West Branch of Red Cedar
| ©2004 Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council P.O. Box 17164, Lansing, Michigan 48901-7164 (517) 214-5684 jessicayorko@sustainablesolutions.biz |
| Statewide News and Events |
Biking the riverwalk
Granholm Establishes Department of Energy, Consolidates Efforts to Grow
Energy Sector, Create Jobs
Director will serve as state’s Chief Energy Officer
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced a reorganization of state
government that aligns all activities related to renewable energy and energy efficiency in one
department in an effort to grow the energy sector and create jobs in Michigan.
“The new energy economy is, singularly, Michigan’s greatest opportunity to create thousands of
new jobs, attract new investment and diversify our economy,” Granholm said. “By consolidating
the state’s energy efforts, we will create an efficient alignment of all the state’s tools and
resources to focus with laser-like precision on leading the nation in the new evolving energy
sectors.” Read the full article here.
Michigan Involved in Multi-State Dirty Water Suit
Nine states are suing the Bush administration over what New York Attorney General Andrew
Cuomo says is an illegal administrative ruling that could hurt fisheries and contaminate drinking
water.
The states contend the federal government has created a loophole that could allow the transfer of
polluted or contaminated water by ship from one water body to another where it would do harm.
For example, the officials claim salt water from the ocean could be dumped in the Great Lakes
under the June federal decision
Suing the EPA are New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Washington, and the Canadian province of Manitoba. There was no immediate
comment from the EPA. Read the full article here.
Public gives green light to wind farm
The winds of change may soon be coursing through Oceana County in
the form of alternative energy. Voters in Elbridge Township Tuesday
approved a zoning ordinance change that will permit construction of a
$120 million commercial wind farm. The referendum on the wind farm
passed 323-78. Read the full article here.
BP: Diffuser better for the environment
BP says the diffuser it plans to use to dilute wastewater in Lake Michigan will not harm people's
drinking water or wildlife -- but a federal agency wants the company to use wetlands on its own
property to mitigate environmental impact. The refinery has proposed building a diffuser
consisting of a pipe extending 3,500 feet into Lake Michigan from the Whiting refinery. At the end,
12 exit ports would dilute the wastewater so pollutants come out less concentrated. "When IDEM
(the Indiana Department of Environmental Management) approved the (wastewater) permit, they
determined the mixing zone would not cause harm to human health and aquatic life. It would not
block passage of wildlife, it would not have an impact on habitat. It would not impact drinking
water intakes. It's an ideal location," said BP spokesman Scott Dean.
The project requires a construction permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which took
public comments until last week. Environmental groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
disagree with BP's assessment, saying that diffusing pollutants could degrade drinking water,
make spills harder to contain, result in more algal blooms and encourage the spread of invasive
fish at the expense of lake trout and sturgeon. Read the full article here.
Energy Sector, Create Jobs
Director will serve as state’s Chief Energy Officer
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced a reorganization of state
government that aligns all activities related to renewable energy and energy efficiency in one
department in an effort to grow the energy sector and create jobs in Michigan.
“The new energy economy is, singularly, Michigan’s greatest opportunity to create thousands of
new jobs, attract new investment and diversify our economy,” Granholm said. “By consolidating
the state’s energy efforts, we will create an efficient alignment of all the state’s tools and
resources to focus with laser-like precision on leading the nation in the new evolving energy
sectors.” Read the full article here.
Michigan Involved in Multi-State Dirty Water Suit
Nine states are suing the Bush administration over what New York Attorney General Andrew
Cuomo says is an illegal administrative ruling that could hurt fisheries and contaminate drinking
water.
The states contend the federal government has created a loophole that could allow the transfer of
polluted or contaminated water by ship from one water body to another where it would do harm.
For example, the officials claim salt water from the ocean could be dumped in the Great Lakes
under the June federal decision
Suing the EPA are New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Washington, and the Canadian province of Manitoba. There was no immediate
comment from the EPA. Read the full article here.
Public gives green light to wind farm
The winds of change may soon be coursing through Oceana County in
the form of alternative energy. Voters in Elbridge Township Tuesday
approved a zoning ordinance change that will permit construction of a
$120 million commercial wind farm. The referendum on the wind farm
passed 323-78. Read the full article here.
BP: Diffuser better for the environment
BP says the diffuser it plans to use to dilute wastewater in Lake Michigan will not harm people's
drinking water or wildlife -- but a federal agency wants the company to use wetlands on its own
property to mitigate environmental impact. The refinery has proposed building a diffuser
consisting of a pipe extending 3,500 feet into Lake Michigan from the Whiting refinery. At the end,
12 exit ports would dilute the wastewater so pollutants come out less concentrated. "When IDEM
(the Indiana Department of Environmental Management) approved the (wastewater) permit, they
determined the mixing zone would not cause harm to human health and aquatic life. It would not
block passage of wildlife, it would not have an impact on habitat. It would not impact drinking
water intakes. It's an ideal location," said BP spokesman Scott Dean.
The project requires a construction permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which took
public comments until last week. Environmental groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
disagree with BP's assessment, saying that diffusing pollutants could degrade drinking water,
make spills harder to contain, result in more algal blooms and encourage the spread of invasive
fish at the expense of lake trout and sturgeon. Read the full article here.
Smart Commute bike
commuting classes
commuting classes
Stream monitoring on the
west branch of Red Cedar
west branch of Red Cedar
Volunteer stream monitoring
training
training
