Michigan Environment Watch

It’s nothing to sneeze at: Rising temperatures brought on by climate change could be causing fungal allergy season to start more than three weeks ahead of schedule.

For six years, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Enbridge have been fighting over which court should rule on a lawsuit Nessel filed in 2019. The lawsuit seeks to shut down the petroleum pipeline that runs in the open water of the Great Lakes.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth found the previously-undiscovered microorganisms hiding in the tar-like goo oozing out of a research vessel’s rudder shaft.

Electric vehicle registrations doubled in Michigan over the past two years. But the 85,666 registrations are still a fraction of the 2 million EVs Gov. Gretchen Whitmer hopes to see by 2030.

The rocker turned conservative activist appeared before Michigan House committees as the chamber’s Republican leaders push to change state policies governing fish and wildlife management.

The Trump administration’s emergency order keeping a Michigan coal power plant open is generating optimism from some Republicans and angst from environmentalists. Both camps wonder just how long the plant stays open — and if others are next.

Extreme erosion along the Great Lakes coasts grabbed lawmakers’ attention and inspired proposals to pull development back from the shoreline. Five years later, regulatory gaps still leave some communities more vulnerable than others.

The Great Lakes survivors are vanishing before our eyes. What do they mean to your family? Let Bridge know.

Globally, 1 million species are on the brink of extinction. Experts say to avoid further losses, society must begin to prioritize the planet’s long-term health over near-term convenience and profits.

Michigan has rhapsodized about the hardy fish for centuries. Celebrations continue, but they are taking on a melancholy tone for the fish 'synonymous with Great Lakes living.’

Few fish are as synonymous with Michigan as whitefish. Pushed to the edge by invasive species, their struggle is the tip of a cataclysmic species collapse that could change our way of life.

Michigan braces for heat after recording its 29th tornado of the year, the most since 2001 and sixth-highest count on record.

Federal officials are preparing to decide whether to grant a key permit for the tunnel, which would house a replacement section of the Line 5 petroleum pipeline.

Kalamazoo exemplifies a growing trend of communities doing what they can within their borders to adapt to a changing climate.

In St. Louis, taxpayers have spent millions of dollars and decades cleaning a chemical plant that new research has shown caused numerous health problems. Cuts to the Superfund program would hinder similar cleanups.

Great Lakes mussels are giving scientists a clearer picture of where the chemicals are concentrated, according to a recent report.

Michiganders returned less than three-quarters of their 10-cent bottle deposits last year, the lowest redemption rate on record. In all, $116 million went unreturned. A ballot measure may be in the works.

Anglers are warned not to eat their catch from 98 Michigan waterbodies, up from 33 last year, after state officials revised their health guidance in light of growing evidence that PFAS is more toxic than previously thought.

The review considered impacts of the Line 5 project along with several alternatives. It’s the first major step toward a permitting decision expected this fall.

As May’s cooler temperatures give way to summertime warmth in Michigan, the Great Lakes are slightly cooler than usual but warming. But where are Michigan’s warmest waters?