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As work continues to alleviate the impact of pollution on the Cuyahoga River, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is beginning to tackle the emerging threat from stormwater runoff.

Wave energy converters use the movement of the water to generate electricity. A research team from the University of Michigan will spend the next couple years developing a prototype to install in the waters off the island.

The Chevron decision could jeopardize federal policies addressing PFAS pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmentalists are challenging Michigan regulators’ decision to approve encasing part of an aging Enbridge Energy oil pipeline that runs beneath a channel connecting two Great Lakes, arguing that they failed to properly consider alternatives that would minimize climate impacts.

Anthropologists discovered trees harvested for canoes during the fur trade formed a healing lobe like a scar. A symbol of survival — for the trees and for the Indigenous people of the border country.

Michigan has a program to restore a large wetland area to reduce fertilizer runoff from getting into Lake Erie because it feeds toxic cyanobacterial blooms that spread in the western basin.

Summer in the Great Lakes region is a magical time, with long, warm days and the sweet taste of freshly picked berries.

A method for co-producing knowledge and co-innovating holistic ecological solutions in natural resource management.

Kim Wasserman played a major role in a years-long campaign to close two Chicago coal plants that were negatively impacting residents’ health.

The hidden impact of outdoor air pollution in the Great Lakes region is the public health epidemic of poor indoor air quality.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region.

Some experts fear the total collapse of whitefish in just a few years. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Natural Resources Department is taking steps to ensure the future of this culturally important fish in the Great Lakes Basin.

Experts say the wildfire smoke in the Great Lakes region, in 2023, was unique and will likely continue to be the case. However, some conditions making fires more likely are being exacerbated by climate change.

Doctors need to understand how climate change plays a role in health, so Michigan medical students are pushing for climate health education in their programs.

A recording of our live webinar on summer in Southeast Michigan– extended heat waves, high-intensity rainstorms and worsening air quality.

By blending the old with the new — traditional recipes with wild, foraged foods — we not only preserve our culinary heritage but also embrace a sustainable approach to eating and land conservation that honors both our past and our planet and our collective future.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is Copper Country. Some see copper mining as an economic boon for the region, but others worry it could come at the cost of some of the Great Lakes’ most pristine wild spaces.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has improved conditions in polluted lakes and rivers, but sometimes failed to deliver on environmental justice goals.

A heat wave extending from the Midwest to New England moved closer to a breaking point Thursday, with millions of people sweating it out for another day.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Heat is becoming a threat in cities everywhere. Here is the second half of our two-part series which looks at the connection between heat and health, the role water plays, what’s being done, and where these cities have room to improve.

Cleaning up toxins caused by copper mining, and foraging for Great Lakes wild foods.

Floating solar panels are somewhat new in the U.S. In some places, the competition for land makes putting solar panel on plastic rafts feasible.

“Sustainable prosperity” and innovation are key to mayors’ 10-year plan. Expert says economic transition from the Rust Belt era is more appropriate, cautions “today’s abundance may be tomorrow’s drought.”

White bass are like freshwater wolves: elusive, with a love of wide open spaces and killer teamwork.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region.

Heat is becoming a threat in cities everywhere. Here is part one of our two-part series that takes a looks at the connection between heat and health, the role water plays, what’s being done and where these cities have room to improve.

Three butterflies are racing to become Michigan’s official state insect – and one of them is ahead, at least politically.

Audubon Great Lakes members held an advocacy day for the first time in Michigan. Wetlands topped the agenda, but was just one item in a list to improve the environment.

It’s a dry spring – 1984 in Wisconsin – and all these suspicious fires are popping up. A conservation warden named Dave is pretty sure it’s arson, but he can’t catch a break. So, he and a pilot decide to get creative.

The U.S. Coast Guard says a freighter in Lake Superior has hit something underwater and started taking on water.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news.

Michigan is requiring more biosecurity measures on farms because of an outbreak of bird flu in dairy herds.

Tough talk followed a public outcry six years ago, but the push for policy reforms and monetary compensation has petered out.

The state denied, for now, an application to destroy wetlands.

Scientists studying unregulated “emerging contaminants” say Ontario and the federal government need a coordinated plan to protect our water and health

American white pelicans were considered “a rare vagrant” to Lake Erie up until 2014. Then, sightings of these fascinating waterbirds became more common.

Coming of age in the 1970s, Jane Elder “cared about the environment and wanted to be in that space.” Now, Elder is concerned with today’s lack of oversight on climate change in the Great Lakes region.

