Public News Service

As it travels under the Straits of Mackinac, Enbridge's Line 5 diverges into two, 20-inch diameter, parallel pipelines. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Indigenous water protectors protest aging pipeline

Indigenous water protectors and allies met at Michigan's Straits of Mackinac last week, to spotlight the dangers of the 71-year-old Line 5, deemed …

If you live within a 10-mile radius of a nuclear power plant, officials warn it's important to be prepared in case an emergency occurs. Be sure to know the terms, what to do, and be prepared to follow instructions from emergency workers. Andrew Webb Curtis/Adobe Stock

MI environmental group applauds changes to Fermi 2 permit

Michigan environmental justice group Citizens' Resistance at Fermi Two did not get everything on its wish list. Still, the group is celebrating long-…

Line 5, an Enbridge pipeline that was built in 1953, runs for 645 miles from Wisconsin, under the Straits of Mackinac, through Michigan to Sarnia, Ontario. (Jorge Moro/Adobe Stock)

MI environmental group responds to pipeline enclosure appeal

A Michigan environmental group is addressing an appeal challenging the state's decision to approve the enclosure of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline…

An oil spill from the pipeline in the Great Lakes would threaten the drinking water of 40 million people across the United States and Canada. (Jorge Moro/Adobe Stock)

MI environmental group hails Enbridge suit being ordered back to state court

A Michigan nonprofit dedicated to keeping oil out of the Great Lakes is celebrating a major victory. A federal Appellate Court has ruled that …

On Oct. 5, 1966, Fermi 1 suffered a partial fuel meltdown. Two of the 92 fuel assemblies were partially damaged. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, no abnormal radioactivity was released into the environment. (spiritofamerica/Adobe Stock)

Climate change reignites concerns over nuclear storage on MI shores

Summer temperatures are one more reason for concern by environmental groups about the nuclear waste stored along the Great Lakes. There are three …

Since 2023, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has completed more than 5,300 excavations to determine if households have lead water lines. (Rick Beauregard)

MI leaders mark progress in removing lead water lines

It has been a decade since the massive fallout from the Flint water crisis. Now, Michigan leaders are highlighting their progress in removing lead …

Warren, Mich., currently uses only one incinerator in its wastewater treatment system, which processes about 100 tons of sludge per day. (City of Warren)

Michigan mayor seeks multimillion-dollar wastewater upgrade

A new, high-tech wastewater treatment incinerator, used in only a few states, is on the wish list for one Michigan city. Former state …

Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline transports 22 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas liquids across 645 miles of countryside every day, from Superior, Wis., through Michigan's Upper Peninsula, under the Straits of Mackinac to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. (Adobe Stock)

Michiganders in Cincinnati in pursuit of Line 5 shutdown

Dana Nessel, Michigan's Attorney General, joined Indigenous and conservation groups at a demonstration Thursday in Cincinnati, highlighting what they …

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped secure the funding for the Western Michigan University project. (VectorMine/Adobe Stock)

WMU secures $2.25 million grant for carbon capture research

Western Michigan University has gotten a significant funding boost, with a grant of more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The …

Following a major earthquake, a 15-meter tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three Fukushima Daiichi reactors, causing a nuclear accident in Japan on March 11, 2011. (Freer/Adobe Stock)

Fukushima remembrance event highlights local concerns in Michigan

Bringing together Michigan tribes and environmental advocates, an upcoming event marks a commemoration of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster…

Ice cover duration for Lake Michigan has declined by 22 days over the last 50 years. (Climate Central 2024)

Dwindling Great Lakes ice cover highlights troubling trend

The Great Lakes region has experienced record low ice cover this winter, and scientists said it is important to keep an eye on the warming trends…

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has the authority to cancel fishing seasons under part 411 of the state's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The DNR notice said it is too soon to determine whether this year's cancelation will affect the harvest limit for next year. (sablin/Adobe Stock)

