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Ann Arbor will serve as host to the National PFAS conference, which runs June 10th-12th at the Michigan League. Scientists, political leaders and environmental advocates will gather to discuss the best ways forward in dealing with toxic forever chemicals. Among them will be Robert Kerr, who is co-chair of the 2024 National PFAS Conference and Community Leader with the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. He, along with WEMU's David Fair, previews the conference and why it's so important to Washtenaw County and the state of Michigan.
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The outdoor recreation season is getting into full swing and, for many, the summer fun will center around the Huron River. The Annual Huron River Day celebration will be held Sunday, May 19th at Island Park. As festivity preparations continue, we wanted to get an update on the health of the river and its watershed. New grades put it at about a C+. There are challenges, there are victories and there is more work to be done. WEMU's David Fair checked in with Huron River Watershed Council executive director Rebecca Esselman for the latest.
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They say, “It takes a village.” Usually, it references the process of raising a child, but it also applies when talking about protecting and stewarding a watershed. Keeping the waters in Washtenaw County clean and safe is quite an undertaking, and it takes a variety of community organizations and volunteers to be effective. WEMU's David Fair is joined by Washtenaw County Water Resources Commission Evan Pratt to discuss the Michigan Clean Water Corps and others that contribute to improving the health and safety of our local waters.
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PFAS contamination is occurring in the area’s only cold-water trout stream. Johnson Creek is a 3.6-mile-long tributary to the middle branch of the Rouge River, where it joins in Wayne County’s Northville Township. The Arbor Hills landfill in Washtenaw County’s Salem Township has been identified as the source of the contamination. Getting regulators to address the issue has been difficult, and that is where the grassroots citizens group, The Conservancy Initiative, comes in. David Drinan is its vice president, and he spoke with WEMU's David Fair on how the group is taking matters into its own hands.
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The Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center is diving deep into research in an effort to better understand how toxic chemicals interact and spread through the environment, our wildlife and, ultimately, humans. The center’s senior scientist, Dr. Gillian Zaharias Miller, joined WEMU’s David Fair to share the details of current and future research in the ongoing quest for solutions.
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It's about that time of year where you'll begin to see people burning leaves, wood, and plant debris where it's allowed in the community. It creates both air and water pollution and impacts the health of our waterways. Add in the issue of fertilizer and phosphorous runoff, and the environmental and ecological impacts add up. WEMU's David Fair discussed the significance of the problem and what's being done about it with Lauren Koloski from the Office of the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner.
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The International Panel on Climate Change has issued a dire warning about inaction in addressing the climate crisis. The latest report spells it out but also provides some guidance on what local governments and communities can do to prevent catastrophic consequences. Climatologist and Huron River Watershed Council planner, Daniel Brown, joined WEMU's David Fair to look at the global, national and local measures that need to begin right now.
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Since President Donald Trump took office, 58 environmental protection policies have been rolled back or rescinded. 37 more are in the process of being…
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Average rainfall in the area is expected to increase in the years to come. There will also be more frequent periods of drought and more severe weather…
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Removing barriers to citizen science in the name of more and better data about Michigan waterways and watersheds. That's the aim of a bill introduced by…