Michigan Environment Watch

The bill, which passed with Republican support and Democrat opposition, now heads to the House. It would require the state to appoint only Upper Peninsula residents to a body that advises state officials on wolf management policy. Wolves are only found in the U.P.

A bill by Rep. Michele Hoitenga, a lawmaker with professional ties to the oil and gas industry, adds Michigan to a growing list of states where legislators are fighting back against local efforts to phase out natural gas.

What does Michigan’s future look like if we adequately prepare the state’s water resources for climate change? Goodbye to septics and shore-hugging homes. Hello to more diversified crops on Michigan farms.

Your nose already knows, but the pollen causing so many of us to sneeze and sniffle is worse than in the past. The bad news: it will be worse in the future as Michigan gets warmer because of climate change.

The once-sleepy community of fewer than 100 residents now sees thousands of tourists every summer weekend. As the crowds strain capacity, how can the town sustain outdoor recreation that has become its economic engine, without sacrificing its small-town charm?

Last year’s crush of visitors stunned businesses and this summer promises a sequel: from sold-out campgrounds to heavy demand for boats, kayak and bikes and, likely, more novice hikers needing to be rescued from state and national parks.

If wolves are only in the U.P., should only Yoopers decide whether to kill them? That’s the question facing the Michigan Senate.

If you’re above ground only once every 17 years, there are worse places to emerge than Ann Arbor, expected to be the hot spot for insect song and sex this summer.

U-M is joining the state and other companies in making a commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions. But some say emission reductions aren’t happening fast enough to fight climate change.

Only a few small communities in the Great Lakes Basin have sought water diversions. But with climate change, some fear that increasingly parched swaths of the U.S. will seek access to the fresh water that surrounds us.

State game areas — hunting lands typically open to target shooting — have become increasingly popular with handgun and AR-15 enthusiasts. But the noise, trash and wayward bullets worry neighbors, hikers and others.

In a letter Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put Enbridge on notice that if the company keeps operating Line 5 in the Straits beyond Wednesday, the state will pursue legal action to recoup any profits Enbridge amasses from “wrongful use of the State’s property.”

The Canadian petroleum company technically has until Wednesday night to stop piping oil through the Straits of Mackinac, according to the state of Michigan. But what happens if the company refuses to abide by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order?

New research suggests that microplastics act like a chemical sponge, soaking up contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. Those chemicals, in turn, appear to be causing deformities in larval fish.

A warming climate means trouble for northern Michigan’s boreal forests. By importing saplings common to southern Michigan, foresters aim to help trees get a head-start in building the forests of the future.

A judge ruled Thursday that the $19.3 million project, which would allow scientists to test technology that allows some fish to pass through a dam on the Boardman River while others are kept out, can’t proceed without voters’ consent.

The steep downturn in people returning bottles to reclaim deposit money has created a huge one-time revenue boost for the state environmental cleanup fund and beverage retailers, which split the money from unclaimed deposits. But state officials worry the numbers are misleading.

Experts say disasters reveal “two different stories,” as poor communities struggle to rebuild, while richer neighbors can afford to fix damages.

Clean energy advocates lauded the commitment, which leverages the state’s buying power to help utilities expand renewable capacity.

Pipeline opponents hailed the decision by the Michigan Public Service Commission as “historic,” while Enbridge downplayed its significance.