Black Lake sturgeon season cancelled due to mild temperatures

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced on Friday it is canceling the 2024 Black Lake sturgeon harvest due to warm temperatures and uns…

View from underneath of the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

New Year brings renewed concerns over Great Lakes Line 5 project

The New Year brings a chorus of familiar concerns about the risks of building a 21-foot diameter tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac for oil and gas …

Piping plover sits near sand bags used by Enbridge in its Bad River bank stabilization project in Ashland County, Wis. (MierCat Photography/Adobe Stock)

Line 5 moves forward, despite wildlife advocates' calls for shutdown

Conservation groups in Michigan and the Great Lakes region say they'll keep calling for an orderly shutdown of the Line 5 oil pipeline, despite the …

The Department of Energy is revoking $37 million previously awarded to Ohio's six-turbine Icebreaker wind project, which has been in the works since 2009. (Adobe Stock)

Michigan and Great Lakes slow offshore wind collection

Offshore wind development in the Great Lakes region has had a turbulent history and faced many challenges. Initially considered a promising location …

At least 33 different types of wetlands occur in Michigan. Twenty-six are considered rare because fewer than 100 are intact, Eight of the 26 rare wetland types are considered imperiled and at high risk of extinction. An additional three wetland types are considered critically imperiled and at very high risk of extinction. (rodimovpavel/Adobe Stock)

Wetlands ruling worries MI duck hunters

Michigan's duck-hunting season runs through January, and many enthusiasts are concerned about how plentiful their future quarry will be because of a …

Pipeline Number 5 lies beneath the Straits of Mackinaw. Opponents claim the aging oil line threatens the largest freshwater system in the world. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Fast-track Line 5 permitting push met with protest

Michigan's Senate GOP pushed for fast track of Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel construction at a press conference this week. Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor …

The 2022 Citizens Utility Performance Report showed Michigan utilities have below-average performance on most metrics that measure the primary purposes of a utility. The report compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia. (kavindu/Adobe Stock)

Legislation weighs in on energy options to drive down costs for Michiganders

The Michigan Legislature is weighing bills to increase the state's energy efficiency standards as part of a broad clean energy and climate package…

Climate change board games emphasize teamwork and group success. Either all players win together, or no one survives. (pathdoc/Adobe Stock)

Climate change: Better understood through board games?

By Debra J. Rosenthal for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

DTE Energy has a permit to discharge waste water from its Fermi 2 Power Plant. The permit will expire at midnight on Oct. 1, 2028. (Weerayuth/Adobe Stock)

Public comments sought on waste water permit for Fermi 2 nuclear plant

A draft permit for waste water from DTE Energy's Fermi 2 Power Plant is open for public comment until October 21. Michigan environmental groups are …

Tonight: Great Lakes Documentary Premieres in Traverse City

They're calling it an "adventure conservation documentary," and the film has its first showing tonight in Traverse City. "Troubled Water" chronicles …

Water Equals Life is a coalition of water justice advocates, environmental groups and social justice groups who have come together in a statewide campaign to ensure everyone's basic human need for access to clean, safe, and affordable water is met, regardless of income. (Bovart/Adobe Stock)

Michigan Residents Pay Among Highest Water Bills in U.S.

Michigan water rates have surged more than 40% since 2010, and it is a trend that's expected to continue as cities and utilities work to upgrade …

Fermi 2 is a 1,198 MWe General Electric boiling water reactor that began operations in 1985.(spiritofamerica/Adobe Stock)

DTE Energy Nuclear Plant Closed for Almost 3 Weeks

The Fermi 2 Nuclear Plant has been closed for repairs for almost three weeks. Local residents and advocacy groups in Monroe County are voicing …

Harmful algal blooms typically occur in Michigan during the summer months and can last well into the fall. (sunday_morning/Adobe Stock)

Watch for Harmful Algal Blooms in MI Recreational Waters

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

According to the Lake Carriers' Association, the Great Lakes fleet moves more than 90 million tons of cargo annually. (icholakov/Adobe Stock)

Could Great Lakes’ Cargo Fleet 'Go Green?'

