News

Great Lakes metro areas such as the Buffalo Niagara region are effectively using exports to bolster their economies, but their manufacturers need to become more innovative to make the most of foreign sales and create jobs, a new study says. More...

The first mine to be permitted under Michigan's non-ferrous metallic mining law -- the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company nickel sulfide mine west of Marquette -- continues to draw concerns and criticism. More...

Cleanup continued in Chicago and the suburbs on Sunday after torrential rains dumped an estimated 60 billion gallons of water on the area Friday night. According to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, all 190 miles of the deep tunnel system filled quickly, forcing the district to open floodgates in Wilmette and on the Chicago River to release stormwater into Lake Michigan. More...

Emmet County and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council are turning to landowners to help in the battle of an invasive weed that could potentially destroy parts of the Lake Michigan shoreline. More...

Great Lakes Echo provides a link to the U.S. Geological Survey's tapestry map, which colorfully combines topography and geology, and highlights a few of the Great Lakes region's geologic features. More...

Though a wetland created from dredged material would provide new habitats for plant and animal species, some Point Place residents say it would also deter people from visiting the area and therefore harm Toledo's economy. More...

A year after a shutdown put a crimp on the area economy, there's cause for optimism at Northshore Mining in Silver Bay. More...

The Jefferson County trail system, stream bank restoration and agricultural nutrient management on five farms will receive more than $1.4 million in grants. The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District was notified of the awards this month. More...

In an era where struggling industrial cities are trying to change their image, hoping to attract and keep the best and brightest young millennials, city leaders in Grand Rapids are once again seeing the Grand River as an economic and cultural asset. More...

The United States Coast Guard is a year into working on their proposed rule for ballast water discharge. The goal of the ballast regulations is to prevent the spread of invasive species. More...

Many beaches in Minnesota aren't being tested this summer, including 40 along Lake Superior that in past years the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has tested for E. coli levels. More...

Currently, a $475 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is working at restoring habitats, cleaning up toxic pollution and confronting invasive species in the lakes. Two summits will be hosted by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to discuss these efforts. More...

All 360 boats in this weekend's 102nd Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac will be tracked online by GPS technology. The race will set a record for the largest fleet to be GPS-tracked in all of sailboat racing. Follow the progress of the race on the web! More...

Last month, village officials agreed the ultimate decision to switch from municipal wells to Lake Michigan water should be made by voters. This week they agreed not to go forward with funding the next step in the project until they get more details. More...

Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman said Wednesday that the Indiana Office of Energy Development and state environment and natural resources officials are working to figure out how to site wind turbines in Indiana's portion of Lake Michigan. More...

Rene Ressler, an avid canal explorer who runs The Welland Canals Advocate website, recently stumbled across a smelly, bright yellow substance spread across a filled-in section of what he believes to be the old approach to Lock 25 of the third canal. More...

A satellite view of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior is one of many satellite views of the Great Lakes available to view on Earth Snapshot, a website featuring daily posts of satellite imagery. More...

I write in praise of industry, which has been and which remains the economic engine that makes great America and the Northland. Yet, despite its importance, industry is too often overlooked and underappreciated. More...

A new partnership between Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Gannon University is inviting students around the region to board Gannon's science vessel, the Environaut, and take part in hands-on learning to deepen understanding of the current health of Lake Erie. More...

The Greece Town Board voted 5-0 to oppose the New York Power Authority's offshore wind project. The board is the first elected body in Monroe County to go on the record in opposition to the plan. More...

The face of sustainable energy may not look pretty, but it might be better than the alternative. More...

A northern Indiana environmental group is appealing a state permit recently awarded to ArcelorMittal for its planned disposal of steel-making waste at the company's complex along Lake Michigan. More...

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking public input on its 2007 policy banning the transport of uncertified baitfish by motor vehicle. More...

The Greece Town Board voted 5-0 to oppose the New York Power Authority's offshore wind project. The board becomes the first elected body in Monroe County to go on the record in opposition to the plan. More...

In Ohio's Lake Erie Public Access Guidebook, each of the 164 public access locations in the 8 coastal counties along Ohio's 312-mile Lake Erie coast are illustrated with a map, narrative, list of amenities, photographs, address and location coordinates. More...