Mark Wallace, who resigned as Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CEO, was terminated as an adviser amid the fallout from CFO William A. Smith’s alleged $40 million embezzlement, though there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Wallace. (File photo)

Here’s a weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the stories we’re following. Have a reading recommendation? Let us know at nina@planetdetroit.org. 

????Axed: The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy terminated its contract with former CEO Mark Wallace, who had stepped down amid an investigation into a $40 million embezzlement scheme by CFO William A. Smith, with no criminal wrongdoing attributed to Wallace but concerns over leadership and oversight. (Crain’s Detroit Business) 

???? Water debt deal done: The Great Lakes Water Authority has approved a state-brokered deal to settle Highland Park’s $55 million water and sewer debt, ending a decade-long legal dispute and establishing new contracts and infrastructure funding. (Detroit News)

???? Big PFAS cleanup bucks: States are facing significant costs to comply with new EPA standards for PFAS contamination in drinking water, requiring extensive testing and treatment systems, with the burden likely to impact water rates and affordability despite federal and state funding efforts. (Michigan Advance)

???? Algae season begins: Researchers predict a moderate cyanobacterial bloom on Lake Erie this summer, potentially affecting water quality and ecosystems but expected to be less severe than previous years. (Michigan Public)

????️ Line 5 appeal: Environmentalists are challenging Michigan regulators’ approval of encasing part of Enbridge’s aging oil pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac, arguing that the decision did not adequately consider climate impact alternatives and should have required proof of no other viable options. (Michigan Public)

???? Electric hospital: Henry Ford Health plans to build a $235 million all-electric system to heat and cool its new $2.2 billion hospital tower in Detroit, making it the second all-electric hospital in the U.S., with completion expected by 2027.

☢️ Going nuclear: National legislation to accelerate nuclear energy development, recently passed by the U.S. Senate and awaiting President Biden’s signature, is expected to benefit Michigan, particularly the Palisades nuclear plant, where Holtec International plans to build small modular reactors and restart the old reactor. (MLive)

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Nina Misuraca Ignaczak is an award-winning Metro Detroit-based editor, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. She is the founder, publisher, and editor of Planet Detroit, a digital media startup focused on producing quality climate, equity, health, and environment journalism that centers grassroots voices, holds power accountable, and spotlights solutions. Planet Detroit has received awards and recognition from the Society for Professional Journalists Detroit, the Institute for Nonprofit News, and LION Publishers since its establishment in 2019. Prior to her journalism career, Nina worked in urban planning in local government and nonprofit sectors, holding a Master of Science in Natural Resource Ecology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.