The hunt for tick varieties began after discovering that 30-40% of the local moose had “serological signs of having had Lyme Disease at some point.”

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

More than 120 years ago, a Native American village in northern Michigan was burned down at the behest of a white land speculator. Now, the descendants of that village want the federal government to know they’re still here.

From mosquitoes to sewer overflows, the heat and moisture of a changing climate are creating new health threats in the Great Lakes region, prompting a call to educate residents and doctors about the risks.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region.

The pesticide DDT nearly wiped out North America’s bald eagles. Communities, scientists and politicians worked hard to bring this symbolic bird back from the brink.

Teaching Lake Whitefish to thrive and getting up close at Niagara Falls.  

My confidence that no other species had a chance of unseating muskies as the reader’s favorite seemed like a safe bet. But I was wrong.

“No Mow May” is a catchy concept, but it doesn’t provide the food that native North American pollinators need or lasting support for them.

Looking back on the warm, snowless winter that wreaked havoc on cherished outdoor recreation, and how Great Lakes communities made do.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news.

Like clockwork, Michigan’s Ford Lake and its downstream neighbor, Belleville Lake, turn bright green every summer due to harmful algal blooms.

People are unprepared for smoke from forest fires worsened by intense drought and heat.

“Innovation is integral to delivering on all of our water priorities,” says top executive. What about conservation?

Smoke from Canadian wildfires has prompted health warnings across the Upper Midwest and Montana for the second year in a row.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region.

The Rouge River got a D+ in a recent report card, but after 35 years of river activism, Bill Craig still has the energy to clean it up.

Author Jerry Dennis revisits his sailing journey from Lake Michigan to the Atlantic Ocean where he searched for “the heart of the inland seas.”

This spring, the Grand Traverse Area Children’s Garden teamed up with the GT Butterfly House & Bug Zoo to encourage people to help out pollinators.

As spring unfolds its vibrant hues, what better way to celebrate the season than by embracing the often overlooked splendor of dandelions and violets?

In 2006, lake whitefish spawning was documented in the Detroit River for the first time since 1916. Today, the Detroit River proves essential to the survival of the species.

The Department of the Interior and Indian Health Service are partnering to develop safe drinking water and improve community sanitation across Indian Country, the agencies announced this week.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news.

“My journey through the pipes of Lafayette Park revealed the importance of proactive measures and city-wide advocacy for clean, safe tap water.”

COP29 could make carbon markets permanent. Indigenous leaders are calling for a moratorium before it’s too late.

A group analyzed 20 years of beach cleanup data, finding that 86% of litter is composed at least partially of plastic.

U.S. nuclear industry is closely watching Palisades, amid a surge of investments as demand climbs for low-carbon sources of electricity. Other recently shuttered nuclear plants could take a cue from Palisades.

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

An Ojibwe story about nenookaasiwag (hummingbirds) and how small actions lead to larger impact. With shared wisdom on how to properly care for your hummingbird feeder this season.

Iceland has figured out how to use almost 100% of every fish caught — not just the filet. By making things like durable leather, it’s increased the value of an Atlantic cod from about $15 to over $5,000. Can this approach help the struggling Great Lakes fishery?

Dozens of the children of Flint, Michigan’s lead-contaminated water crisis have turned their trauma into advocacy 10 years after it began.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Cloning crustacean were found several miles from Lake Ontario.

Money from a bond voters authorized in 2002 is a big one-time boost for Michigan’s crumbling water infrastructure, but state officials say more is needed.

Sounding the alarm on an invasive crustacean and rising temperatures in Lake Superior.

As the Great Lakes winter recedes, the forests from the shores of Lake Superior to Lake Erie begin to show signs of life. Among the first to announce spring are the ramps emerging in the undergrowth.

Amid climate and habitat concerns, the Biggest Week in American Birding festival will draw tens of thousands in May.

In the interview, we discuss storytelling that centers community advocacy, and the history and present of the environmental justice movement.

Scientists are thinking holistically about biodiversity, sustainability, and resilience when it comes to the role invasive cattails play in the Great Lakes.

State officials warned against eating too much of the silvery panfish due to high PFAS levels. Scientists now say that was an error, but aren’t yet ready to abandon fish consumption advisories altogether.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

In a late move, the Department of Justice sides with Canada on continued operation of Line 5, citing treaty and the public’s interest.

