EPA 2026 budget cuts target clean water programs
President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin was clear when he released the agency’s new mission statement in February. A top priority will be “clean air, land and water for every American,” Zeldin said, when he announced, “Powering the Great American Comeback.” In early June the EPA released its fiscal year 2026…
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The smoke from Canada’s wildfires may be even more toxic than usual
By Matt Simon This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. More than 200 wildfires are blazing across central and western Canada, half…
Outdoors enthusiasts asked to prevent spreading invasive pests
By Lester Graham, Michigan Public The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together…
New book digs into Indigenous cuisine through archaeology, culture and ecology
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo. By Isabella Figueroa, Great Lakes Echo In a new book, archeologists who study past societies of the Great Lakes…
How sensors, software, and other tech could help Ohio’s aging power grid
By Kathiann M. Kowalski This story was originally published by Canary Media. A new state law will require Ohio utilities and regulators to consider how technology might offer cost-effective options…
Wisconsin might have to pick up tab to retain pollution protections under proposed budget cuts to EPA
By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio. Wisconsin might lose federal funding that supports state staff working to keep…
Michigan triples ‘do not eat’ fish warnings as PFAS contamination concerns rise
Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region. Check back for more PFAS news roundups every other week on our website. New, more stringent PFAS…
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New PFAS guidelines spark more ‘do not eat’ warnings for Michigan fish
By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water. This independent journalism is supported…
Keep readingWhite throated sparrow takes first place in fattest bird competition
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo. By Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo A very round white throated sparrow is the heavyweight champion of the 2025 Wisconsin Fat Bird Week contest. The bird, coined the “spherical white-throated sparrow,” won by a landslide, receiving 72% of the vote in the final round against its nearest competitor,…
How much plastic is in the Great Lakes?
Microplastics are turning up everywhere, including our water, our food, and even our bodies. And the Great Lakes are no exception. Ripples of Plastic is a documentary from Ohio filmmakers Chris Langer and Josh Heese that investigates how plastic pollution is making its way into the largest freshwater system in the world. The film follows researchers,…
Smoke expected to lift in northern Michigan, but more could be on the way
By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Interlochen Public Radio and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization. Canadian wildfire smoke that blew into the Great Lakes region is expected to clear from northern Michigan this weekend — at least for now. The Michigan Air Quality Division said Thursday morning that…
Case Western Reserve University alumni roll out microplastic filtration system for washing machines
By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media This story was originally published by Ideastream. Case Western Reserve University is set to install filters to washing machines across campus to reduce microplastic pollution during the laundry cycle. Microplastics can be found virtually anywhere, and studies have found that wastewater from washing machines is a primary source. As clothing is washed during the…
New wetland could show how Michigan can reduce agricultural runoff polluting Lake Erie
By Lester Graham, Michigan Public The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water. This independent journalism is…
Near westside residents have higher rates of lung disease, study says
By Enrique Saenz, Mirror Indy Mirror Indy is a part of Free Press Indiana, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to ensuring all Hoosiers have access to the news and information they need. Sandy Leeds remembers the glory days of West Indianapolis. Now 80 years old, she was born in 1944 and lived in a post-war era she…
