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State regulators are ratcheting down the number of fish anglers can keep in some rivers, citing fears that the fish could be in trouble. State scientists disagree.
In a party-line vote, the Senate passed bills that establish statewide permitting rules for large renewable energy developments, an end-run around local efforts to block wind and solar proposals in Michigan. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign the legislation.
Michigan farmers, looking to expand crop insurance and research funding, are pushing to see their needs recognized as the federal Farm Bill moves along on the congressional agenda.
The claim that clean energy and agriculture are natural allies overlooks a fundamental reality: the substantial land requirement for renewable energy projects.
Passed along party lines, the legislation would end local governments’ authority to approve or deny projects. Proponents say the change would end local controversies and jump-start clean energy. Foes say it’s anti-farm and heavy-handed.
A 136-turbine wind project in Isabella County is generating millions of dollars in revenue for the district, giving it access to the kinds of resources and amenities small rural school districts typically can’t afford.
Clean energy bills, aimed at combating climate change, are short on scientific research and dismissive of the rights of local residents and townships, making them deeply undemocratic.
Clean energy opponents seek to portray wind and solar projects as an attack on rural communities. That’s not true. Renewable energy sites are helping to save farmland so families can pass properties to future generations.
Worries about Chinese expansions into the U.S. food supply prompt legislation to bar 'adversarial entities' from buying farms in Michigan. Records show Chinese companies don't own much land, but sponsor says 'China will do whatever it takes to get a foot in the door.'
The bills would shift permitting authority over large wind and solar projects from local governments to the state. They have support from environmentalists, and opposition from local government advocates.
Michigan regulators have increased the number of deer hunters can kill in a season, but it’s still not enough to keep populations in check. Archery season is underway; firearms season starts Nov. 15.
Roughly 87 years since Arctic grayling were spotted in Michigan, the iridescent fish will soon be fishable in a handful of Upper Peninsula lakes. The state hopes to eventually build a self-sustaining population in the Lower Peninsula.
Democratic bill sponsors say local fights over renewable energy threaten Michigan’s ability to meet climate goals and deliver reliable power. But Republican lawmakers say they fear rural communities will be railroaded by the green energy transition.
Global warming is the latest in a string of challenges to face the lakes in their young (geologically speaking) lives. More than 150 native fish species are at risk.
Government officials begin the grim task of prioritizing which cold lakes and rivers to sacrifice — or save — as the climate changes. Not all cold-water loving fish may survive in the northern Great Lakes region.
As Consumers Energy ponders the fate of its 13 hydropower dams, nearby residents push to keep them operational. But Consumers officials have said they won’t allow customers to absorb the $781 million cost of doing so.
A Detroit senator wants Michigan prison populations to be counted in the communities they’re from instead of prison locations. The change could make a big difference in how political districts are crafted, especially in rural areas.
Munson Healthcare, northern Michigan’s largest employer, will be limiting services at rural hospitals while boosting them in Traverse City. Officials cite staff shortages and rising patient demand for virtual options.