Landmark law encounters new problems, enduring challenges.

Democrats want to raise some fees by 50% or more and switch to an “opt-out” model for recreation passports.

New book explores how the Great Lake’s ecosystem has shifted over the years, and how anthropogenic climate change is shattering its defenses.

Great Lakes Now spoke with activists and experts on the legal and environmental justice concerns related to bottled water.

Oak trees in Michigan are being killed by oak wilt, a fungal infection that’s spread by a beetle in the spring and summer. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources advises pruning or trimming oaks in the fall and winter.

The search for a site to store toxic waste has ended just north of Lake Superior near Ignace, Ontario. With the town and local First Nation’s support, it now moves ahead to various stages of review.

In Marquette County, a $145 million project promises to turn dangerous mining waste into valuable metals. Proponents hope it signals a new era of cleaner mining, but some are skeptical.

Canada and the U.S. are working together to stop a massive fish from gobbling up Great Lakes greenery.

Both states are working toward a 40% reduction goal set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. So far, the efforts are not meeting the goals.

Water pollution found in in three counties in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.

Ontario’s highest court says seven youth have a right to challenge the province in cutting its emissions targets.

With lots of domestic well users and plenty of polluting industries, Michiganders are among the nation’s most likely to have ‘forever chemicals’ in their well water, according to a landmark federal study.

See how Minnesota and New York stack up against other states across the nation with water on the ballot.

If elected, Trump has vowed to revoke unspent funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, a climate spending law that has heavily benefitted Michigan governments and industry. But experts say it wouldn’t be easy.

Ontario’s southernmost herd illustrates how hard it is to bring a species back from the brink — and why we need to recognize tipping points before we reach them.

A rule finalized Tuesday gives water providers across the country 10 years to get lead pipes out of their drinking water systems.

State is a center of manure biodigester development.

As groundwater resources are increasingly under threat in the U.S. — including the Great Lakes region — regulation, oversight and planning for the long-term are diffused and often lacking.

The new recovery strategy isn’t likely to tip the scales in the fish’s favor.

Baby boomers are part of a “silver tsunami” of retirements sweeping across the nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems.

As plastic items dominate beach littering, Alliance for the Great Lakes’ says we need to ramp up reusable items and sustainable packaging. What about personal responsibility?

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

The federal government will provide more than $600 million to help two rural electricity cooperatives buy money from the nuclear plant. While proponents celebrate, anti-nuclear activists say the money could be better spent elsewhere.

The U.S. EPA announced four tribes in Michigan would receive grants to install renewable energy infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

With 28 years of experience in the water sector, Cheryl Porter shares her inspiring journey from junior chemist in Detroit to leading the American Water Works Association.

Indigenous communities in Ontario are flooded with mining claims that chip away at their territories. It’s a “racist, colonialist” system, the lawyer leading a new court case said.

A southeast Michigan waste disposal site will soon be home to nuclear waste from the Manhattan Project, the World War II effort to develop an atomic bomb.

State Supreme Court strengthens authority to prevent mammoth tide of manure from contaminating water.

Michigan is removing some of its abandoned and obsolete dams. The benefits include cleaning up pollution and restoring nature.

Author and hydrologist Bob Otwell calls for an end to “inertia” and “lip service” on climate change and expresses concern for Michigan’s groundwater.

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

Updated water testing technology needed to make Great Lakes safer.

A changing climate is causing psychological distress across the Great Lakes. From the loss of heritage crops, disappearing ice and record-breaking floods, residents across the region are looking for new forms of support.

It’s been ten years since Toledo issued a ‘don not drink’ order for its water system for three days due to cyanobacterial blooms near its water intake in Lake Erie. The blooms are not any worse, but they are not any less.

Seeds of Success, a federal program that conserves and restores native flora, has come to Michigan.

Michigan State’s Jason Rowntree is out to prove that ranching is an ecological asset.

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

A biological cure for contaminants is being studied.

A provincial spill report details a list of issues that arose as crews responded to an oil spill in two Toronto creeks that eventually made its way to Lake Ontario.

