Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/author/capital-news-service/page/10/)
Capital News Service is a wire service at Michigan State University covering state government - issues and personalities.
In an effort to expand tourist-related economic activity, outdoor recreation businesses across Michigan are increasingly providing indoor tourist experiences to complement the great outdoors during the winter months.
Politicians, activists and hunters continue to debate on the current state of the gray wolf’s status as an endangered species.
A new law lowered the maximum blood alcohol content allowed for snowmobile drivers from .1 percent to .08 percent.
A judge ruled that Richard Brilinski waited to long to sue an energy company that may have drilled a natural gas well too close to his property line, and will now no longer be able to.
Local governments have sought to regulate a procedure that industry officials say already has a strong safety record.
A bipartisan bill that is still in draft would remove federal protection of the gray wolf in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
New studies show that the invasive species, round goby, has become a key food source for native species, including the small mouth bass, yellow perch and walleye.
Thanks to wind power, Michigan is on track to meet its renewable energy goals, but issues of transparency and turbine placement have some doubting this new shift toward wind.
Experts say Michigan is far behind states on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in exploring innovative markets and uses for wood products and wood energy.
The Michigan Sea Grant was awarded money by the federal government for a yearlong economic study that will help Michigan’s Great Lakes coastal communities capitalize on the growing recreational boating market by researching ways to draw more tourists to the area.