Environment & Science

An effort to restore the rapids into the Grand River is getting a boost from a new federal partnership.

The rapids that gave Michigan’s second largest city its name are long gone. Hydraulic dams that used to power the furniture industry are major safety hazards for small boats and kayaks. They also block fish like sturgeon from spawning upstream.

A state board authorized a wolf hunt in the Upper Peninsula on Thursday.

The decision comes after months of passionate debate.

Carol Smith is one of many people who urged the Natural Resources Commission to reject the proposed wolf hunt in the U.P.

“I really worry about our state’s legacy if we allow wolf hunting,” Smith told the commission.

But there were also people who urged approval of the hunt.  And in the end, the commission voted six to one to authorize it.

Opponents of hydraulic fracturing – or “fracking” – are blasting Michigan officials for opening more state lands to oil and gas companies. They held a rally in Lansing today as state officials auctioned the mineral rights for tens of thousands of acres of state land.

Fracking is a controversial process of extracting natural gas from deep underground.

Jim Nash is Oakland County’s water resources commissioner. He says the state needs to do more to protect against possible spills from fracking wells.

"We have fairly strict laws in Michigan, but we only have 22 people that actually do inspections," said Nash. "So it’s mostly self-reporting of incidents. That’s great if you have an honest company. But if you have a dishonest company that’s cutting corners already, they’re not going to report a bad accident."

The state Department of Environmental Quality says companies have been fracking in Michigan for decades without any significant environmental incidents.

A group of scientists from 13 Michigan universities is urging Governor Rick Snyder to veto a bill (SB 78) if it reaches his desk. 

The bill prohibits the Michigan Department of Natural Resources from setting aside land specifically for maintaining biodiversity. The state Senate has passed the bill. It’s now being considered by the state House.

Bradley Cardinale is an associate professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. He wrote a letter to Governor Snyder and so far, more than 100 of his fellow academics from the state’s universities have signed it.

“There are a number of items in this particular bill that seem anti-science and run counter to the best available knowledge we currently have about how to manage natural resources sustainably.”