An introduction to “A Year in the Wild Kitchen of the Great Lakes” — a content series in partnership with expert forager Lisa M. Rose with the mission of nurturing a deeper connection with the natural world through the lens of foraging.

Smallmouth basses are like 3-year-old German Shepherds: powerful and intelligent with lethal guarding instincts.

Small, silvery fish called kiyi used to roam the deep, cold waters of nearly every Great Lake. Remnant populations still exist in Lake Superior, and scientists are wondering: Can we find them?

How unprecedented water levels are fluctuating in the Georgian Bay, impacting the lives of long-standing residents, including humans and trees.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Two suits allege pollution from the plant into waterways exceeded the company’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.

The secret to success? Build affordable housing next to transit.

Everything you need to know about bald eagles in Ohio: where to see them, and what to know about their population return.

The pollution is so bad that one westside family hasn’t constructed a playground for their kids.

Non-native species of salmon and trout have become an important part of Lake Ontario’s ecosystem. Keeping them healthy is often at odds with stocking fish for anglers.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said this week that with warm winters expected to continue, businesses need better access to federal assistance.

Since an eclipse only lasts a few minutes, you need more than just a handful of scientists collecting data. That’s where a new app comes in.

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency defended a new $20 billion federal “green bank” program, saying it will finance a variety of projects to create low-carbon solutions to combat climate change.

With key species like whitefish nearing the brink of collapse, Michigan’s largest Native American tribe wants fewer restrictions on when, how and where its members can fish.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news.

The Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township could be the first shuttered nuclear facility to reopen in the U.S.

Outgoing CEO of Conservation Halton reflects on government cuts and how to enable development while protecting nature and future generations.

Local conservationists coined the term “Conservation Crescent” 25 years ago to better understand and protect several islands in the Detroit River. Here is the recent history of those islands, detailing the success of this movement.

When hunter Ben Karasch sees something move out of the corner of his eye, he assumes it’s a deer. But as Karasch gets a better look, he realizes it’s not a deer, it’s a cougar. And it’s slowly creeping towards him.

Antidepressants can affect reaction times in fish and birth control gives male specimens female traits. How might pharmaceutical pollution impact life around the Great Lakes?

An Ojibwe elder traveled to Serbia to learn about the successful fight against a mining giant looking to set up a similar operation in Minnesota.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm touted the southwest Michigan plant as a key part of America’s energy future. Opponents questioned the safety of the 53-year-old facility.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

New rules reduce buffer zones between development and wetlands and empower Doug Ford’s cabinet to issue permits without their say.

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

Gov. JB Pritzker sent a letter expressing concern over costs of the $1 billion project and the burden to Illinois taxpayers.

The Great Lakes region has a lower risk of extreme weather compared to other parts of the country.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news.

The ups and downs of the southernmost Great Lake.

Educators, students, and science enthusiasts in the region are teaming up with NASA to take important weather measurements during the event.

The city’s first urban agriculture director aims to help gardeners access land and water while making urban farming a seamless part of the city’s policy.

Michigan in poised to save $10 million in road salt costs, bucking a trend of increased use — and pollution — in lakes, rivers and groundwater.

Holtec’s lack of nuclear operating experience is cited as a potential issue, and expert Mycle Schneider urges a focus on renewables.

A solar eclipse is expected to draw large crowds to Lake Erie, and tourism officials are preparing for an early start to the 2024 season.

A skier’s paradise on Lake Superior shores, Great Lakes sauna culture and more.

Rock bass are like 10-month-old golden retrievers: playful, energetic and a lot of fun to watch.

BridgeDetroit found the city cited the company operating the crushing operation with nearly 300 blight violations over two years.

When U.P. snowboarder Nick Baumgartner lost in a qualifying round at the 2022 Olympics, he broke down. It was his fourth Olympics, he’d never medaled, and he might not get another shot. But then he got some news.

The city was supposed to finish replacing all lead service lines in Flint by 2020. The work still isn’t done. The ruling includes no financial penalties.

A divided Wisconsin Court of Appeals upheld a ruling that limited the DNR’s ability to regulate PFAS and other contaminants. The case is one of two efforts to weaken the spills law.

Maple sap typically runs from mid-March to mid-April in Wisconsin. This year, the tapping process started almost a month ago.

