Biodiversity and commerce in Michigan

A proposed bill making its way through the Michigan legislature aims to put tighter limits on the Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resources Commission. The DNR’s website says the agency promotes bio-diversity on state land by identifying, restoring and managing “those natural places or ecosystems in Michigan that, together, best represent the diversity of Michigan’s biological heritage.” Republican state Sen. Tom Casperson’s bill, SB 78, would prohibit the DNR from implementing its “Biodiversity Stewardship Area” program, which he claims would severely preclude human activity on the land.  He says the measure is supported by sportsmen, businesses and recreational enthusiasts. To sort this out, Current State sat down with Senator Tom Casperson of Escanaba and Ann Woiwode, director of The Sierra Club’s Michigan chapter.

Investing in Detroit pays Great (Lakes) dividends

Let’s invest a significant amount of Great Lakes restoration funding in Detroit and the Detroit River. The whole region suffers if Detroit languishes.
It’s an investment that makes more sense than pouring yet more funds into the region’s most economically advantaged cities.

Photo Friday: Frozen lighthouses

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Tom Gill, an environmental photographer, has a soft spot for frozen lighthouses. The slideshow above showcases photos of the St. Joseph Pier Lighthouse and the South Haven South Pier Lighthouse, which become coated in ice after Lake Michigan waves crash and freeze. More can be found on Gill’s Flickr and blog. Gill’s icy Lake Michigan lighthouse photos have been published in the Huffington Post, Australia News Limited and the Daily Mail in Great Britain. “Only 4 more continents to go,” Gill joked.

Great Lakes to receive $19 million for Hurricane Sandy damage

It’s been almost five months since Hurricane Sandy unleashed destruction in the eastern United States, but the recovery for the Great Lakes region is just getting started. Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Assistant Secretary of the Army, confirmed that the Great Lakes region would receive approximately $19 million. A group of Midwest senators wrote to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in February, petitioning for federal aid to repair Great Lakes ports, harbors and waterways damaged by the hurricane. “While the Great Lakes navigation system is threatened due to underfunding, which has been worsened due to lakes levels that have hit record lows, the system also was damaged by Hurricane Sandy,” the letter read. Michigan Sen. Carl Levin led the efforts, petitioning to Senate Appropriations Chairman Barbara Mikulski for Great Lakes recovery projects.

Anti-fracking group gears up for ballot fight

Some environmental advocates criticize hydraulic fracturing, including the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan, which is gearing for its second push to prohibit new horizontal fracking.

Despite what industry officials call an impressive safety track record, this method of natural gas extraction is under fire.

Measuring Great Lakes water quality today and a century ago

Associate Director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and editor of Great Lakes Echo, David Poulson, discusses the collaboration between  Echo and Current State. This week’s segment features the 100- year study. It’s been a century since the International Joint Commission conducted a Great Lakes wide bacteriological study.  Scientists are now looking to recreate the 1913 study. The 100 years study will assess how water quality in the Basin has changed over time. Lead researcher, Dr. Joan Rose, is the Nowlin Endowed Chair of Water Research, Co-Director of the Center for Water Sciences, and Co-Director of the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment at Michigan State University.

Videographer captures northern Michigan winter

Snow and Ice: A Northern Michigan Winter from Jason Whalen on Vimeo. Jason Whalen strapped on his snowshoes, loaded his camera equipment onto a sled, and set out for the snow-covered wilds of the north coast of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to capture the icy beauty of its winter months. “I’ve always seen pictures of the frozen waterfalls, and ice caves there, but never had the chance to go myself before,” the Lansing-based videographer said, “I had a free weekend, so I went up there to record them so that others could share in the experience. I think more people respond to video than still photos.”

Whalen’s video odyssey took him to the Eben Ice Caves near Marquette, Mich. and then to Lake Superior’s coast to film ice floating on rolling waves.

CSI: Invasives

Great Lakes scientists are using DNA methods to investigate invasive species.

It could help us to better understand where and if they’ll strike next.