NOAA to study Great Lakes climate change with underwater robots
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By Georgia Hill
As climate change increasingly shapes the Great Lakes region’s ecology and economy, scientists plan to use underwater robots to gather previously inaccessible data they say will help communities adapt. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced in September that its Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory received $1.9 million through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It’s one of three NOAA labs that received $6.7 million in total for ocean and Great Lakes observing systems, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, which includes the agency. In a press release, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the funding “will help NOAA improve and expand climate and weather services so that communities are better prepared to tackle the impacts of climate change.”
A portion of the funding will allow GLERL and partners to deploy autonomous underwater vessels to monitor more of the Great Lakes ecosystem during a greater portion of the year than earlier technology allowed.
Water
E. coli outbreaks can hurt real estate values, study finds
By Eric Freedman
Capital News Service
Outbreaks of the waterborne bacteria E. coli can lower local real estate values, at least temporarily, a new study says. Those outbreaks, which have become increasingly common, are a growing concern in coastal and inland communities, particularly in rural counties, according to the study by researchers from Saginaw Valley State University, Cornell University and the University of Rhode Island. “In Michigan, the presence of E. coli has become problematic for many areas where agricultural run-off and ineffective policies have made these outbreaks endemic,” the study said.
Energy
How new charging stations are set to drive Michigan’s EV future
By Donté Smith
Capital News Service
As electric vehicles become more common, Michigan is expanding its charging infrastructure to ensure accessibility for drivers statewide. The state’s Department of Transportation, supported by federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program funds, is accelerating construction of EV charging stations in both urban and rural areas. Currently, there are around 1,660 charging stations across Michigan, 94% of them public.
Nearshore
New marine sanctuary spotlights a ‘submerged museum’ on Lake Ontario
By Anna Barnes
After seven years of planning, a new marine sanctuary now protects a portion of Lake Ontario rich with history and shipwrecks. The community-driven designation aims to benefit the area through preservation, economic development and conservation. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designates marine sanctuaries to preserve sites with national significance, such as important archeology, culture or marine life.