Controversy over a proposal to lease state land near Gaylord for a solar array has spiraled into a battle over Michigan’s role in the green energy transition. Some lawmakers want to halt all solar development on public lands; critics accuse them of hypocrisy.
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
Report: Michigan trashes $500M+ worth of materials in landfills each year
The market value of material disposed of in Michigan is between $500 million and $676 million, according to a report by the Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Amid outcry, solar farm owner says it no longer wants Michigan forest to expand
Michigan lawmakers are upset over a state plan to lease 420 acres near Gaylord for a nearby solar farm. Now, the company involved says it no longer wants the land.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
MSU is studying lamprey sex. Can birth control save Great Lakes from invaders?
The race is on at Michigan State University to understand bedroom habits of the sea lamprey before they eviscerate Great Lakes fish populations.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
A Great Lakes ‘Pompeii’? Lake Huron’s depths hold secrets of human history
Ten years ago, scientists discovered ancient hunting camps beneath the lake. Now, DNA samples from a submerged peat bog could produce more revelations about the prehistoric Great Lakes.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan awards more than $5 million in grants to expand recycling efforts
The state recycling rate is about 23% now, compared to a national rate of 32%. The state grants support projects in communities throughout Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
‘Human composting’ of dead available in Michigan as long it's not done here
Residents must transport their departed loved ones out of state to undergo the ‘natural organic reduction process,’ which transforms the human body into soil. Only 12 states allow the practice.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Where and how to recycle your Christmas tree in Michigan
While you can’t pack up a real Christmas tree along with the decorations now that Christmas is over, you can recycle it in a number of ways.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan's total deer harvest is down, but hunters shot more bucks in '24
Hunters have harvested more bucks this year in Michigan than they did in 2023, though the total number of deer killed in the state has fallen.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
$90M data center tax break plan headed to Gov. Whitmer after final passage
The legislation poises Michigan to exempt massive “enterprise” data centers from sales and use taxes on their equipment, saving the industry an estimated $90 million through 2065.