(NY) The New York Times – The Obama administration has rightly declared its support for Congressional efforts to restore the broad reach of the Clean Water Act. The law, passed in 1972, was intended to protect all of the waters of the United States, large and small. That mission has since been muddied by two Supreme Court decisions that narrowed the law’s scope, weakened its safeguards against pollution and confused federal regulators.

(OH) The Toledo Blade – Now’s the time to apply insecticide to ash trees you might be trying to save from a new crop of emerald ash borers.

(MI) Bay City Times – The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has released an air quality monitoring plan for public comment.  The report interprets past air monitoring data to determine which air pollutants will be measured at what site locations during the upcoming year and beyond.

(MI) The Saginaw News – No matter what happens with General Motors Corp.’s bankruptcy filed in New York today, a company official says the Volt electric vehicle project is still moving in high gear.

(MI) Muskegon Chronicle – The 2009 Muskegon Area Environmental Excellence Awards presented by the Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council went to three individuals and one educational program.

(MI) Flint Journal – A little paint, creativity and a “garbage tree” are going a long way toward making the Flint area a more beautiful place.

By Allison Bush, bushalli@msu.edu
Great Lakes Echo
June 9, 2009
Imagine turbines at the bottom of the St. Clair River that can control the height of the water on Lake Huron. What’s more, they can generate electricity.
Sound farfetched? They’re not, according to Craig Stow, a physical research scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
“Those sorts of things are technically feasible,” he said. “But it depends on funding and the will and outlook of the Great Lakes community. “

By Jeff Gillies, gilliesj@msu.edu
Great Lakes Echo
June 1, 2009
A mysterious ailment that’s already wiped out more than a million North American bats is headed to critical Great Lakes hibernation sites.
White-nose Syndrome, named for the tufts of fungus growing on the faces and wings of afflicted bats, was first spotted in New York in February 2006. The disease has since spread through New England, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Conservationists worry it could spread as far as Mexico.
“As quick as it has spread, it’s most likely going to hit the Great Lakes …

(WI) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – After nearly five months, environmental groups monitoring the Water Utility’s bid for Lake Michigan water should get further details this week on the proposal to annually pipe billions of gallons to this city.

(MI) Detroit Free Press – In downtown L’Anse in the Upper Peninsula, a dormant 50-year-old coal plant smokestack is operating again. Instead of coal, the L’Anse Warden Electric Co. plant creates electricity and steam by burning biomass, such as old railroad ties, recycled tires and sawmill waste.