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Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news of the Great Lakes region

Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/tag/commentary/page/8/)

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Commentary

Opinion and commentary about Great Lakes issues.

Catch of the Day

From optimism to arrogance: a look at EPA on the eve of another Great Lakes Day

By Gary Wilson | February 19, 2016

From algae blooms to the Flint water crisis, problems show the EPA’s transition from optimism to arrogance regarding water quality in the Great Lakes.

Chciago View

Silence was a governmental failure for Flint water

By Gary Wilson | February 5, 2016

EPA was a silent enabler of this multi-governmental failure. Yet criticism from some environmental watchdogs is curiously muted.

Water
Ken Winter

Flint water recalls Michigan’s botched response to PBB disaster

By Ken Winter | February 1, 2016

Ken Winter relates the crisis to the PBB disaster that occurred 40 years ago.

Water
Current State logo

EPA’s role in Flint crisis, Snyder’s environmental record

By WKAR Current State | January 27, 2016

The Flint water crisis is an environmental story that highlights the risks of taking natural resources–like drinking water–for granted.

Water

Failures to follow law caused Flint water crisis

By Nicholas Schroeck | January 22, 2016

Environmental law expert Nicholas Schroeck breaks down the multiple failures by government that led to the Flint water crisis.

Wildlife

When bobcats go wild — umm, viral

By Eric Freedman | January 21, 2016

Thor, housecoats and clicks.

Catch of the Day

Losing the stake in stakeholder

By David Poulson | December 31, 2015

Lake Superior State University’s annual list of useless words justifies editing quirks and perks.

Water

Who are those who quietly toil for the Great Lakes?

By Gary Wilson | December 28, 2015

Thomas Hardy and the Tao Te Ching point the way.

Echo

Indiana court upholds public right to walk — and sunbathe — on Lake Michigan shore

By Alexis Andiman | December 23, 2015

The court determined Monday that citizens’ rights extend beyond the water to an administratively established boundary on the shore, regardless of beach ownership.

Water
Current State logo

Great Lakes Month in Review: Flint water crisis

By WKAR Current State | December 7, 2015

A recap of the Great Lakes’ biggest environmental stories in November.

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About Great Lakes Echo

Environmental news of the Great Lakes region from the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.

  • Miller in the woods
    Invasive species expert teaches volunteers to overcome ‘plant blindness’

    By Anna Ironside Caroline Miller is a botanical technologist at Michigan State University’s W.J. Beal Botanical Garden, as well as a master’s student. Her work has made her a driving force behind restoration projects on campus and beyond. From invasive species removal days to a growing movement to replace traditional turf lawns with native landscapes, Miller doesn’t quit.

  • Headshot of Ethan Theuerkauf
    Growth in shoreline armoring is reshaping Michigan’s Lake Michigan coast

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva A new study documents a fivefold increase in shoreline armoring along Lake Michigan’s Eastern coast.

  • How seeds from the past are saving a unique flower of the Great Lakes

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva More than 30 years ago, a group of scientists planted just 4,200 seeds of the rare Pitcher’s thistle in the sandy dunes of the Great Lakes. At the time, no one knew if the new populations would survive. Today, three decades later, the restored populations are thriving and spreading.

  • Henderson holding a swan
    From otters to butterflies: How Minnesota became a pioneer in nongame wildlife conservation

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva In the late 1970s, when most wildlife conservation programs in the United States focused almost exclusively on game species, a quiet but historic shift began in Minnesota. It was here that one of the nation’s first state programs dedicated to protecting so-called nongame wildlife emerged from butterflies and bats to bald eagles and river otters. That story is now told in detail by Carrol Henderson in his new book, “A National Legacy: Fifty Years of Nongame Wildlife Conservation in Minnesota."

  • Michigan’s water infrastructure sees improvements, work still needs to be done

    By Clara Lincolnhol The U.S. would need to invest nearly $3.4 trillion over the next 20 years to fix and update drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, says researchers from The Value of Water Campaign. Much of that infrastructure was built 40 to 50 years ago and shows its age. Michigan’s is no exception. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state a D+ for its drinking water infrastructure, a D in storm water management and a C for its wastewater infrastructure. Funding is a major problem. Proposed data centers would put more stress on the infrastructure.

  • Mussels in a green net.
    Endangered spectaclecase mussels reintroduced into the Chippewa River

    By Ada Tussing To combat the population loss of spectaclecase mussels, researchers with both the Minnesota and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released over 177 mussels into the Chippewa River in Northwest Wisconsin.

  • Michigan allocates $77 million to clean thousands of contaminated sites

    By Clara Lincolnhol Michigan is pouring $77 million into clean-up of contaminated abandoned real estate such as former factories. The director of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy says the goal is to make the cleaned-up sites safe for housing, commercial developments and other uses.

  • Winter makes curved roads dangerous; researchers seek solutions

    By Eric Freedman Flashing light on warning signs near curves can slow drivers and reduce the odds of a crash during winter weather conditions, says a new study by Michigan State University engineers.

  • The cover of “Dead Moose on Isle Royale: Off Trail with the Citizen Scientists of the Wolf-Moose Project." The cover is moose antlers on the ground.
    Great Lakes books for your holiday gift list 

    By Eric Freedman   Looking for a holiday gift for a reader who loves the Great Lakes? Here are five prospects to consider – and what our reporters learned from interviewing their authors this year.

  • A side-by-side of the historic Portage Canal and modern Portage Canal from an aerial view.
    Restoration of historical site improves quality of life for Portage, Wisconsin residents

    By Joshua Kim Following the completion of segments 1 and 2 of the Portage Canal, local residents and visitors can use the historic site and its amenities following years of disrepair.

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