Great Lakes Now

PFAS Roundup: Minnesota votes to continue conservation and PFAS cleanup, Indiana ends firefighter foam collection program

3 min read

PFAS Roundup: Minnesota votes to continue conservation and PFAS cleanup, Indiana ends firefighter foam collection program

Over 77% of voters in Minnesota approved an extension of the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF), that will continue to pay for conservation efforts for another 25 years. Funding for this casts a wide net, from outdoor education and trail investments, to invasive species and PFAS removal. The ENRTF was approved as an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution of the State in 1988, and generates funding from the Minnesota State Lottery. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Great Lakes Now Michigan

Can environmental law move beyond bedrock 1970’s legislation, while adapting to current and future challenges?

9 min read

Can environmental law move beyond bedrock 1970’s legislation, while adapting to current and future challenges?

A 2022 report titled Promises Half Kept at the Half Century Mark, by the Environmental Integrity Project, released on the Clean Water Act’s 50th anniversary said the law is “falling short of its original goals.”

Michigan, for example, has the 4th largest number of impaired lakes, reservoirs and streams assessed for water contact recreation in the U.S.

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Great Lakes Echo

Students at Michigan State and Wisconsin win EPA funding for environmental health innovations

3 min read

By Isabella Figueroa Student researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin are among the winners of an Environmental Protection Agency contest for innovations in sustainability. The EPA established the People, Prosperity and the Planet Student Design Competition to support teams of undergraduate and graduate students working to develop solutions to environmental and […]

The post Students at Michigan State and Wisconsin win EPA funding for environmental health innovations first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Great Lakes Now Michigan

Mining is back in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Here’s how it works

5 min read

Mining is back in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Here’s how it works

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; 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.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Great Lakes Now

PFAS Roundup: Vice President Harris supports Michigan-led plan to provide medical care for military victims of PFAS

5 min read

PFAS Roundup: Vice President Harris supports Michigan-led plan to provide medical care for military victims of PFAS

Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Rep. Dan Kildee introduced The Veterans Exposed to Toxic PFAS Act in July of 2023. Recently, Vice President Kamala Harris announced her support for the bill as a part of her presidential campaign. If passed, this would make it easier for veterans who were exposed to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) while serving to access medical benefits and disability. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.