Michigan residents are being warned to be prepared for another season of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is advising people on what to do if they encounter the algae. One environmental group is convinced it's being caused by thermal discharge from nuclear plants.

Jesse Deer in Water, community organizer for the watchdog group Citizens' Resistance at Fermi Two, the nuclear plant in Monroe County, said the plant's discharge is full of toxins but people rarely hear about it, because the data comes from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

"The thermal discharge is the heat from the process of the cooling that's left over in the water," Deer in Water explained. "It comes out at temperatures well above the average, and damages the ecosystems and fish, and the heat from it helps harmful algal blooms dominate the waters there locally."

The group is demanding more regulation and cleaner energy sources, saying nuclear power is neither "clean" nor "emission-free."

State agencies sample lake water for harmful algal blooms, but recommend people use a "stick test" if they see something odd. If it can't be picked up with a stick or paddle and looks like spilled green paint, it could be toxic, and should be reported right away to the Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278.

Residents of Newport and Monroe County can check the state's Harmful Algal Bloom Map to help them avoid toxic waters. The state pointed out breathing in or swallowing water with algal blooms can cause a host of symptoms, from difficulty breathing, vomiting and diarrhea, to weakness or numbness, headaches or dizziness.

Graham Denton, a Monroe County resident and member of The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, said he's always concerned for his family's health when they are at the lake.

"We visit a website every time we go to the lake with our dog or our son now, and we're checking the algae bloom," Denton noted. "We live in the area that's the western point of Lake Erie and so, we were shocked to see some of these articles come out and say, 'Hey don't let your dogs swim here, don't let your kids swim here when it's like that.' That's pretty shocking."

Back in 2014, the algal blooms were so bad in the western basin of Lake Erie, they affected access to drinking water for residents of the area.

A local nonprofit with a mission to advance regenerative agriculture is hoping its new video can open up an untapped world of science to a younger audience.

It is not every day kids see animated characters rapping about the importance of soil microbes but the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute created "The Soil Microbe Song" as a way to educate children.

Nicole Tautgus, agroecologist and research director at the institute, said she saw a gap in K-12 science education even she experienced, as she didn't hear the term "soil science" until she was in college. A former professor and her toddler son inspired Tautgus to write the song about soil.

"There's this concept that kids love to put their hands in the dirt, and there's this concept of healthy eating that we talk about," Tautgus outlined. "But I don't think that it gets connected very well to the soil, to the plant, to the kitchen, to the plate."

Studies shows farm soil tends to lack beneficial microbes, which help retain nutrients and suppress disease, and affect crop outcomes. Organic farming enhances microbial activity in soil. She added more people are beginning to see the importance of sharing these topics with children.

"Soil microbes are the hot topic among farming right now, and they're absolutely integral to everything that soil does," Tautgus pointed out. "So, why not introduce children to this concept? We talk to them about germs and washing their hands, but there's also a whole world of beneficial microbes."

Tautgus explained animated soil microbes parade around in the song, describing what each of their roles are, to hopefully engage children and anyone else who watches it.

"I think when you get into the world of soil microbes, it becomes technical really quickly," Tautgus acknowledged. "There's a lot of words in the video and a lot of it whizzes by, but the words weren't my goal."

The institute plans to develop accompanying lesson plans and materials in hopes the video can be used in classrooms across the state.

A Michigan nonprofit is among the groups raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest between President Donald Trump and the Line 5 tunnel project.

President Trump's national "energy emergency" order has fast-tracked more than 600 projects, including Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel, for quicker approval.

According to records from the Federal Election Commission, Trump's campaign last year received more than more than $1 million in donations from Tim Barnard, CEO of the project's contractor, Barnard Construction.

Levi Teitel, communications coordinator for Progress Michigan, called it problematic.

"We're drawing attention to this potential conflict of interest," Teitel explained. "And what it could mean for the integrity of the Great Lakes and also for our government as a whole."

Enbridge has responded in a statement saying, in part, it hired Barnard Construction Company and Civil and Building North America in 2023, during the Biden administration, following a robust and lengthy selection process.

Opponents of Line 5 have cited spill risks, Indigenous rights and the project's contribution to continued reliance on fossil fuels among their concerns.

The Michigan Court of Appeals recently affirmed the state Public Service Commission's decision to grant permits for the underwater pipeline project, rejecting legal challenges from environmental groups and tribes concerned about its ecological and cultural impact. Teitel argued the approval process for Line 5 has been flawed.

"This process should require public input," Teitel contended. "That's usually what really happens when it comes to federal permitting for fossil fuel projects. If this were fast-tracked, it could spell danger and potentially an explosion risk."

The Line 5 project involves constructing a 4.5-mile tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac to encase the crude oil pipeline and reduce spill risks.


get more stories like this via email

Greenpeace has been ordered to pay several hundred million dollars stemming from the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and some are saying the verdict leaves a chilling effect on free-speech matters.

Nearly a decade ago, protests in North Dakota captured worldwide attention as the oil pipeline project advanced, with Indigenous rights serving as a focal point. The events still reverberate today, including a civil trial where an affiliated energy company sued Greenpeace, accusing it of defamation and orchestrating illegal acts within the protests. The global nonprofit argued it had a limited presence.

James Wheaton, founder and senior counsel for the First Amendment Project, a public interest law firm, worries about the verdict's precedent.

"The problem is going to be that anybody who helps to organize a peaceful, lawful protest could face ruinous litigation," Wheaton pointed out.

He suggested activists might worry about being dragged into court versus expressing their First Amendment rights. Greenpeace said it will appeal and has warned a large civil penalty could force it to cease operating in the U.S.

The company behind the case, Energy Transfer, said the outcome is a win for Americans who "understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law."

A broader aspect of the case is what's known as a SLAPP lawsuit, with experts noting these are sometimes brought by corporations against people or nonprofits speaking out on various issues. Even if the plaintiff does not win, the defendant is saddled with mounting legal costs.

Wheaton helped start the movement to usher in anti-SLAPP laws around the country. He explained how they work.

"The court can freeze the case in its tracks at the very beginning and test whether it has enough merit to be allowed to go forward or should be dismissed immediately," Wheaton outlined.

Dozens of states have such laws on the books, but North Dakota is not among them. Critics of anti-SLAPP laws said they make it too easy for a court to quickly dismiss a case. But Wheaton feels they do not prevent plaintiffs from having their day in court, and he would like to see more states adopt them.


get more stories like this via email