Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered Line 5 closed a year ago, citing safety concerns. The Biden administration is now involved. But chances of an imminent shutdown appear slim. We lay out some of the hurdles.
Kelly House
Kelly House covers Michigan environmental issues for Bridge. She joined the Bridge staff in March 2020. Previously, Kelly reported for the Oregonian, where her coverage of the environment and other topics garnered national honors and sparked state efforts to better protect Oregon’s natural resources. She has a master’s degree in environmental law from Lewis & Clark Law School and a bachelor’s in journalism from Michigan State University. She is from Harrison and lives in Lansing. You can reach her at khouse@bridgemi.com or on Twitter at @Kelly_M_House.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Benton Harbor residents sue city, Michigan over drinking water crisis
The federal lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, alleges that a weak government response to the crisis left residents unaware for years that their water could be tainted.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Judge approves $626 million settlement in Flint water crisis
The settlement is a landmark in the tragedy, but a judge has yet to decide how much of the payout lawyers will keep. That’s a big sticking point.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Deer expert: Expect fewer hunters in the Michigan woods this year
An uptick in deer hunting during COVID last year prompted whispers of a renaissance for a sport that has been losing participants for decades. Early numbers suggest many of the new hunters aren’t coming back.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
As hunting wanes, fear of a southern Michigan deer invasion grows
With deer hunting in decline and land development pushing humans and deer ever-closer together, Michigan’s deer population may be headed toward an uncontrollable boom.
Posted inMichigan Government
How the $1.2-trillion Biden infrastructure bill will be spent in Michigan
The once-in-a-generation legislation promises to bring more than $10 billion in public works aid to Michigan, a state in dire need of upgrades to roads, dams and bridges, drinking water systems and other protections against climate change.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Docs: Benton Harbor water response marked by delays, poor messaging
Documents released this week paint a picture of how Benton Harbor’s lead-tainted water crisis was allowed to fester for years amid funding shortfalls, communication breakdowns and delays.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan environmental leader admits flaws with Benton Harbor lead crisis
The state’s top environmental regulator told legislators that the state did not “fully reach” everyone in Benton Harbor about lead risks with the municipal water system, leading some to drink lead-tainted water unaware for years.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Amid lead crisis, EPA orders Benton Harbor to fix water quality violations
Federal regulators Tuesday flagged Benton Harbor’s water system for a host of problems, from failing to adequately alert residents to lead in their water to broken equipment inside the water treatment plant, as the city struggles to raise revenue for fixes.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan parks look increasingly likely to get big COVID funding boost
The pandemic has produced an outdoors renaissance with huge traffic at state and local parks. It now appears the Democratic governor and GOP legislature largely agree on spending hundreds of millions of dollars to address long-deferred maintenance.