Agencies Join to Fight Environmental Crimes

Officials from the U-S Coast Guard, the F-B-I, U-S customs, and
the E-P-A have signed an agreement that would allow the agencies to
more actively pursue and prosecute those who break Great Lakes
environmental laws. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Scott Willis
has more:

Report Says Regional Air Is Tainted

Electric power plants in some of the Great Lakes states are the
biggest contributors to pollution in the nation. That’s the bottom line
of
the latest study from the Public Interest Research Group. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Cohen reports:

D.O.E. To Melt Down Spent Fuel

The U-S Department of Energy will dispose of spent nuclear fuel instead of reprocessing it. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports… some environmentalists and anti-nuke groups are applauding the decision:

Lakewide Management Plan to Be Released

After a decade of research, the Environmental Protection Agency
will release a report on pollution and other problems on the Great Lakes
later this week (4/27). What started as a report on toxic pollutants,
has
been expanded to include other major environmental problems. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:

Commentary – A Neighborly Dispute

Earlier this month, the Department of Energy announced that
spent nuclear fuel from American research reactors will be melted down
and stored, rather than reprocessed and reused. The announcement comes
at the same time that Canadian researchers are planning to recycle
nuclear
waste into reactor fuel. Great Lakes Radio Consortium commentator
Suzanne Elston says that this is one time when recycling shouldn’t be an
option.

Lake Levels Scrape Bottom

Much of the industry in the nation’s mid-section relies on
shipments of raw materials on the Great Lakes. Great Lakes ports in the
U-S and Canada handle more than 200-million tons of material annually.
The Lakes are also a source of water and recreation for nearly a third
of
the nation’s population. But, during the last two years, water levels
have
been falling at a record breaking pace. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:

Preserving a Piece of Our Heritage

  • Barn preservation groups across the country are working to save old barns - both the common designs, and the more unusual examples, like this one in St. Joseph County, Michigan. Photo courtesy of Mary Keithan, from her book, "Michigan's Heritage Barns," published by Michigan State University Press.

In rural areas across the country, the landscape is dramatically
changing. But while strip malls, subdivisions and mini-marts all
contribute toward urbanization, there’s another type of transformation
going on, as well. The face of our farmlands is changing, as
agriculture
becomes more modernized. And that’s got some people worried that a
classic symbol of American farming may soon fade away. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:

Canadians to Pass an Endangered Species Act?

Canadian environmentalists are optimistic federal legislation to
protect endangered species will pass this year. If it does, it will be
the
first time Canada passes such a federal law. However… a proposal
presented by the environment minister is being criticized. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:

Demand Is High for Hybrids

For the first time, demand is high for an environmentally friendly
car. Honda’s new Insight now has a two-month waiting list. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Julie Halpert has the story: