Michigan Environment Watch

The founder of a company that uses drones to recover deer carcasses that hunters cannot find says that Michigan’s prohibition of the practice violates his First Amendment rights. The suit questions one of the core principles of hunting and fishing in the United States, some experts say.

Michigan lawmakers made sweeping changes to Michigan energy laws last fall. But plenty of items missed the cut, from community solar to finding solutions for Michigan’s outage-prone power grid.

Fish-leather purses and wallets may make their way into Great Lakes fashion with an initiative to use 100 percent of commercially caught fish by 2025.

How far can Michigan go in its quest to limit farm pollution in Michigan’s lakes and rivers? That’s the subject of a case now before the state’s highest court.

This week Michigan got its first real winter storm of the season, causing snow days at some school districts for the first time this school year. A winter storm expected to hit Friday has superintendents watching the forecast.

Campsite reservations are 35 - 80 percent booked through July across Michigan’s state parks.

A winter storm is headed toward the Midwest causing heavy winds and snow Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Most of lower Michigan can expect to see between 2 and 7 inches of snow while northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula could get 10 inches of snow.

All of the Great Lakes are experiencing declining ice coverage in the winter, which could affect recreation and shorelines.

Opponents of the new law, which stripped away local permitting control over large wind and solar projects, are pushing a ballot initiative that would ask voters in November to overturn the law.

Less than one percent of the Great Lakes is currently covered by ice, a steep drop from historic levels. Climate change experts have been warning of its impacts for years, and this year we have El Niño as well.

At least 17 states have issued PFAS-related fish consumption advisories, KFF Health News found. But with no federal guidance, what is considered safe to eat varies significantly among states, most of which provide no regulation.

Amid a push toward renewable energy in Michigan, taxpayers are subsidizing technology to turn animal feces into fuel. Opponents say it further subsidizes the growth of an industry responsible for widespread water pollution problems.

"The compact is a step forward for the Great Lakes but it’s just the beginning of a long journey."

Declining hunting participation isn’t the only reason deer populations are skyrocketing. Blame suburban sprawl, a lack of hunting land in southern Michigan, a century-worth of predator suppression and the newer threat of climate change.

Michigan ski resorts are becoming more reliant on snowmaking machines due lack of snow caused by warmer temperatures. Some resorts have adjusted their hours or only have some slopes open.

Michigan now has more options for mobility-impaired people to access beaches and trails than any other state, after a yearslong effort to make parks more accessible.

Michigan won't reach the phosphorus reduction goal by 2025 as planned. It's uncertain when it might attain that goal to help reduce cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Erie.

Michigan ranks third in the nation for the most Christmas trees harvested each year. Despite that, finding the right tree may be more challenging. Many farms are experiencing a tree shortage due to increased demand and last summer’s drought.

Southern Michigan is due for a green holiday, as the chance of snow in the next 12 days is super low. Blame El Niño.

Ahead of a gathering to assess the health of Lake Erie, the state acknowledges it won’t meet a 2025 deadline to cut phosphorus runoff into Lake Erie by 40 percent. The goal is to protect Lake Erie and Michigan’s small farms.