Investor-owned utilities have been slow to ditch oil and gas. The city of Ann Arbor plans to boost access to renewables through a new dual-service model. Story by @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/04/03/h...

How do you manage a thousand-year flood? Our latest episode explores how a difficult decision was made when rainwater overwhelmed Milwaukee’s sewers, why false spring shows up every year and how the Great Lakes region is increasingly being seen as a climate haven: youtu.be/ylzWd-DIvN4

Cleveland-Cliffs won a federal grant to install hydrogen-ready tech. Now, it wants to revamp its Middletown blast furnace, raising questions about its use of funds. Story by @canarymedia.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/04/01/w...

Once celebrated as the honeymoon capital of the world, Niagara Falls is now better known for its environmental and mental health challenges. Story by @insideclimatenews.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/04/01/h...

Golden oyster mushrooms are spreading fast, altering how Ontario’s forests grow, decompose and nurture important native mushrooms. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/31/t...

It’s been a year since the devastating ice storm. Poles and wires have since been replaced, but some residents wonder whether it makes more sense to bury them out of the reach of increasingly damaging snow and ice. Story by @iprnews.bsky.social and @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/30/t...

When a thousand year storm overwhelmed Milwaukee, one man faced a critical decision. Plus, why does false spring show up every year? And are climate migrants already arriving in the Great Lakes region? Watch it MONDAY, 3/30 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS: youtu.be/R4S3OlOQdjA

Illinois has nearly 1.5 million lead service lines. A new report estimates replacing the unsafe pipes has the potential to create 90,000 jobs. Story by @wbez.org and @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/30/c...

It’s the same story every year. In February or March, a warm spell arrives that makes us think the long winter is finally over. Then, just as quickly, we’re back to bundling up ❄️ This is a "false spring," and it makes us feel like nature is playing a trick on us: youtu.be/wAJrR0ROogY

It’s the latest blow to solar in a state that defers to local governments on renewable energy, but not on fossil fuels. Story by @canarymedia.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/26/o...

For data centers, nearly all the electricity that enters a facility turns into heat. A movement is underway to mine power plants, data centers and sewers for heat and use it to develop cleaner energy that helps reduce carbon emissions from heating and cooling. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/24/t...

Salt used to remove ice from roadways is collecting in Simcoe’s watershed — a source of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/18/w...

After 150 years of pollution, including persistent combined sewer overflows, a small but mighty watershed persists on its way to the Great Lakes. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/18/s...

Forester and author @howtoloveaforest.bsky.social explains why loving a forest means more than planting trees or criticizing the lumber industry. @lisajohn.bsky.social spoke with Tapper about how forests can thrive when we rethink old ideas about forest management: youtu.be/wiytUmC71yE

Once considered too polluted for whitefish to thrive, southern Green Bay has suddenly become the only place in Lake Michigan where the fish aren’t collapsing. What can Michigan learn from its success? And will it last? Story by @bridgemi.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/12/a...

The electric grid is under growing demand, but the Trump administration has worked to roll back subsidies and incentives for some renewable energies. A new industry report finds that solar panel installations dropped by 14% this past year. Story by @pbsnews.org: www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

Every winter, roads and sidewalks are covered with salt to melt ice and prevent accidents. But is the salt doing more harm than good? Citizen scientists in Ontario have been studying how salt is impacting local waterways and advocating for stronger limits on its use: youtu.be/RPgTe4VS0nU

The Great Lakes are seeing a "golden age" of shipwreck discoveries, says a Wisconsin maritime historian. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/10/s...

The Bad River Band is fighting to stop Line 5 and protect its watershed. Meanwhile, local sheriffs are already tallying the cost of riot gear. Story by @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/09/e...

Arctic grayling were once abundant in Michigan's waters. But almost a century ago, habitat destruction, overfishing and predation by introduced species decimated their populations. Today, an effort is underway to restore self-sustaining populations of this long-lost fish: youtu.be/692TVsNWFyw

As climate change intensifies wildfires and other extreme weather events, demand for native seeds is surging. Story by @wbez.org and @grist.org: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/03/a...

The issue in front of the US Supreme Court is seemingly mundane, about federal or state jurisdiction. But it is actually much bigger, encompassing some key questions of the 21st century. Story by @theconversation.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/03/02/s...

Can we bring the long-lost Arctic grayling back? Should we use less road salt? And what does it mean to love a forest? Watch our latest episode to find out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge2Q...

The Wisconsin Assembly unanimously passed two bills to help residents with PFAS mitigation after 30 months of debate. Catch the latest PFAS news in the Great Lakes region: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/25/w...

The southernmost Great Lake froze over almost completely this month — bringing people from near and far to have a look. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/24/s...