By Audrey Richardson for Great Lakes Echo.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection reporting for Solutions Journalism-Public Ne…

The Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline runs for four miles on the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac, carrying millions of gallons of crude each day from Canada to Michigan. (Adobe Stock)

Michigan Tribes, Others File Grievance With UN Over Line 5 Project

Representatives of 51 tribes and First Nations have presented a demand to the United Nations to call on Canada to end its support for the Enbridge Lin…

The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline carries oil and gas products from Canada to Michigan, where it is distributed across the Midwest. (Dragon Claws/Adobe Stock)

Feds Postpone Permit to Build Line 5 Tunnel Under Great Lakes

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced an 18-month delay in permitting a controversial oil-tunnel construction project under the Great Lakes…

The massive spill in Kansas marks the 23rd time that the Keystone Pipeline has leaked since it launched in 2010. (anankkll/Adobe Stock)

Group: KS Keystone Spill a Cautionary Tale for MI Pipeline

An environmental watchdog group said the recent Keystone Pipeline oil spill should serve as a warning to Michiganders if a proposed expansion of the E…

A new report on the cost of water bills estimates that 6.7% of Michigan consumers, or 668,000 residents, pay more for water than they can afford. (motiontion/Adobe Stock)

Report Urges Water-Affordability Strategy to Help Low-Income Michiganders

Residential water rates in Michigan are soaring, with an estimated one out of ten households without access to or unable to afford clean water…

The 26,000-foot Mackinac Bridge runs over the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Michigan's Upper Peninsula with the main part of the state. (Kenneth Kiefer/Adobe Stock)

MI Environmental Groups Oppose Oil Pipeline Project Under Great Lakes

The long-running feud between Canadian energy giant Enbridge and a coalition of Michigan environmentalists and tribal nations has reached another mile…

Asian carp are known for their jumping ability, and officials are concerned that if their numbers are allowed to grow, they could devastate the entire Great Lakes ecology. (National Wildlife Federation)

Film Chronicles Fight to Keep Invasive Carp Out of Great Lakes

A new film documenting the battle to prevent an invasive species of Asian carp from taking hold in the Great Lakes is drawing large numbers of viewers…

PFAS contamination has been confirmed at 228 sites in Michigan. (Adobe Stock)

Great Lakes Groups Call Proposed EPA PFAS Rule a 'Watershed' Moment

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a rule that will designate two "forever chemicals" as dangerous. PFOA and PFOS are PFAS chemicals …

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, water levels in Lakes Michigan and Huron have risen during the last decade from around 577 feet to 582 feet. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Inflation Reduction Act Provides Hope for Michigan's Climate-Change Policies

With the Inflation Reduction Act now law, many states are beginning to bring their climate goals to fruition. In the last decade, Michigan has seen …

Cyanobacteria and green algae often look similar, like green scum on the water's surface, sometimes compared to green paint. (mivod/Adobe Stock)

Great Lakes Department Official: Watch Out for Algal Blooms

Reports of harmful algal blooms have increased in Michigan in recent years, and state officials have tips on how to keep an eye out for them…

Court documents show that the estimated increase to gas prices from a shutdown of the Line 5 pipelines is about half a penny a gallon. (Jim Glab/Adobe Stock)

Report: Shutting Down Line 5 Would Increase Gas Prices Half a Penny

New court documents in Michigan show that shutting down the Line 5 pipelines, which run under the Straits of Mackinac, would have a negligible impact …

More than 200 organizations submitted a letter last month urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to halt new construction on Line 5, which runs under the Straits of Mackinac. (Wikimedia Commons)

MI Water Advocate: Pipeline Reroute Puts Tribal Fishing Rights at Risk

CORRECTION: Enbridge is proposing a rerouting of its existing Line 5. An earlier version incorrectly stated the project involved an expansion…

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that without drastic action, impacts from severe storms and flooding will continue to worsen. (Cory Seeman/Adobe Stock)