As national parks around the country try to raise awareness about climate change, those around Lake Superior are taking steps to get cut their emissions.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Two Pennsylvania farmers have been found guilty of poisoning over two dozen migratory birds with a restricted substance. Many species of birds are declining in North America and many are at risk of extinction, Macdonald said.

Michigan Tech University biologists have been observing a remote Lake Superior island’s fragile wolf population every winter since 1958, but they had to cut this season’s planned seven-week survey short after just two weeks.

Tribes across the Great Lakes are asking the federal government to weigh in on a case in the Bad River Band Reservation.

A new report asks whether supposedly green livestock practices have proven benefits.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

The U.S. Supreme Court rolled back protections for wetlands last year, leaving states like Illinois vulnerable.

First-of-its-kind agreement takes aim at leading threats to Great Lakes region.

In a critical response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Equity Commission Final Report, the Native Farm Bill Coalition co-chairs say the report doesn’t adequately address inequities in Indian Country.

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.

World’s longest trail is about to become even longer. Plans are underway to make the Trans Canada Trail connect from Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan.

In the mid-1900’s, a man moves to northern Michigan to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. He starts having religious visions and builds big stone monuments to commemorate them. That’s where the story starts to get twisted.

The upper Midwest rarely sees the type of high-intensity, destructive wildfires that the west coast sees, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen here.

About 250 acres of Indiana wetlands have been lost in the two years since wetland protections were eased. Since the 2021 law passed, mitigation requirements have decreased.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Filmmaker Mary Mazzio talks about capturing the Bad River Tribe’s fight to shut down Line 5 oil pipeline.

“Spirits Dancing: The Night Sky, Indigenous Knowledge & Living Connections to the Cosmos” incorporates a “two-eyed seeing” approach to learning about the cosmos.

The Ojibwe Winter Games give Lac du Flambeau students a chance to learn about their culture while having some fun, but a growing concern is how climate change may impact the games.

We spoke with Brenda Coley, co-executive director of the urban network and non-profit organization Milwaukee Water Commons.

More anglers are targeting muskie and spending more on the pursuit. Fish populations are thriving in most Great Lakes states due to a combination of factors.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

The Biden administration announced that states will share $5.8 billion in federal funds for water infrastructure projects around the country.

Michigan is tackling implementation of a law that approves large renewable projects, and they’re hoping public input will guide the process.

Great Lakes muskellunge, optimizing solar panels for snow, and another short winter.

The goal of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources muskellunge rearing program is to stock 40,000 new fish into the Great Lakes each year. But their challenges are real.

Each summer, 15 educators join the EPA on a research trip around one of the Great Lakes. Applications for next summer are due February 19.

A staple for centuries, the fish are struggling to reproduce in the Great Lakes. So scientists hope to convince the whitefish to spawn in rivers, away from threats.

For businesses that depend on snow and cold temperatures, this weather has been tough.

Michigan Muskie Alliance founder William Schultz finds that lakes with the best walleye fisheries across the country are also the best spots for muskie, and it’s not a coincidence.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne called on the EPA to finalize proposed federal clean car standards for new vehicles.

The EPA recently proposed new rules that would remove lead pipes from America’s drinking water infrastructure over the next decade. But with more lead pipes than any other city, Chicago is a notable exception.

Researchers in Minnesota are creating a national map to identify peatlands – soggy areas of slowly decaying organic matter – and guides for how to restore them. The PeatRestore project is set to span several years.

A food waste digester in Fremont is closing after a years-long permit dispute with the state. Environmental groups say the outcome of that dispute could have far-reaching impacts.

Chicago is joining a nationwide trend of large cities incorporating equity or justice goals into preparing for climate change’s impact on public health.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

There are big discrepancies among jurisdictions on what fish to eat and how often, making it difficult for individuals and communities to make informed decisions that affect their health.

An attorney for the energy company Enbridge tried to persuade a federal appellate court to vacate an order that would shut down part of a pipeline running through a Wisconsin tribal reservation.

After Detroit’s 2021 catastrophic flooding event, new ideas emerged about climate adaptation. Curt Wolf sat down with Great Lakes Now to discuss how the Michigan Center for Freshwater Innovation is bringing solutions to the table by getting everyone to the table.

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.

Scientists once believed little important happened during winters. But as they vanish, the study of snowpack is increasing.

The DNR is rebuilding the Father Marquette National Memorial in St. Ignace. The exhibits, art work and signage will focus on the area’s rich Native American culture and history.

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.”

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.”