Bringing back some of the #GLANSIS team's greatest for #NationalInvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek: here's some great coverage of last year's landmark paper on the top 10 most impactful #GreatLakes #AIS! #NISAW

A decommissioned nuclear plant in Michigan is set to restart for the first time in U.S. history, alongside plans for new small modular reactors on the same site. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/18/a...

In our latest episode, explore an effort to restore arctic grayling. Learn about how citizen scientists in Ontario work to understand the damage that road salt is doing to local waterways. Also, Ethan Tapper discusses what it means to love a forest. Watch it MONDAY, 2/23 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS!

Melting snow creating an Air Quality issue? It can happen every year.

Pints North Great Lakes Trivia is coming to Detroit tomorrow! Join us at Brewery Faisan for a free event in partnership with the Points North podcast team and @bridgemi.com featuring three rounds of questions all about the Great Lakes. See you at 7PM: www.interlochenpublicradio.org/2026-01-20/p...

Manoomin — or wild rice — is an important cultural food source for Anishinaabe peoples throughout the Great Lakes. Once abundant throughout the region, its existence has been threatened by dams and environmental pressures. Today, there’s an effort to restore it: youtu.be/fTp-337qZYQ

The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand to expanding electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore how shifting supply and demand affect the region and its waters: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/12/t...

More energy news as a bribery trial begins in Ohio for two former utility executives and burning trash and wood for electricity can now qualify as carbon-free in Minnesota. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/10/m...

Want more info on the Great Lakes? Get the latest news and program updates in our weekly newsletter. Sign up today: www.greatlakesnow.org/great-lakes-...

Pints North Great Lakes Trivia is coming to Detroit! Join Great Lakes Now, @iprnews.bsky.social and @bridgemi.com at Brewery Faisan on Tuesday, Feb 17 at 7 PM for a free event featuring questions all about the land, water and inhabitants of the Great Lakes. RSVP: www.facebook.com/events/15157...

As dams come down, native fish are returning to their home waters. But invasive species are taking advantage of that same access. How do we separate native fish from undesirable ones? In Traverse City, researchers are testing an innovative solution called FishPass: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdUj...

Michigan researchers have gone back in time to get a picture of ice cover on the Great Lakes since the late 19th century. Story by @iprnews.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/04/n...

Nearly everyone in the United States has forever chemicals, or PFAS, in their blood. This guide breaks down how these chemicals get in our bodies, the potential effects on human health, how to find out if PFAS are in your drinking water and more.

"It will almost certainly lead to an increase in harmful pollution that America has made so much progress reducing over the decades." Story by @us.theconversation.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/02/03/e...

Our latest episode is here! 🐟 See how FishPass in Traverse City, Michigan aims to sort and separate native fish from invasive ones. Then, learn about how wild rice goes from water to table, and check out a breakaway buoy that explored Lake Michigan’s icy waves: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K26H...

The transfer includes more than half of the beachfront, which contains all the sand dunes and vegetation that serve as nesting area for the piping plover. Story by @thenarwhal.ca: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/27/o...

TONIGHT on Detroit PBS! Sort fish, harvest wild rice and learn about what a drifting buoy revealed about winter on the lakes. Read about "Sorting Fish and Breakaway Buoys" and catch the episode at 7:30 PM ET: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/26/s...

In our next episode, explore a project on a Michigan river that keeps undesirable fish away. Then take a canoe out onto the Au Sable River to harvest wild rice. Plus, see what a drifting buoy revealed about winter on the lakes. Watch it MONDAY, 1/26 at 7:30p ET on Detroit PBS! youtu.be/ybrE_pxFZr0

Rising water levels and increased wave activity prompted many coastal communities to install seawalls, rock revetments and other protective structures, the study said. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/21/g...

Surveys of the lamprey show their numbers have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Story by @michiganpublic.bsky.social: www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/12/i...

A self taught archeologist in Michigan made a major discovery. Growing up, Tom Talbot was fascinated by artifacts. Eventually, his artifact hunting led him to a find that's shedding light on what we know about ancient civilizations in North America: youtube.com/shorts/tiJDr...

Preliminary findings from researchers show a decline in antibody levels among Wisconsin eaglets with high PFAS levels in their blood, potentially reducing their ability to fight off infections. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/09/h...

It’s been 50 years since a freighter sank in the Great Lakes, but in the summer of 2024, one ship came dangerously close. On June 8, 2024, the Michipicoten was carrying a load of iron ore across Lake Superior when the crew heard a loud bang. The ship was taking on water. youtu.be/OjFxqqakyno

More than 30 years ago, a group of scientists planted just 4,200 seeds of the rare Pitcher’s thistle in the sandy dunes of the Great Lakes. At the time, no one knew if the populations would survive. Today, the restored populations are thriving and spreading. www.greatlakesnow.org/2026/01/02/h...

From data centers to nuclear plants, Michigan will see some big energy-related decisions next year that could shape the state’s environment for decades to come. Story by @bridgemi.com: www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/12/30/5...