Consumers Energy is moving forward with a plan to cut off flow from the Hodenpyl Dam to the Manistee River for a storm damage inspection. River advocates are not pleased.
Michigan Environment Watch
Michigan Environment Watch examines how public policy, industry, and other factors interact with the state’s trove of natural resources.
Great Lakes News Collaborative
Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television, The Narwhal and Michigan Public work together to report on the most pressing threats to the Great Lakes region’s water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. You can find all of the collaborative’s stories here.
Shockwave
The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand and a nuclear energy boom, to expanding renewables and electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore how shifting supply and demand affect the region and its waters. Read the series here.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Dana Nessel report defends failed Flint water case. Others unready to forgive
New report acknowledges a failed criminal case means ‘justice has evaded the people of Flint’ and blames a court decision for torpedoing charges. Others say it’s Nessel’s way of saying ‘not my fault’
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan monitoring gaps mean many may unknowingly breathe unhealthy air
Michigan has just two monitors for the entire Upper Peninsula and no monitors north of Frankfort in the Lower Peninsula.
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Residents and officials feeling powerless in Michigan data center fights
Town leaders say they’re powerless to stop data centers from moving in. And residents who’ve tried to recall officials over data center votes have struggled to get those efforts on the ballot.
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Where things stand in Michigan’s Line 5 saga
More than a decade after concerns first emerged about the risk of an oil spill from Line 5, the pipeline’s fate remains unclear. Here’s what to know.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Gretchen Whitmer joins chorus opposing Consumers sale of Michigan dams
The governor said Consumers’ concessions on the sale have been “too little, too late” and the sale would pass too much risk to taxpayers.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Feds issue Line 5 tunnel permit, call it ‘not contrary to the public interest’
The US Army Corps of Engineers approved construction of Enbridge Energy’s proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac despite expected adverse effects on endangered species and archaeological sites. The project remains tied up in court, with opponents promising new lawsuits.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Think you’re getting old? New study says Michigan sturgeon may live to 400
Some lake sturgeon swimming in the Great Lakes today may have been alive for centuries, according to new research that suggests scientists have significantly underestimated the fish’s lifespan.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
With no penalties for failure, many Michigan communities miss recycling goal
Michigan set a goal for 90% of urban households to have curbside recycling access by 2026. But with no penalties for missing the benchmark, many communities are still grappling with the costs and infrastructure needed to expand recycling.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan Supreme Court vacates key Line 5 permit
The court ruled 6-1 that the Michigan Public Service Commission’s review of a key permit for the petroleum pipeline tunnel was overly narrow, failing to consider whether the tunnel will harm public trust resources.