Michigan Environment Watch

Wildfires consuming the west coast and Canada are troublesome and destructive, but they are also producing stunning panoramas through the hazy skies.

A federal study finds herds in Michigan and other states have virus antibodies in their blood. That’s more of an indication of its spread than cause for concern. The deer are doing just fine.

Natural populations of oil-degrading bacteria could help to clean up freshwater rivers and lakes after spills from pipelines and trains, but it’s not clear whether using bacteria could pose problems for the surrounding environment.

Not long ago, claims of cougar sightings were met with ridicule in Michigan. Now, some researchers believe the upper Great Lakes could be an important area for “cougar range expansion.”

A coalition known as Keep the U.P. Wild wants Congress to designate 51,000 acres in the Ottawa National Forest as a ‘wilderness.’ A logging representative asks ‘how many set-aside areas do we really need?’

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.