Valuable critical materials are sitting in junk drawers. Michigan is working with electronics manufacturers and researchers to recirculate these products back into the state’s economy.

Decision sets stage for stemming mammoth tide of farm pollution in Great Lakes State.

For seven decades, the SS Badger has ferried people and goods across Lake Michigan while polluting the air with black smoke. The ship’s new owners are considering greener options.

When released into the wild, koi compete against fish and damage native plant life. Preservation experts partnered with bowfishers to remove invasive koi to keep the ecosystem safe.

Last summer, contaminated sludge from a fire at a chemical plant reached Lake Ontario. The spill report raises questions about what the province told the public.

Formal water shutoff policies in some cities are ill-defined for extreme heat.

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

Canadian conservation groups purchase land from farmers to increase biodiversity around the Great Lakes region.

Hotter days make heat exhaustion a greater hazard for kids. Unusual weather events, particularly storms that cause flooding, add stress to children’s lives.

“There are people counting on us to get this done,” says Senator Stephanie Chang in a Great Lakes Now interview.

As more green infrastructure projects are installed across the state, more workers are needed to maintain them. Local organizations offer training for workers who want to expand their skills.

To prepare local communities for climate change, Michigan and other states are borrowing from a long American tradition of civilian service programs. Meet the inaugural members of the MI Healthy Climate Corps.

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

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is using a couple of roving robots on tracks to sift through the sand on beaches, cleaning up debris.

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.

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

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.

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.”

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

America’s groundwater is now running dry where water is abundant.

Ineffective voluntary pollution prevention practices are set aside for mandatory regulation.

As researchers learn more about the hazards of plastics and microplastics in the Great Lakes, it’s becoming clear Canada and the U.S. need to cooperate in stopping the pollution.

Military officials announced they will install groundwater treatment systems around the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base to clean up chemical compounds linked to serious health issues.

Researchers are studying how much of cyanobacterial toxins become airborne. They say breathing in the toxins is much worse than ingesting them.

Two decades of study reveals a complex combination of factors causing large cyanobacterial blooms and their toxicity. Government incentives to reduce nutrient pollution from farms have not been enough to solve the problem so far.

Federal money can be used to restore wetlands, buy property to use as a buffer, and invest in nature-based infrastructure.

Coinciding with the summer’s extreme heat and citywide water pressure decreases, citizen and government scientists continue to map heat islands in Chicago.

Youthful visit to the Detroit River was a “profound experience” for dream hampton.

New strategy for limiting the spread of exotic water plants in Michigan.

Industrial pollution taints the fish in a host of Michigan rivers, but anglers often don’t know the risks. River walkers like Jim Bridgforth aim to change that — but not everyone has the luxury of skipping a fresh-caught meal.

The Great Lakes region has seen significant improvement since the river fires of 1969, bringing people back the waters they know and love.

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…

Up to 46,000 gallons of diesel fuel may have spilled into Lake Michigan from a large ship. It triggered a multi-agency response, including the US Coast Guard, EGLE, and ship owners.

Local and corporate dollars will pay for some of these projects. But the infrastructure push is catalyzed by federal action.

Autonomous research vessels are gathering data about fish in the Great Lakes.

In 1961, Michigan’s bald eagle population dipped to 52 breeding pairs. Bans on DDT and other harmful chemicals fed a recovery. But the national bird still faces threats from lead bullets and sprawling development.

The Republican-led House of Representatives is proposing to cut funds for the EPA, water distribution system repairs, and pollution cleanup.

Smoke blowing from Canadian wildfires hits Michigan again prompting an air quality alert. Haze from hundreds of fires has remained an issue much of the summer.

In his new book, California’s Peter Gleick says we are at a choice point after centuries of degrading our water resources.

Nearly $1.2 billion is to be spent at one site to prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. There are a dozen more places where the carp could get in.

An estimated 500,000 gallons of untreated wastewater have been discharged into the St. Joseph River.

Even though fishflies may not be the prettiest insects, they represent good. A large number of fishflies near the Great Lakes area means the water is healthy.

Here’s what to know about how the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v EPA changing wetland protection impacts the Great Lakes region.

