Federal officials are preparing to decide whether to grant a key permit for the tunnel, which would house a replacement section of the Line 5 petroleum pipeline.
Michigan Environment Watch
Michigan Environment Watch examines how public policy, industry, and other factors interact with the state’s trove of natural resources.
Great Lakes News Collaborative
Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television, The Narwhal and Michigan Public work together to report on the most pressing threats to the Great Lakes region’s water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. You can find all of the collaborative’s stories here.
Shockwave
The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand and a nuclear energy boom, to expanding renewables and electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore how shifting supply and demand affect the region and its waters. Read the series here.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan cities fight effects of climate change
Kalamazoo exemplifies a growing trend of communities doing what they can within their borders to adapt to a changing climate.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Toxic Michigan site ‘cautionary tale’ as Trump eyes environmental cleanup cuts
In St. Louis, taxpayers have spent millions of dollars and decades cleaning a chemical plant that new research has shown caused numerous health problems. Cuts to the Superfund program would hinder similar cleanups.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Study of invasive mussels finds PFAS is nearly everywhere in the Great Lakes
Great Lakes mussels are giving scientists a clearer picture of where the chemicals are concentrated, according to a recent report.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan’s bottle return rates keep falling. Is it time for change?
Michiganders returned less than three-quarters of their 10-cent bottle deposits last year, the lowest redemption rate on record. In all, $116 million went unreturned. A ballot measure may be in the works.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
New PFAS guidelines spark more ‘do not eat’ warnings for Michigan fish
Anglers are warned not to eat their catch from 98 Michigan waterbodies, up from 33 last year, after state officials revised their health guidance in light of growing evidence that PFAS is more toxic than previously thought.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
US officials release Line 5 environmental review; conclude project is needed
The review considered impacts of the Line 5 project along with several alternatives. It’s the first major step toward a permitting decision expected this fall.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Great Lakes slightly colder than usual ahead of summer
As May’s cooler temperatures give way to summertime warmth in Michigan, the Great Lakes are slightly cooler than usual but warming. But where are Michigan’s warmest waters?
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
A hard-fought milestone for Flint’s water, but uncertainty ahead
After years of delays, Flint is nearly done replacing the city’s lead-containing water pipes. But residents and activists aren’t sure they can celebrate yet.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Despite US research resistance, Great Lakes aims to be Silicon Valley for water
Unlike Silicon Valley’s ascent, which was significantly bolstered by steady public research funding—federal investment, for instance, paid 25 percent of the cost of developing the transistor—Great Lakes blue economy development is taking shape in an era of resistance to US government research outlays.