The Minnesota city on Lake Superior is earning a reputation as a future destination for climate migrants. Experts say the entire Great Lakes region is primed for an influx, prompting questions on how to prepare for coming change.
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
Fish, propane, cash: Not everyone loves Enbridge generosity in the Straits
Since the company’s oil pipelines became a hot-button political topic in Michigan, Enbridge has steadily ramped up its physical and philanthropic presence in the Straits. Some see the generosity as infused with ulterior motives.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Army Corps decision could tack years onto Enbridge Line 5 tunnel timeline
The federal agency announced plans to thoroughly review the project’s potential environmental impacts on the Straits of Mackinac. The process also requires the agency to consider alternatives to the tunnel project.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Offshore wind could provide double the electricity Michiganders used in 2019
Michigan’s more than 3,000 miles of coast could provide double the electricity residents used from all sources in 2019, according to a recent report.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Should taxpayers foot the bill for restoring the Midland dams?
Last year’s flooding destroyed 2,500 structures and property owners say government shares the blame for the dams’ neglect. But is restoring recreational lakes a public necessity?
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan Senate passes bill to create a Yoopers-only wolf council
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.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan lawmaker wants to block local bans on natural gas
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.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan’s climate-ready future: wetland parks, less cement, roomy shores
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.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Allergy season is bad this year in Michigan. And it’s going to get worse
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.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
In tiny Copper Harbor, a mountain biking boom causes growing pains
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?