Latest National CAFO News
It’s Pigs versus Pure Michigan – a Few Miles from Lake Michigan
Great Lakes Now 1/22/2018
The push and pull between Michigan’s growing agriculture industry and the need to protect drinking water, beach recreation and tourism continues to play out, evidenced by a request to establish a factory pig farm a few miles from Lake Michigan.
The proposed Marsh Swine farm near Montague, Michigan would house 4,000 pigs in a facility...
Read MoreFederal EPA reverses course on ‘voluntary’ algae reduction plan – Toledo Blade
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reversed itself on the western Lake Erie impairment issue, admitting it was wrong to approve a Kasich administration plan that relied on voluntary action to reduce algae-inducing runoff.
The federal agency said in a Jan. 12 letter to Ohio EPA Director Craig Butler it has reevaluated Ohio’s Oct. 20, 2016, submission, which did not recommend an impairment...
Read MoreFEDERAL EPA REVERSES COURSE IN LAKE ERIE IMPAIRMENT ISSUE
Mr. Kasich: Are you listening about Lake Erie? (Toledo Blade)
The International Joint Commission, the federal agency that represents the State Department in discussions with Canada, has called on Ohio Gov. John Kasich to push for Lake Erie to be declared impaired, saying that volunteer incentives for farmers are not working.
The agency has no power over state decisions, but they become another voice calling for impairment status. Mr. Kasich, are...
Read MoreIJC says US, Canada fall short on protecting Great Lakes
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Despite recent improvements, the U.S. and Canada have a long way to go toward ridding the Great Lakes of pollution that endangers human health and the environment, an advisory agency said Tuesday.
Inadequately treated sewage, industrial chemicals and farm runoff are still flowing into the five lakes that provide drinking water for about 40 million...
Oregon (OH) City Council wants more action on Lake Erie – WTOL
OREGON, OH (WTOL) -
Oregon City Council is drawing a line in the sand.
They unanimously approved a resolution Monday, demanding more oversight of the manure runoff that's impacting our water.
Sandy Bihn said the clock has run out on improving the condition of Lake Erie.
“We can't expect the lake to get bluer, not greener every year," said Bihn.
Bihn is on Oregon...
Read MoreToxic Algae Bloom on Lake Erie ties for 3rd worst, NOAA 2017 Analysis
NOAA Lake Erie Bulletin: 2017 Bloom Analysis
[caption id="attachment_2416" align="aligncenter" width="791"]
Experimental Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Bulletin7 November 2017, Bulletin 35, Seasonal Assessment[/caption]
The toxic algae that spread across Lake Erie this summer roughly matched its third-most severe...
Read MoreToledo City Council wants Lake Erie declared impaired
Toledo City Council Tuesday approved a resolution urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to designate the western basin of Lake Erie impaired — a move already made by other officials including the Lucas County Commissioners and Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson.
Council voted 11-1 in favor of the resolution.
Councilman Peter Ujvagi, who sponsored the council resolution, said it is critical that government...
Read MoreState department settlement: over 66,000 Dead Fish –
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday it has completed its investigation into three separate cases of illegal manure-spreading that resulted in 66,701 fish and possibly other animals being killed in the Maumee River watershed in August.
The department is seeking a total of $32,782.87 in restitution, Matt Eiselstein, Ohio DNR spokesman, said.
The Ohio DNR’s investigation is apparently one of...
Read MoreMiles of Algae Covering Lake Erie – New York Times
A potentially harmful algae bloom covered more than 700 square miles in the western basin of Lake Erie last week, turning the lake bright green and alarming residents and local officials.
Scientists say that algae blooms have been a growing problem for Lake Erie since the 2000s, mostly because of the extensive use of fertilizer on the...
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