Echo

Great Lakes to receive $19 million for Hurricane Sandy damage

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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.

Echo

Anti-fracking group gears up for ballot fight

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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.

Echo

Measuring Great Lakes water quality today and a century ago

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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.

Echo

Videographer captures northern Michigan winter

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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.

Echo

CSI: Invasives

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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.

Echo

Mr. Great Lakes: Snow, fisheries and Earth Day

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Mr. Great Lakes (Jeff Kart) reports from Bay City, Michigan’s Delta College Q-90.1 FM.  

 

This week Kart discusses lake-effect snow, educational fishery workshops and an Earth Day grant competition. Text at Mr Great Lakes

Echo

Where’s the Concern? Week Nine

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Each week, Great Lakes Echo features a photo story about a different Area of Concern designated by the U.S. or Canadian governments in the Great Lakes basin.

Guess where the area is located, based on the description of the site.