Cancellations mount as Michigan experiences one of the warmest winters in memory. Experts blame El Niño and climate change.

Historically restoration work focused on measurable ecological outcomes. Researchers make the case to codify human well-being into the process.

Today, the Detroit River is much cleaner, and sentinel wildlife species have returned. It is good to look back at the 1960s pollution of the river, notably oil pollution, and recognize how far we have come.

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.

Saying fossil fuel use will decline, the Ontario Energy Board told Enbridge Gas to charge developers, not homeowners, for new natural gas hookups.

The race takes place on a one-mile track of ice, so snow isn’t critical. But even though the race doesn’t need a lot of snow, the region’s trails do.

Deer culling is common across the Midwest. Cities often hire sharpshooters or allow hunters to kill a certain number of deer.

Engineering company Veolia North America settles class-action lawsuit before a trial was set to begin. The company consulted the city of Flint after its disastrous 2014 water switch.

Buildings are Chicago’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but efforts to decarbonize them are facing union opposition.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Residents are divided over whether financial benefits outweigh risks.

Cleanup efforts are still underway in East Palestine nearly a year after a train derailed. Officials say progress is being made at restoring water quality and aquatic life.

Lake Erie is the first of the Great Lakes getting connected to the internet with a series of offshore “smart” buoys. And it’s not just for sending texts on the water.

The National Science Foundation has given a consortium of Great Lakes-area universities and tech companies $15 million to develop ways to extract harmful substances from wastewater.

Pollution plays a role in preventing shoreline erosion for lakeside properties.

We spoke with Huda Alkaff, an ecologist, environmental educator and the founder and director of Wisconsin Green Muslims.

Organizations across the country are focused on getting more houses of worship to install solar panels, including in Michigan.

The U.S. Department of Defense plans to install two more groundwater treatment systems at a former Michigan military base to control contamination from forever chemicals.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Invasive carp could threaten the $7 billion recreation and commercial fishing industry around the Great Lakes.

A Great Lakes archeological dig site and power generation along the Niagara River.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said ice on the Great Lakes decreased by 5% each decade for 50 years.

A team of archaeologists looks for signs of prehistoric life 100 feet underwater in Lake Huron. But they need help narrowing their search. So, they turn to artificial intelligence.

There has been an uptick in human-wolf conflict in northern Minnesota.

Most of the grasslands that once dotted Ontario have been lost to development and agriculture. Bringing back these carbon-rich landscapes would be good for birds, bees, butterflies and people.

The court heard arguments in two challenges brought by commercial fishermen to a fee requirement, though the facts of their cases were barely discussed in the courtroom.

People on the western shore of Lake Erie witnessed a strange site after the weekend’s winter storm. Parts of the lake usually under water were suddenly dry and accessible.

The slow-motion destruction of Buffalo Reef, a critical spawning ground, offers lessons for new mining projects.

Michigan is working with communities and organizations to tackle climate change by funding new staff positions.

The suit questions one of the core principles of hunting and fishing in the United States, some experts say.

Michigan lawmakers made sweeping changes to Michigan energy laws last fall. But plenty of items missed the cut, from community solar to finding solutions for Michigan’s outage-prone power grid.

During the winter season, native species have three options: hibernate, migrate or stick it out. Warmer winter seasons may not immediately impact wildlife, but naturalists have concerns about long-term effects.

“Illinois is running out of excuses and right now it is single handedly delaying the project,” says the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Molly Flanagan in a Great Lakes Now interview.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

The Great Lakes underwater realm has distinct seasons just like the topside domain.

“Atmospheric inversions” caused several days of polluted air this week in much of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, though it did not rise to the level of an air quality action alert.

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.

How far can Michigan go in its quest to limit farm pollution in Michigan’s lakes and rivers? That’s the subject of a case now before the state’s highest court.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

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.

Campsite reservations are 35-80 percent booked through July across Michigan’s state parks.

The EPA called it “the largest single investment in environmental justice in history.”

Lessons and activities based on the monthly Great Lakes Now program.

The nonprofit For Love Of Water, which was an intervenor in the case, says the commission’s decision violates the Michigan Environmental Protection Act.

Ohio will soon embark on removing the Gorge Dam on the Cuyahoga River. Their approach could be a model for cleaning up contaminated sediments in the Detroit and Rouge rivers.

The discovery indicates a positive trend for the recovery of Wisconsin’s only state endangered mammal.

