Michigan Environment Watch

The state has permission to kill up to 9,650 birds and destroy up to 1,400 nests, a move state wildlife managers hope will reduce pressure on fish populations valued by anglers. Opponents say the birds are scapegoated for a fish collapse they didn’t cause.

More than three-quarters of health department officials in Michigan agree that climate change will impact their jurisdiction in the next 20 years. But only a third identified climate change as a priority for their department.

The private timberlands that blanket Keweenaw County have been open for public recreation for generations. But with 32,600 acres now for sale by a New York hedge fund, some fear “no trespassing” signs may follow.

Yes, planting milkweed helps. But a new study by Michigan State University researchers links hotter, drier weather to monarch declines and raises questions about the iconic butterflies’ future as the climate changes.

A death at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the most recent incident in a summer of tragedy in Michigan’s remote wildernesses. That’s stretched resources and has lawmakers thinking of new funding sources.

Line 5 sustained no damage during the incident, which occurred as a result of an equipment failure while crews were doing maintenance work on the dual-span pipeline at the bottom of the Straits.

It seemed like a good deal: The city offered free replacement of lead water lines to residents. But mistrust of the government, particularly in immigrant communities, and unclear messaging has made the operation a hard sell.

The state is considering closing beaches and issuing fines, noting that some swimmers are ignoring danger conditions. But surfers and other sports enthusiasts live for rough waves, and want the state to more narrowly tailor any order.

Lawyers want a sizable cut of the proposed $641 million deal, noting the risks they took and millions of dollars of expenses in litigating the class action. The debate highlights continued conflict over what justice looks like for battered Flint residents.

The flying blood-suckers are bad this year. And while serious illness from mosquito bites is rare, the bugs are still a major annoyance.

After a recent inspection of the Union Street Dam revealed a need for extensive repairs, city officials are asking a state appeals court to decide ASAP whether the controversial FishPass project can proceed, which would allow the city to replace the dam.

Groups pushing for a wolf hunt in the Upper Peninsula often blame the predators for driving down deer populations. Experts say weather and other factors play a far bigger role.

Red flag alerts and other safety measures aren’t enough to keep people out of the water, state officials say, so they want to amp up the rules. They’re looking at drowning totals and the danger to rescuers, and say ticketing violators may help.

With wolves off the federal endangered species list, Michigan is reopening the books on state wolf management. And friends and foes of the iconic predator are jockeying for influence over the process.

A bipartisan federal deal on infrastructure is welcome, but experts say it won’t meet Michigan’s long-term needs for modernized, updated stormwater systems in an era of climate change.

The Minnesota city on Lake Superior is earning a reputation as a future destination for climate migrants. Experts say the entire Great Lakes region is primed for an influx, prompting questions on how to prepare for coming change.

Since the company’s oil pipelines became a hot-button political topic in Michigan, Enbridge has steadily ramped up its physical and philanthropic presence in the Straits. Some see the generosity as infused with ulterior motives.

The federal agency announced plans to thoroughly review the project’s potential environmental impacts on the Straits of Mackinac. The process also requires the agency to consider alternatives to the tunnel project.

Michigan’s more than 3,000 miles of coast could provide double the electricity residents used from all sources in 2019, according to a recent report.

Last year’s flooding destroyed 2,500 structures and property owners say government shares the blame for the dams’ neglect. But is restoring recreational lakes a public necessity?