Michigan lawmakers said ‘never again’ after an agricultural mishap sparked one of the worst poisonings in history in 1973. But serious reform never came and some mistakes of that crisis are being repeated with the PFAS threat befouling state waterways.
Jim Malewitz
Jim Malewitz is the former environmental reporter for Bridge.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
In a Michigan town with a toxic legacy, residents fought for decades to heal
In the town of St. Louis, a group of rabble-rousers ensured state and federal authorities didn’t forget their toxic legacy. The work is only half done, but could be a lesson for communities now battling PFAS contamination.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan found PFAS in Oscoda in 2010. There’s still no plan to clean it up.
An ignored 2010 report about PFAS is just one of several bureaucratic hurdles that has slowed Michigan’s response to the chemical that is now befouling waters. The delays are reminiscent of those that prolonged the PBB contamination of livestock in the 1970s.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Letter suggests Bill Schuette shrugged off request to sue 3M over PFAS
As he left office, the former attorney general told Rick Snyder he couldn’t sue because the governor’s staff never greenlighted a lawsuit — even though Snyder himself requested the suit.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Marquette girds for climate change in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Marquette may become a destination as high heat and drought drive folks from southern communities more vulnerable to a shifting climate. But it still faces challenges — from intensifying rains to disease-carrying pests.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Old mines, perilous drains in Michigan’s Copper Country, which now eyes a fix
Epic floods devastated Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula. Foundations are now stepping in to fix a unique vulnerability: century-old drainage systems — built by mining companies — that sat neglected after mines shuttered and towns shrank.
Posted inThe Center for Michigan
Experts: Pay teachers more to curb Michigan’s long-term substitute ‘crisis’
Long-term subs have spiked in recent years. Paying more could help solve the issue – and so could stopping ‘talking about teachers as if they’re idiots,’ according to a panel of experts convened by Bridge.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Enbridge vows to cover costs in ‘unlikely’ case of Michigan Line 5 rupture
The promise came days after Nessel released a 120-page report raising questions about Enbridge’s financial obligations under a series of agreements that its U.S.-based companies signed with Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan judge rules Enbridge Line 5 construction is constitutional
The victory, which could pave the way for the tunnel plan to proceed, is a setback for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who halted work on the project in March. Attorney General Dana Nessel released a 120-page report and vowed to appeal.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan environment roundup: Judge bars public from Wolverine World Wide PFAS hearing
The latest can’t-miss journalism about natural resources in Michigan and the Great Lakes.