By Liz Kirkwood FLOW Executive Director — Michigan, the Great Lakes state, sits in the heart of 20 percent of the planet’s fresh surface water, and 95 percent of the U.S.’s fresh water supply. All Michiganders will tell you of their deep connection to these lakes. And now, Big Tech and other national manufacturing businesses are… Read more »
Out of sight, out of mind: measures designed to shield public from contamination push costs on future generations Here in Michigan, 45% of the population gets its drinking water from groundwater, including two million who rely on private wells. Groundwater also feeds streams and rivers, and sustains wetlands. It is an invaluable resource, but Michigan… Read more »
On Wednesday, November 20 at 6:00pm, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will hold an in-person public hearing on the proposed Groundwater Discharge Permit for the Fremont Digester, at the request of FLOW and the coalition of residents and organizations working to strengthen environmental protections. What is the Fremont Digester? The… Read more »
If there was ever any doubt that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, a recent estimate of the cost to Michigan taxpayers of cleaning up environmental contamination should have dispelled it. According to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), there are some 13,000 so-called orphan sites across… Read more »
2024 Our top 3 highlights: January 2024 January 1, 2024; 9&10 News For Love of Water files appeal to overturn approval of Enbridge’s Line 5 relocation “For Love of Water filed an appeal with the Michigan Court of Appeals to overturn the Michigan Public Service Commission’s approval of Enbridge’s application to relocate Line 5 to… Read more »
Out of Michigan’s 24,000 Contaminated Sites, These Are Among the Most Notorious Once upon a time, Michigan scientifically ranked our thousands of contamination sites by the hazard they represented to public health and the environment. Released annually, the list generated extensive publicity and legislative attention, resulting in significant appropriations for the cleanup of the worst… Read more »
A proposal to turn artesian groundwater that feeds Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin into a product for sale continues to run head-on into the law, the community, a tribe, and a citizens group, Lake Superior Not for Sale (LSNFS). The most recent defeat for Kristle KLR came in June, when the Wisconsin Court of Appeals… Read more »
Support the Great Lakes! By: Lynn FrazeFLOW supporter Growing up I never thought of water as a controversial issue. My grandparents (born in the 1890s) built a log cabin on Pickerel Lake in Northern Michigan a few years before I was born. My fondest memories were summers spent Up North swimming, fishing and exploring the… Read more »
CAFOs and small, family farms represent two distinct approaches to agriculture. CAFOs are large-scale facilities designed for maximum efficiency in meat, dairy, or egg production. Animals in CAFOs often live in high densities, with limited space for movement and restricted access to natural environments. They are typically fed specialized diets aimed at maximizing growth or… Read more »
Looking for an update on the Fremont Digester? Read the Fremont Digester Comments What is a CAFO? In plain English, a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, sometimes called a factory “farm”) is an industrial facility where livestock are kept inside a structure and fed, rather than pastured. They can house thousands – even tens of… Read more »
