The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s freshly unveiled Lifeline Plan aims to help eligible households keep their water service and erase past debt. But water justice activists and residents want more information, transparency, and accountability. Five years later, the memories of barely having enough never left Sonja Bonnett. On the hardest days of survival, the […]
Posted inCommunity
Jefferson-Chalmers resident aims to meet neighbors, clean up Lakewood East park
Ted Tansley grew up on a farm in northern Oakland County not really knowing his neighbors. He’d always wanted to live in Detroit, in a place where he could be active in the community. So in 2019, he moved to Jefferson Chalmers. Tansley is passionate about having clean parks for people to enjoy and wasted […]
Posted inAccountability
New DTE Energy-affiliated dark money group launches, aims to influence Michigan politics
CO2 2022/2021 : 419.35 ppm / 417.07 ppm Dear Michigan Climate News readers, This week: A new "dark money" group is influencing politics in Michigan. affiliated with one of its largest utilities. Their aim? Likely maintaining a cap on solar energy. The MPSC wants more info before deciding on a new gas-and-oil pipeline in eh […]
Posted inAccountability
Only half of Great Lakes residents are aware of advisories for safely eating fish
By CAMERYN CASSCapital News Service LANSING – The Great Lakes Basin draws millions of anglers each year to fish in its lakes, rivers and streams. In addition, millions more of the region’s residents eat those fish. The problem is, only about half of them are aware of fish consumption advisories, according to a recent study […]
Posted inUncategorized
From the Headlines- July 5 – 8
Decision delayed: The Michigan Public Service Commission voted Thursday to re-open the record for additional evidence in the case that will decide whether Enbridge gets a permit to build an underground tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac to house part of its Line 5 oil and gas pipeline. During the meeting, MPSC Chairman Dan Scripps said the […]
Posted inAccountability
‘We can’t even keep our windows open’: Poletown East residents protest outside US Ecology South plant ahead of permit renewal
Strong odors filled the air outside of the US Ecology South facility Thursday as a group of Michigan politicians joined with community members and organizations to demand that the City of Detroit establish a Host Community Agreement with US Ecology South. The company is seeking a permit renewal from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great […]
Posted inUncategorized
Can Michigan move forward with fighting climate change after SCOTUS decision?
CO2 2022/2021 : 420.21 ppm / 417.21 ppm Dear Michigan Climate News readers, The U.S. Supreme court took a cudgel to the federal government's ability to administratively regulate carbon. In the absence of congressional action, can states go it alone? In other news, DTE Energy is at it again with the dark money campaigns — […]
Posted inCommunity
In the aftershock of Roe’s dismantling, Detroit advocates say attack on health and bodily autonomy is an environmental justice issue
Loss of abortion access adds to a laundry list of systemic ills for communities already burdened by pollution and vulnerable to the climate crisis A generation of birthing people never knew a world without reproductive freedom until last Friday, after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a near half-century precedent that guaranteed the right to safe […]
Posted inSolutions
Sacred Heart Catholic Church congregation gathers to celebrate green stormwater project
Members of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Detroit’s Eastern Market strolled outside in traditional red attire last week to view a rain garden filled with native plant species in bloom in the parking lot of their church. The gathering, which coincided with the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus celebration, honored a green […]
Posted inAccountability, Deep Dives, Lead poisoning
Bills requiring universal lead testing for Michigan children passes out of House committee; fall vote expected
The bills come on top of new guidance lowering the threshold for what’s considered an elevated blood lead level in the state Two bills that would change lead testing requirements for children have passed out of the state House Health Policy Committee and will likely come up for a vote during the fall legislative session. […]