Unsightly and unhealthy, algae blooms imperil drinking water for entire cities. There’s a plan to address them, but no timeline or resource estimate. In other words, not much.
Department of Environmental Quality
Posted inMichigan Government
State leaders pledge fixes for leaky fuel tanks fund after audit finds cash diversions
LITTLE HELP?: Michigan’s effort to deal with leaking underground fuel tanks such as this one have been hamstrung by the diversion of more than $200 million in state money that was collected to address the problem. In the wake of a critical state audit, policy-makers are pledging reforms to the program to accelerate the cleanup […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Sewer overflows declining, but heavy rains still push sewage into streams
APRIL SHOWERS BRING …: Torrential rains across Michigan overwhelmed sewer systems, leading to the release of more than 1 billion gallons of tainted water into lakes and streams. (courtesy photo) Billions of gallons of raw and partially treated sewage are still fouling the state’s rivers, lakes and streams, despite years of work by state and […]
Posted inBusiness Watch
Mines begin digging into U.P. free of key state tax
In September, after years of heated debate and legal battles, Kennecott Eagle Minerals began blasting into the ground at its controversial nickel mine near Marquette. The company, a subsidiary of London-based mining giant Rio Tinto, believes the Eagle mine will yield 300 million pounds of nickel and 250 million pounds of copper. Kennecott is one […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Quiet settles over environmental debate at Capitol
Gov. Rick Snyder and the Legislature have gone big on many issues so far this year — taxes, public employee benefits and education, to name a few — but one area that has drawn less attention has been their work on bills affecting the environment. That’s about to change. So far, the push for changes […]
Posted inMichigan Government
Veteran regulator prefers to say 'yes'
Getting to “yes” is a mission for Jim Sygo, the deputy director of the Department of Environmental Quality. It’s an answer, he believes can help Michigan’s environment and its economy. And it is a fundamental reason why Sygo is still on the job after nearly 30 years of state service that has taken him from […]