All of the Great Lakes are experiencing declining ice coverage in the winter, which could affect recreation and shorelines.

Opponents of the new law, which stripped away local permitting control over large wind and solar projects, are pushing a ballot initiative that would ask voters in November to overturn the law.

Red-eared sliders are one of the most common pet turtle species in the world. They can grow to the size of dinner plates and live around 40 years. Because of that, people often release them. That causes a big problem.

Lawmakers and advocates say new legislation is needed.

So far about a dozen of Traverse City’s downtown restaurants have said they are interested in composting.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Copper mining and receding shorelines intertwine with omnipresent impermanence.

The Biden administration moved to conserve groves of old-growth trees on national forests across the U.S. and limit logging as climate change amplifies the threats they face from wildfires, insects and disease.

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community would get $34 million if legislation passed by the U.S. Senate is approved by the House and signed by President Joe Biden.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

William Hart, director of a documentary about the Flint water crisis called “Lead and Copper,” joined Great Lakes Now’s Anna Sysling for a discussion about the film.

In Ojibwe country, change is understood to be a constant condition or state of being. Sometimes change is difficult, and sometimes change is good. A very good effort to change happened on May 2, 2023.

Greater effort, creativity needed to secure required funding at the state and local levels, lagging Detroit River effort “stands out.”

Cleveland’s off-shore wind turbine project has been halted after the project’s private development partner pulled financial support.

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 legal dilemma took center stage during EGLE’s fourth annual Great Lakes PFAS Summit.

Michigan won’t reach the phosphorus reduction goal by 2025 as planned. It’s uncertain when it might attain that goal to help reduce cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Erie.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Flooding is driving millions of people to move, limiting growth in some prospering communities and accelerating the decline of others, according to a new study.

A whimsical remake of the classic holiday tale ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas featuring the Spirit Sturgeon and other Great Lakes fish.

Ahead of a gathering to assess the health of Lake Erie, Michigan acknowledges it won’t meet a 2025 deadline to cut phosphorus runoff into the lake by 40 percent.

Sailing on ice, Lake Ontario winter surfing and three Lake Michigan news stories.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

The Catch took a look at why experts are saying water from greenhouses in southern Ontario could be harming Lake Erie. Journalist and farmer Matt McIntosh recently reported on the issue for The Narwhal.

“The compact is a step forward for the Great Lakes but it’s just the beginning of a long journey.”

Lessons and activities based on the monthly Great Lakes Now program.

The Catch took a look at the largest project ever funded under a Great Lakes cleanup program. The aim is to remove contaminated sediments from a polluted hotspot in Milwaukee.

Experts say nutrient-rich water from greenhouse farms could be harming Lake Erie, but Ontario’s Environment Ministry has issued very few fines for potential algae-causing infractions.

Tribes and organizations in the Great Lakes were awarded more than $11 million as part of a big federal investment in recycling.

In October 1960, Prince Akihito of Japan visited Chicago for 21 hours. Chicago’s mayor presented the prince with a diplomatic gift: 18 bluegill. What happened next would change the underwater world of Japan forever.

Chevron and two utilities are building big methane biodigesters on the state’s largest dairies.

The city’s nearly 400,000 pipes wouldn’t have to be fully removed for nearly 30 years after the rest of the nation.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Southwest Detroit has long been known for its heavy industry. In recent years, neighborhoods have teamed up with Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s Detroit refinery to strengthen and revitalize these communities.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources asks the public to notify the agency if they spot a black bear den. It’s part of a program to place orphaned cubs with a mother bear.

Can wastewater recycled for drinking water survive the court of public opinion?

The ruling puts Enbridge Energy a step closer to tunnel construction despite opposition from environmental and Native American groups.

The Grand Valley State University documentary was screened at the Dennos Theater in Traverse City on Nov. 30.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Invasion of the earthworms! It sounds like a bad Hollywood movie, but science can be stranger than fiction.

The Buffalo River’s 450-square-mile watershed is a source of much plastic pollution, and officials say the vast majority of that pollution consists of single-use containers and packaging.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan on Jones Island, Milwaukee’s newly updated port is emerging as a potential force in the city’s economy. 

Michigan is on the verge of implementing one of the nation’s most ambitious clean energy mandates, aiming to be carbon-free by 2040.

Detroit residents with past-due bills are facing water shut-offs again after a reprieve during COVID-19. At the same time, providers are also raising rates.

