform the Great Lakes region.

From Madigan’s Conviction to ComEd’s EV Rebate Program: How Illinois is Shaping Its Energy Future
More energy news as federal funding for climate science faces cuts under Trump, while Ohio wrestles with “a supply and demand imbalance” on the electric grid.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker set ambitious climate goals for the state. It’s far from meeting them.
From electric vehicles to renewable energy, Illinois is lagging — and it faces even more challenges.

Energy transition sees small wins, major uncertainty in the Upper Midwest
Chicago to use 100% renewable energy for city-owned buildings, while the Pentagon blacklists a Chinese company working with Ford on EV batteries.

Can environmental law move beyond bedrock 1970’s legislation, while adapting to current and future challenges?
To gain a better understanding of how environmental law has evolved, Great Lakes Now spoke with three environmental law attorneys.
Presenting Atlas Obscura: The Mysterious Sinkholes of Mount Baldy
One family’s visit to a famous Indiana sand dune turns into a wild tale of a missing boy and mysterious tunnels.

Carp Catch-22: Could improvements in Chicago waterways invite unwelcome guests?
New research suggests pollution from Chicago-area waterways might be creating an invisible barrier, deterring migration. But for how long?

Joliet, Illinois, Plans to Source Its Future Drinking Water From Lake Michigan. Will Other Cities Follow?
As aquifers dry up, some Midwest communities are looking to the region’s greatest natural resources for a solution.

How do fish survive in large urban waterways, like the Chicago River?
The Chicago River’s hardened shorelines, stormwater pollution events and limited habitat would seem inhospitable to fish. Yet, native species are finding ways to call the city home.