Pollution

Report downgrades Oak Creek bluff collapse damage

glbm — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:02:04 +0000

Thomas Content, The Journal Sentinel

Jan 11 2012

The bluff failure and landslide at the Oak Creek power plant sent less coal ash and dirt into Lake Michigan than was first projected, but what did end up in the lake cannot be recovered.

That's the assessment of the state Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard and We Energies.

An investigation is continuing into the cause of a bluff failure that sent coal ash from an old disposal area near the Oak Creek power plant into Lake Michigan on Oct. 31. Eric Nitschke, Southeast region director for the state Department of Natural Resources, said Monday his agency's investigation into the collapse's cause is expected to be completed in February.

Recovery of vehicles and equipment from the lake wrapped up in December, but officials have concluded there is no way to recover the ash and soil mix that went into the lake.

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Odd trash from Chicago found in Muskegon State Park

glbm — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Megan Hart, the Muskegon Chronicle

Jan 5 2012

Jim Plant has found some unusual things while cleaning up Lake Michigan beaches, and wondered how on earth they got there.
On rare occasions, though, trash comes with contact information.
Plant found two pieces of paper that apparently came from Chicago while picking up trash on his daily walks through Muskegon State Park in late December. He called The Chronicle because of the strangeness of the find, and to call attention to the efforts of other people he sees cleaning up the park.
One of the papers was a number given to a runner in the “Pumpkins in the Park 5K,” which was run in a Chicago park on Lake Michigan on Oct. 15, according to a registration website. The paper has the numeral one printed on it, as well as a whimsical picture of a “Spooky Sprints” ghost.

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Who will foot bill for cleaner water?

glbm — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:14:06 +0000

Randy Ludlow, Columbus Dispatch

Dec 8 2011

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has developed a tentative long-range plan to reduce the algae-creating pollution that is choking Lake Erie and inland lakes and rivers.

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Erie fishery is at risk until algae dealt with

glbm — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:49:48 +0000

Steve Pollick, Toledo Blade

Nov 11 2011

It was a godsend to see a photograph of a pair of fresh-caught Lake Erie walleyes, 9-pound and 10-pound giants, taken off Huron on Tuesday.

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A SIMPLE SPLASH CAN MAKE YOU SICK

glbm — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:05:38 +0000

Emily Sohn, Discovery News

Nov 7 2011

You don't have to swim in polluted waters to get sick from floating microorganisms, found a new study. Simply canoeing or rowing on the surface may be enough to slightly increase your risk of intestinal distress.

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Playing on Chicago River could make you sick

glbm — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:00:18 +0000

Gabriel Spitzer, WBEZ

Oct 27 2011

The Chicago River is largely toilet water, so it would stand to reason that playing in it could make you sick. But according to a long-awaited health study published Wednesday, boating and fishing on the river is no riskier than doing so on other local waterways

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Toxic algae getting worse in Lake Erie

glbm — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:50:31 +0000

Tina Lam, Detroit Free Press

Oct 21 2011

The costly toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie in August was the worst since the early 1960s, several scientists who studied it said Wednesday in Detroit.

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5 chemical threats to the Great Lakes

glbm — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:08:25 +0000

Brian Kemp, CBC News

Sep 23 2011

The Great Lakes have faced various threats for years, from industrial pollution to invasive species, but another challenge worries many researchers these days — the emerging chemical threat.

It’s not just pesticides, as scientists are finding worrying levels of pharmaceutically active compounds such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and beta blockers in lake water. As well, hormones, pesticides and alkylphenols have been identified as threats.

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Sources of toxic algae: farms, cities

glbm — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:42:40 +0000

Spencer Hunt, the Columbus Dispatch

Sep 6 2011

Scientists know what causes the toxic blue-green algae that stain western Lake Erie every summer.

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Pharmaceuticals latest danger to Great Lakes

glbm — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:14:05 +0000

Dave Golowenski, The Columbus Dispatch

Jun 16 2011

Asian carp, cormorants, exotic mussels, mitten crabs, ruffes, gobies, spiny water fleas, blue-green algae, gizzard shad, rainbow smelt, sea lampreys, alewives, white perch.

Isn't it sufficient that Lake Erie is a biotic stew crawling with trouble?

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Don't eat fish from certain St. Clair Shores canals, state advises

glbm — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:11:34 +0000

Cecil Angel, Detroit Free Press

May 31 2011

A “do not eat” advisory has been issued by the Michigan Department

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Fish tumors tell tale of Duluth harbor’s health

glbm — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:09:23 +0000

John Myers, Duluth News Tribune

May 31 2011

For bass anglers Matt Amos and Derek Lofald, the offer was too good to pass up: Go ahead and fish out of season. And there’s no limit on what you can keep.

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Pollution monitors for Lake St. Clair, rivers may shut down

glbm — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:57:40 +0000

Chad Selweski, Daily Tribune

May 11 2011

The nation’s most advanced drinking water monitoring system, stretching from Port Huron to Wyandotte, may be shut down by December, just three years after it was put into place.

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Boater Feedback Needed on New Clean Boating Act Management Practices

glbm — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:40:22 +0000

NMMA

Apr 11 2011

Help EPA develop new regulations to manage pollution in our nation's water.

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Feds probe chronic sewage overflows into lake, streams

glbm — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:49:52 +0000

Chicago Tribune

Mar 19 2011

Billed as an engineering marvel and national model, Chicago's Deep Tunnel was designed to protect Lake Michigan from sewage overflows and put an end to the once-frequent practice of dumping human and industrial waste into local rivers.

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