the environment report

The massive oil spill in the Kalamazoo River 15 years ago polluted the water and shoreline and left oil-coated wildlife. More than a million gallons of oil was recovered along a more than 35 mile stretch of the river.

The National Wildlife Federation says Michigan's environment department should fully review what damage drilling the tunnel for a new pipeline segment might cause.

The Great Lakes piping plover recovery effort has been ongoing since the mid-1980s when the population got as low as a dozen nesting pairs. This year, the number reached 85 nesting pairs for the first time.

Each summer, Lake Erie is plagued by toxic cyanobacterial blooms fed by phosphorus runoff from farm fields. Michigan is struggling to reduce the pollution by 40%.

A new study shows the Great Lakes are vulnerable to more extreme temperature highs and lows over the decades due to climate change.

The new lock at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie is in the third phase of construction. The megaproject is over budget and funds to finish the lock are uncertain. A federal report found if the current lock for large ships fails, it could cause a deep recession, leading to as many as 11 million people to be unemployed.

Federal budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration could cause significant disruption in the efforts to restore and sustain fish populations in the Great Lakes.

From fishing and heavy industry to recreational waterfronts and new tech, an array of interest groups are using, and sometimes abusing, Michigan's biggest economic asset. Join Michigan Public’s Environment Reporter Lester Graham and a panel of experts for a fast-paced discussion about The Blue Economy on Monday, May 19 at 7pm, in person at the South Lyon Hotel or online.

A map of urban tree cover was published by the Washington Post. Michigan metro areas vary in tree cover, ranging from 26% to 48%. Tree cover in urban areas is important because it reduces the heat island effect.

Prairie fires were a natural part of the landscape before European settlement. Most prairies were eventually turned into farmland. Because they're vital habitat to pollinators and other wildlife, plus are beautiful in their own right, prairies are being restored. Occasionally, they need to be burned to survive.