INSIDER
Ann Arbor City Council approves search for new utility, aims to heat city with clean energy
Read full article: Ann Arbor City Council approves search for new utility, aims to heat city with clean energyAnn Arbor City Council has approved a resolution to kickstart negotiations with DTE and other utilities as it works to transition the city's heating to clean energy in the coming years.
Neighbors of Detroit Stellantis plant voice concerns about fumes, pollution in the area
Read full article: Neighbors of Detroit Stellantis plant voice concerns about fumes, pollution in the areaThe massive expansion of the Stellantis plant on Detroitโs east side has sparked concerns about pollution, especially with people living near the plantโs paint shop.
Heavy rain caused Sarnia refinery to spill diesel into St. Clair River
Read full article: Heavy rain caused Sarnia refinery to spill diesel into St. Clair RiverA Sarnia refineryโs internal sewer system overflowed during heavy rainfall Wednesday night, causing diesel to spill into the St. Clair River.
See an oily sheen in the water? Poke it with a stick to find out if you should report it
Read full article: See an oily sheen in the water? Poke it with a stick to find out if you should report itIf youโre out exploring nature and you find water with an oily sheen on it the Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants you to poke it with a stick.
Michigan governor releases plan draft for carbon neutrality
Read full article: Michigan governor releases plan draft for carbon neutralityA draft of a state plan says Michigan will build clean energy infrastructure and invest in green programs over the next 30 years with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 to confront climate change.
U-M researchers receive $13M to measure how environmental exposures impact cancer risk
Read full article: U-M researchers receive $13M to measure how environmental exposures impact cancer riskThe National Cancer Institute has awarded researchers at the University of Michigan with a $13 million grant to study how exposure to environmental contaminants can impact individualsโ risk of developing cancer.
Residents complain of foul, caustic odors from Detroit Stellantis plant
Read full article: Residents complain of foul, caustic odors from Detroit Stellantis plantResidents that live near the Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant on Detroitโs east side claim fumes from the plant are causing their throats to burn.
Crews demolish building at site of road buckling in southwest Detroit
Read full article: Crews demolish building at site of road buckling in southwest DetroitDetroitโs Chief Operating Officer, Hakim Berry, says so far the city still has no clue what led to a swollen road and building having to be demolished in southwest Detroit because of the ground literally shifting within an hour.
Hank Winchester joins Detroit police as they track down illegal dumpers
Read full article: Hank Winchester joins Detroit police as they track down illegal dumpersThe Detroit Police Department has a team dedicated to illegal dumping. Theyโve placed hidden cameras across the city for one purpose: to catch illegal dumping.
Chemical company accused of illegally dumping truckloads of waste into Flint sewer system
Read full article: Chemical company accused of illegally dumping truckloads of waste into Flint sewer systemA company is accused of illegally discharging nearly 48 million gallons of waste from landfills into Flint wastewater system.
Washtenaw County awarded record-breaking $1.6M from EGLE to expand recycling
Read full article: Washtenaw County awarded record-breaking $1.6M from EGLE to expand recyclingRecipients include Ann Arbor Public Schools, Recycle Ann Arbor, city of Ypsilanti, Dexter Community Schools, Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority and Washtenaw Regional Resource Management Authority. The departmentโs support of new research, education and recycling activities in Washtenaw County comes as Michigan sees an increase in curbside recycling as residents work from home, according to a release from EGLE. In addition to the $1.58 million in Washtenaw County grants, EGLE will build on the state-wide Know It Before You Throw It recycling education campaign, which launched last year. Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority (WWRA) was awarded $458,370 to purchase sorting equipment and a new truck. Another goal of the Washtenaw County funding is to reduce the number of contaminated recyclables that end up in recycling bins by providing educational messaging.
Beverage industry invests $800K to revive Ann Arbor recycling facility
Read full article: Beverage industry invests $800K to revive Ann Arbor recycling facilityANN ARBOR โ Recycle Ann Arbor was selected by the American Beverage Association to receive an $800,000 investment under its Every Bottle Back initiative to rebuild and reopen the cityโs shuttered recycling facility. The closure of the cityโs Materials Recovery Facility in 2016 subsequently diverted the processing of recyclable materials -- including the industryโs 100% recyclable polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles --across state lines. โLocal processing of recyclables brings a range of environmental, economic, and social benefits, creating a regional hub that will allow recycling to flourish,โ Bryan Ukena, CEO of Recycle Ann Arbor said in a statement. Recycle Ann Arbor looks forward to bringing its 42 years of experience as a mission-based community recycler to the collaboration.โโ Like what youโre reading? Overall, the beverage industry has committed to funding 11 initial projects like the reopening of the Ann Arbor recycling facility under Every Bottle Back to ensure its bottles are properly remade instead of polluting beaches, lakes or ending up in landfills.
