The International Joint Commission spent $3.6 million to study water levels of lakes Michigan, Huron and Erie. A five-part series on the controversial results.

(MI) Holland Sentinel – Rainwater infiltrating the separate sanitary sewer system in Holland, combined with power outages, led to the overflow of more than a million gallons of untreated sewage into Lake Macatawa on Saturday.

(MI) Detroit Free Press – The federal government on Tuesday issued its first exploratory leases for wind energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf, the first step of what could be a race to harness the powerful Atlantic winds not far from major population centers on the East Coast.

(NY) The New York Times -  End our addiction to the oil that funds Iran’s Islamic dictatorship. Launching a real Green Revolution in America would be the best way to support the “Green Revolution” in Iran.

(NY) New York Times – As early as this week, though, an American start-up company, AltaRock Energy, will begin to drill deep into ground laced with fault lines in an area two hours’ drive north of San Francisco.

(MI) The Grand Rapids Press – Environmental crusader Erin Brockovich is scheduled to return to Fennville next week to discuss water contamination allegedly coming from the Birds Eye food processing plant.

(NY) The Buffalo News – In the shadow of Bethlehem Steel’s empty coke ovens and the new towering windmills generating electricity, the crew of the Port of Buffalo was busy loading limestone onto a ship last week.

(MI) Ann Arbor News – Several residents on Ann Arbor’s west side are angry a massive silver maple tree they believe was healthy was cut down by city foresters.

By Allison Bush, bushalli@msu.edu
Great Lakes Echo
June 22, 2009
The prospect of traveling from Chicago to Detroit at 110 mph might be more feasible with the recent release of federal rules for obtaining a piece of the $8 billion in stimulus funds for the high-speed rail.
The criteria looks good for the Great Lakes region as it favors multi-state proposals. Regional transportation officials have proposed a high-speed rail with a central hub in Chicago that travels to Detroit, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis and other cities.
But will people give up their automobiles and make …