We spoke with Alicia Smith, executive director of the Junction Coalition, a community nonprofit based in Toledo, Ohio.

David Exelby was scrolling through Reddit when he came across a mysterious post. This guy had stumbled on a ghost town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The problem was no one could find it.

Tracking escaped goldfish in Hamilton Harbour could help control the invasive species.

“I think next time I decide to make a batch, I’ll add a bit of manoomin — wild rice — flour along with a touch of maple sugar, to see how that fries up in a little bit of grease, and give thanks for all that we have.”

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Explore Indiana’s shoreline erosion dilemma and Michigan dam removal efforts.

The Great Lakes are among the fastest-warming bodies of water. They contain one fifth of the world’s freshwater, and climate change is affecting everything that depends on them.

Wildlife officials across the Great Lakes are looking for spies to take on an almost impossible mission: stop the spread of invasive carp.

Common carp are not the only species that enjoy a fresh ear of Michigan sweet corn as we discovered during a recent attempt at feeding.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Revved-up climate change now permeates Americans’ daily lives with harm that is “already far-reaching and worsening across every region of the United States,” a massive new government report says.

State regulators are ratcheting down the number of fish anglers can keep in some rivers, citing fears that the fish could be in trouble. State scientists disagree.

Lessons and activities based on the monthly Great Lakes Now program.

Tom Wall is a West Michigan rock star who uses plants as bandmates. He uses a device to harness the electricity in plants, which then turns those impulses into musical notes. Tom insists the plants are talking to us through the music. But can they really do that?

Thousands of wildfires in Canada this year have incinerated an area larger than Florida, releasing into the atmosphere more than three times the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by Canada in an entire year. And some are still burning.

Sewerage district leadership sealed the deal to remediate two million cubic yards of contaminated sediment

Water quality sensors in Lake Erie are being networked to make more data accessible to researchers and government agencies, as well as the public.

Northern Michigan had another beautiful fall full of brilliant foliage. When and how those leaves change depends on a lot of factors, including a changing climate.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Amid rising concerns over the increasing frequency and severity of flooding in the Great Lakes region, a new study unveils crucial insights into each state’s preparedness.

On the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, it is good to reflect on some of its successes here in metropolitan Detroit’s backyard.

New three-year contract includes 13-percent wage increase over three years.

The student was gathering the final data set for her Ph.D. when her small research boat stopped responding to the remote control.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

A state prosecution team on Tuesday announced it’s given up on the effort to criminally charge public officials for the Flint water crisis. One unsurprised community leader called it “the norm” for a city repeatedly failed by the state.

Lane Frame was visiting the Great Lakes for the first time. It was a windy day and the water was rough, but Lane and his brothers headed onto a pier to see a lighthouse. Then a wave crashed over the breakwall and pushed him into the water. Lane drowned, but maybe it didn’t have to be that way.

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.

A strike has shut down all shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway, interrupting exports of grain and other goods from Canada and the United States via the Great Lakes to the rest of the world.

When it comes to fostering resilience in the face of climate change in the waters that border the U.S. and Canada, hydrologist Drew Gronewold wants the region to be a “role model for the world.”

After failing to reach an agreement, hundreds of workers stationed between Lake Erie and Montreal walked off the job. Thousands of trips per year are made by ocean-going ships passing through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

As climate change threatens to warm Michigan rivers, dam removal can drive temperatures down by several degrees. An influx of money has boosted removal efforts, but advocates say more is needed.

Tracking wolves and moose on Isle Royale, and piloting Great Lakes freighters.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

Quite a few bills are going through the Michigan Legislature that are poised to radically reshape the state’s approach to energy. These proposed legislations signal Michigan’s commitment to the climate crisis, and could set the stage for a significant shift in the state’s environmental policies. .

The Grand Portage Band was the first Tribal Nation in the country to have a beach program and has been monitoring water quality at tribally-held beaches since 2007.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

The upcoming winter looks likely to be a bit low on snow and cold outbreaks, with forecasters predicting the North to get warmer than normal and the South wetter and stormier.

The progeny of lake sturgeon from Michigan will be released into the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland, Ohio.

Federal, state and local officials have agreed to spend about $450 million to dredge contaminated sediment from Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan harbor and area rivers.

The vast majority of panels are thrown away in landfills — only about 10% are recycled.

A jellyfish bloom in the Great Lakes is a rare sight to behold but a camera installed in the St. Clair River captured one of the largest blooms ever recorded and live streamed them to the world.