MI Group: Oil Pipeline Tunnel Plan Not In Sync with State's Climate Goals

This Earth Month, Michigan leaders took the opportunity to release a new roadmap for a carbon-neutral state economy by 2050. In addition to …

Galls can be the result of a number of different parasites, from bacteria and viruses to insects. (sheilaf2002/Adobe Stock)

Wayne State Researchers Explore Novel Groundwater Monitoring Method

Researchers at Wayne State University are developing an alternative method of monitoring groundwater for toxins. The process is typically labor-…

Line 5, running under the Straits of Mackinac, is just one of many oil and gas pipelines that environmental groups and Native American tribes contend are threats to sacred and biodiverse waterways. (Kathy/Adobe Stock)

Canadian Report Poses Alternatives to Line 5 Pipelines

New research from Environmental Defence Canada makes the case that there's a path forward to shutting down the Line 5 dual pipelines, which run under …

Many Michigan households say they can't afford to make the necessary repairs to their aging residential sewer lines. (elenabsl/Adobe Stock)

MI Groups Urge State House to Pass Water Infrastructure Bill

A bill before the Michigan Legislature would allocate $2.4 billion dollars in federal funds for repairs to the state's aging water infrastructure…

A Canadian gas company operates a pipeline that runs under the Straits of Mackinac, despite an order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for it to be shut down. (Richard/Adobe Stock)

MI Groups Raise Safety, Financial Concerns Around Line 5 Tunnel Proposal

Advocates for protecting the waters of the Straits of Mackinac are raising safety and financial concerns about a Canadian natural gas company's propos…

A new report says increased salinity in Lake Michigan may put some small lake-dwelling critters at risk, such as zooplankton, mussels and amphibians. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Saltier Water Puts Lake Michigan Wildlife at Risk

The Great Lakes hold about one-fifth of the Earth's fresh water, but a new report indicates they're getting saltier - and says that's reason for …

Line 5 is just one of many oil and gas pipelines that environmental groups and Native American tribes contend are threats to sacred and biodiverse waterways. (Oil and Water Don't Mix Coalition)

Groups Urge White House to Support 'Line 5' Shutdown

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. - Environmental groups and tribal communities are asking the Biden administration to stand with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in her …

Like many across the country, the Benton Harbor water distribution system is more than 100 years old. (Adobe Stock)

MI Community Faces Water Crisis, Calls for Lead Pipe Replacement

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- As Congress continues to negotiate infrastructure and social safety-net bills, advocates for environmental justice say …

Before Mackinaw City, the Red Road to DC Project stopped in Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. (House of Tears Carvers)

'Red Road to DC' Project: Protect Sacred Lands from Resource Extraction

MACKINAW CITY, Mich. -- A group of artisans from Lummi Nation is carrying a 25-foot carved totem pole from Washington state to Washington, D.C.…

According to data from Michigan State University, Michigan ranks 12th in concentration of families that can't afford their water bills. (ricardoreitmeyer/Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call for Clean, Affordable Water for Residents of Detroit, Flint

DETROIT -- Environmental-justice advocates urged the federal government to invest in restoring the Great Lakes, confronting the climate crisis and …

Enbridge Inc.'s Line 5, which runs through the Straits of Mackinac, has spilled more than 1 million gallons of fossil fuels into waters since 1968, according to researchers. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Urge Enbridge to Obey Order, Close Line 5

LANSING, Mich. - Groups rallied yesterday to oppose oil transport giant Enbridge's decision to keep its controversial Line 5 pipeline open - in …

According to the Yellow Dog Watershed, a 2013 EPA survey found 21% of U.S. river and stream lengths are in good biological condition, down from 27% in 2004. Hills Falls, on the Yellow Dog River, is among them. (Jeremiah Eagle Eye/Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve)<br />

Waterkeeper Groups Work to Preserve MI Fresh Waters

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Water quality and conservation practices around Michigan reach both its Lower and Upper Peninsulas, and two local waterkeepers …

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MI: Water