environment

The City of Ann Arbor is working to launch its sustainable energy utility initiative and has found an executive director to spearhead the effort. WEMU’s Ana Longoria has the details.

Beginning Thursday, Ann Arbor is kicking off monthly clothing swap events to help reduce waste and enhance the circular economy. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The City of Saline is considering whether to rehabilitate, replace, or remove the historic Saline River Dam. Dam removal offers long-term ecological benefits but raises concerns about aesthetics, recreation, and economic impact. A final decision on the matter is coming in October. In the meantime, the city has been taking public input and reaching out to neighboring communities for discussion. WEMU's David Fair talked with Saline Mayor Brian Marl about what has been learned so far and what comes next in the process.

Ypsilanti Township residents were back in front of the Board of Trustees on Tuesday seeking a way to stop the University of Michigan’s proposed data center. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

Another large crowd is expected at tonight’s Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees meeting as the controversy regarding the proposed University of Michigan data center continues. WEMU‘s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

A recent fire at Recycle Ann Arbor's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) has raised concerns about what exactly is going into the bins we send to the MRF. Nationally, there are a growing number of fires at such facilities. WEMU's David Fair gets an update from Recycle Ann Arbor CEO Bryan Ukena.

The Ann Arbor City Council tonight is expected to approve grants to transition two community centers into resilience hubs. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is working with Washtenaw County to test for 1,4 dioxane in the groundwater at the new Slauson Middle School. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

It would be a great relief to be independent of worry about oil spills that could contaminate the Great Lakes. But those worries exist among environmentalists and many in our Great Lakes state. Enbridge Energy is moving forward with plans to build a tunnel around its Line 5 pipeline that runs through the Straits of Mackinac. The new director of the University of Michigan Water Center is Dr. Mike Shriberg. He joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak, to discuss the implications.

The Michigan Attorney General has filed a civil lawsuit against a Wixom-based automotive supplier for allegedly continuing to release harmful chemicals into the Huron River after multiple violations. WEMU's David Fair checked in with Huron River Watershed Council Climate Resilience Strategist, Daniel Brown. They discuss the lawsuit and the ongoing impacts to the health of the Huron River.