Too much “wiggle room” for utilities, plus temporary assistance program doesn’t address underlying issues, says Monica Lewis-Patrick.

Buying wetlands on the commercial market is expensive. The state of Michigan set up a program to give municipal road agencies a way to mitigate damage to wetlands more cheaply.

Lessons and activities based on the monthly Great Lakes Now program.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

A Milwaukee suburb has finally started to pull millions of gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan after spending years seeking approval from regulators.

Environmentalists say the Ohio plan will not work because it doesn’t hold agriculture responsible for the runoff from fields using manure from factory farms as fertilizer.

The Great Lakes region’s more than 300 bird species may provide valuable mental health benefits.

Government officials begin the grim task of prioritizing which cold lakes and rivers to sacrifice — or save — as the climate changes. Not all cold-water loving fish may survive in the northern Great Lakes region.

There is concern about millions of acres of wetlands across America, including the Great Lakes region, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

The Canadian energy giant pleads with Michigan officials to intervene, saying federal authorities are slow-walking their review of a key permit needed to build a tunnel in a pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.

Language revitalization efforts, both in Canada and the U.S., are opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reclaim their cultural ties. Strategies for revitalizing languages range from language documentation to immersion language schools.

The study used environmental DNA, a revolutionary way to assist in studying life on earth. It allows scientists to uncover hidden aspects of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by analyzing genetic material in the environment.

For over 100 years, the Detroit River was perceived as a working waterway that supported industry and commerce. As such, its shoreline was progressively hardened with concrete seawalls, steel sheet piling, or broken concrete.

“Our Changing Menu: Climate Change and the Foods We Love and Need” offers examples of how our global food system is affected by climate change. More importantly, it offers hope and solutions for the future that can be applied right here in the Great Lakes region and beyond. 

Michigan’s wild places are under threat as warmer temperatures cause species to migrate northward and rivers to overheat. Advocates called for more resources to protect Michigan’s fish and game from those changes.

A decision is needed soon for funds to remove toxic chemicals from drinking water.

NASA satellite imagery has recently shown that beavers banished to rural Idaho have made significant improvements to waterways in the region.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released the MI Healthy Climate Plan last year. Now the state legislature is trying to take those goals and turn them into law.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

An invasive mussel is destroying shipwrecks deep in the depths of the lakes, forcing archeologists and amateur historians into a race against time to find as many sites as they can.

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.

Detroit kids test positive for lead at triple the state’s rate, but few get tested. A new universal testing law means more exposed kids may get help.

Preserving the remarkable legacy of Tchi-Ki-Wis Linklater’s cedar bark mats.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Activist coalition says Michigan funding urgently needed for the Detroit River, ongoing pollution from chemical plant threatens progress.

Mountain biking Great Lakes trails and the U.S. Supreme Court’s impact on wetlands.

Dazzling metallic flashes radiated around me with each twist and turn of their slender bodies. I was completely immobilized and mesmerized by the splendor.  

A 150-year-old schooner that sank in 1881 was finally discovered in Lake Michigan.

Freshwater jellyfish have been in inland lakes and rivers throughout the Great Lakes region since 1933. But a century after their discovery, we still don’t know much about the elusive creatures. A team of student scientists is trying to change that.

Massasaugas strongly prefer small mammal prey, yet individuals occasionally consume other prey, including amphibians, reptiles and birds.

The Michigan Attorney General’s office sued the Grand Rapids airport authority on behalf of EGLE over a dispute on responsibility for PFAS contamination.

Student journalist Jada Vasser took a look at the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act of 1990 and the impact it has had on the lakes. The legislation gave the Great Lakes region specific standards of water quality that needed to be met in order for the lakes to be used for things like fishing, recreation and more.

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in this biweekly headline roundup.

The Catch featured an ongoing and serious concern is back in Lake Erie: harmful algal blooms. The blooms exist throughout the Great Lakes, but are especially pervasive in the western basin of Lake Erie.

University of Michigan report calls for new guiding principles and leaders with skills to work across disciplines.

Government auditors say EPA officials failed to follow a new “elevation policy” that’s meant to generate a stronger response to the most urgent environmental and public health threats.

Activists aim to enrich their neighbors’ quality of life and deepen their connection to nature.

Catch the latest in Great Lakes energy news in Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Lessons and activities based on the monthly Great Lakes Now program.