The DNR is renaming a boat launch in Oakland County from “Squaw Lake” to “Paint Lake” as part of an effort to erase the name from more than 600 sites, including 32 in Michigan.

NOAA satellite images and a research vessel sampling Lake Erie water both found evidence of harmful algal blooms on July 5, a much earlier date than typical.

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

Highland Park, a tiny and steadily shrinking city north of downtown Detroit, was once the center of an industrial empire that built the vehicles that shaped 20th century America.

Last year’s severity index was at 6.8. Rick Stumpf with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says this year’s severity is expected to be around 3.

The Southeast side of Chicago at the southern end of Lake Michigan was once an industrial powerhouse. Steel was the main product and thousands had good paying jobs. But, when those jobs started drying up, an industrial wasteland was left behind. After years of being surrounded by toxic waste, residents are fighting back.

Information about air quality is being updated via several government sites. Here’s where you can go for answers and how the sites work.

Home to brilliant purple mats of cyanobacteria and white floating ponytail-like bacteria, the sinkholes have always struck me otherworldly, almost dreamy.

Federal protections for many wetlands have been removed. Some states have laws to protect those wetlands, but some are stronger than others.

Millions of Michiganders are under advisory through Wednesday after air currents pushed smoke from Canada wildfires to Michigan and other parts of the Midwest.

Michigan communities with PFAS in their water supply could be eligible for payments from chemical manufacturer 3M, after the company reached a $10.3 billion settlement.

Fresh is a biweekly newsletter from Circle of Blue that unpacks the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region today.

A federal judge ordered a segment of Line 5 to be moved within three years. Enbridge said it will appeal.

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

As Michigan economic development officials fret over population loss that threatens the state’s future, some see a potential solution in so-called “climigrants” fleeing extreme weather.

Fresh is a newsletter from Circle of Blue that unpacks the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region.

Climate change is causing scientists to cope with unpredictable challenges.

The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that feeds on ash wood, has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America. The key to saving what’s left may be growing behind paned glass in a quiet Brighton business park.

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

The new Grosse Ile Township greenway trail is designed to improve public access to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge’s Gibraltar Bay Unit.

The U.S. Senate has approved three changes to remove protections from threatened and endangered wildlife.

Illinois objects to terms of “complex” partnership agreement required by the Army Corps of Engineers, while Michigan policy expert questions the need.

The push to repower the shuttered Palisades nuclear power plant has momentum in Lansing, with a bipartisan caucus pledging support for the plant’s revival.

State Rep. Ken Borton wants to allow recreational wildlife and bird feeding to be protected. He said the intent is to allow feeding of squirrels and other small animals. But state wildlife officials say that would encourage deer and elk to congregate, spreading disease.

Fresh is a biweekly newsletter from Circle of Blue that unpacks the biggest international, state, and local policy news stories facing the Great Lakes region today.

The attorney general on Wednesday filed a brief in Wisconsin federal court supporting a Native American tribe’s effort to shut down the Line 5 pipeline over fears of a rupture into a river that runs through tribal land.

The Edenville and Sanford dams once blocked invasive lampreys from entering upstream rivers. But the 2020 dam failures provided an opening, and lamprey now threaten native fish. Regulators say they have a plan.

Native American tribes are working with researchers to determine why whitefish, an important source of protein, is declining.

The U.S. EPA proposes federal baseline water quality standards for lakes and streams on reservations.

Thanks to the Clean Water Act, the Rouge is no longer a dumping ground for waste. But its gains are incomplete, with contaminants still soiling the river bottom and the fish in its waters.

Democratic lawmakers want to end Michigan’s “shameful” reign as the only state without a statewide code to prevent leaky systems from fouling lakes, rivers and groundwater.

Advocates say the city has blown through a court-ordered May 1 deadline to figure out which Flint residents are still dealing with potholed yards and sidewalks, after work crews excavated lead service lines and left a mess behind.

But more heavily fertilized corn and more manure for methane raises worries about water pollution.

A forest expert at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is putting together a program to use trees to help keep sources of drinking water cleaner.

The salty solution is killing the state’s precious waters, but efforts to cut back on spraying have met fierce opposition.