No fewer than 19 communities have paused data center development, while bipartisan lawmakers push to repeal policies that have lured the industry to Michigan.
Environment
Posted inEnvironment, Political and Public Policy Information
Michigan drinking water expert ousted from EPA council: A warning to whistleblowers?
The dismissal of Elin Betanzo from the National Drinking Water Advisory Council by the EPA follows a seven-month investigation into her signing of a letter criticizing Trump-era environmental rollbacks.
Posted inEnvironment, Health and Welfare
EPA drops health cost calculations for air pollution: How it could harm Detroiters
The agency will no longer consider health costs and deaths prevented when reducing two major pollutants, but will account for costs to industry.
Posted inEnvironment
PFAS levels are declining in Great Lakes fish, new research shows
The study, spearheaded by a federal research office that the Trump administration has since dismantled, shows fish responded quickly after manufacturers stopped using some PFAS compounds.
Posted inCivic and Community Information, Environment
‘World-class attraction’ Belle Isle kicks off 2026 with digital makeover
The Belle Isle Conservancy’s new website includes a space to share island memories, a centralized calendar, and Spotify playlists for the island.
Posted inEnvironment, Health and Welfare
Detroit air quality declines due to winter weather patterns: What the forecast says
Michigan is in a warmer weather pattern that traps pollution at the surface, a meteorologist tells Planet Detroit.
Posted inEnvironment
Detroit gathering focuses on role of environmental justice in Michigan’s climate work
The engagement session aims to address community needs and the bigger climate picture, says Regina Strong, the state’s environmental justice public advocate.
Posted inEnvironment
How urban farms can make cities more livable and help feed America
Metropolitan gardens and farms are extraordinarily powerful tools that can improve food security, lower temperatures, and create invaluable gathering spaces.
Posted inEnvironment
5 Michigan environment stories to watch in 2026
From data centers to nuclear plants, Michigan will see some big energy-related decisions next year that could shape the state’s environment for decades to come.
Posted inEnvironment
Looking back on 2025: A year of reckoning for Michigan’s environment
We won’t sugarcoat it. 2025 was tough: for Michigan communities facing down data centers, bursting pipes, drinking water threats, flooding and industrial pollution, and for our small newsroom working to cover it all.