Greta Thunberg and youth climate protests make a return
Read full article: Greta Thunberg and youth climate protests make a returnShe joined fellow demonstrators outside the Swedish Parliament on Friday to kick off a day of socially distanced global climate protests. Thunberg started her solo protests outside Swedenโs parliament in Stockholm on Aug. 20, 2018. Climate protests are also planned elsewhere on Friday. The protests started earlier in the Arctic, when British climate activist and ornithologist Mya-Rose Craig, stood on a piece of ice broken off from the ice cap. The 18-year-old bird lover and founder of the non-profit Black2Nature said she believes itโs the most northerly climate strike ever.
Submit questions, participate in public Q&A session on Gelman 1,4-Dioxane litigation
Read full article: Submit questions, participate in public Q&A session on Gelman 1,4-Dioxane litigationANN ARBOR โ Local and federal officials will hold a joint public session via Zoom on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. to answer questions residents have about the Gelman dioxane plume and ongoing litigation. Trustees of Scio and Ann Arbor townships and heads of the Huron River Watershed Council have been invited to take part in the session. The plume is a toxic pollution by chemical plant Gelman Sciences in Scio Township thatโs been seeping into the areaโs soil and groundwater since the late 1960s. Trace levels of the chemical have been detected in the city Ann Arborโs drinking water supply from Barton Pond starting in Feb. 2019. Questions for the Sept. 24 event should be submitted to gelmanquestions@a2gov.org by Sept. 18 at 5 p.m.For more information on the case and cleanup efforts, visit the city of Ann Arborโs Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Litigation website.
Fiat Chrysler to recall vehicles that may pollute too much
Read full article: Fiat Chrysler to recall vehicles that may pollute too muchDETROIT About 1 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles with four-cylinder engines in the U.S. may spew too much pollution, and the company is working with government officials on a recall. Fiat Chrysler says in a quarterly filing with securities regulators that it found the excess pollution during internal testing of vehicles with 2.4-liter Tigershark engines. As this population ages, some vehicles exceed in-use emission requirements, depending on drive cycle and mileage, Fiat Chrysler said in a statement. The issue is not connected with any other emissions problem and the EPA does not plan any enforcement action against the company, Fiat Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said. Fiat Chrysler maintained that it didnt deliberately scheme to cheat emissions tests and the company didnt admit wrongdoing.
Protesters gather at Trenton City Hall to reject McLouth Steel zoning changes
Read full article: Protesters gather at Trenton City Hall to reject McLouth Steel zoning changesTRENTON, Mich. Its another chapter of the ongoing battle on what to do with the McLouth Steel Site, Downriver in Trenton. About two dozen people protested outside Trenton City Hall Sunday afternoon voicing their concerns against what they said is a decision that will harm the future of Trenton. RELATED: Defending the EnvironmentMany neighbors said theyre against a proposal recommending the citys waterfront property to industrial use. The former Steel Site is now owned by Crown Enterprises which is a subsidiary of the Moroun Family. Trenton City Council is supposed to vote on the topic Monday night at 7 p.m.
First Ozone Action Day of the season
Read full article: First Ozone Action Day of the seasonThe National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert for today, so this means it's our first Ozone Action Day of the season. The ozone layer, which is about ten miles up in the stratosphere, is GOOD ozone, because it filters some of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. However, there is also low-level ozone, which is caused when emissions created by cars, coal power plants, etc. So, what can we do to help curb that low-level ozone? If you have respiratory problems, or your health is significantly compromised by other health issues, do not overexert yourself on Ozone Action Days.
Violations persist at Detroit River seawall collapse site
Read full article: Violations persist at Detroit River seawall collapse siteDETROIT Revere Dock was busted months ago after a dock collapsed into the Detroit River leaving a huge hole. The Revere Dock collapsed in November, spilling contaminated soil into the Detroit River. Revere Dock said if their plan is approved, it would take about six months to complete. Officials with the city of Detroit said the company has paid $63,000 to resolve the outstanding violations. Detroit Bulk Storage, who leases the land, still owes the city $62,790.
German court ruling clears the way to settle VW diesel cases
Read full article: German court ruling clears the way to settle VW diesel casesAccording to the ruling, Volkswagen is basically obliged to pay damages to car owners affected by the diesel scandal. Volkswagen said the decision announced Monday would clear the way for settlement of remaining consumer claims in Germany. The decision affects some 60,000 individual claims brought by car owners there; around 262,000 others have already been covered by an 830 million-euro ($904 million) class-action settlement. For the majority of the 60,000 pending cases, this ruling provides clarity, the company said in a statement. He had sought the full purchase price but the court ruled he must accept less due to depreciation related to the distance he drove.
Air quality moderate for much of Michigan today: What this means
Read full article: Air quality moderate for much of Michigan today: What this meansDETROIT Its a hot holiday weekend in Michigan, but air quality for much of the state is at a moderate level of concern. The U.S. AQI (Air Quality Index) is how the EPA reports air quality. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 or below represents good air quality, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality. Air quality is acceptable.