Latest news with #GreatLakesandEnergy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
How wildfires in Canada are creating health hazards in the Midwest
Dozens of wildfires in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba have spread out of control this week, displacing residents and causing smoke that has made its way into the American Midwest. Wildfire season in Canada typically runs from March to October, and fire activity in western Canada usually has an uptick in May, according to The New York Times. The season is already off to a grim start after a wildfire in Manitoba killed two people and forced the evacuation of an entire town earlier in May. Canada's fire season is earlier than Utah's, which is typically from July to October. The smoke from the fires has been dragged by a cold front into states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. A cold front has pushed the smoke from the Canadian fires across the border into Minnesota's northern region and tribal nations, according to The New York Times. This has generated a reading of red on the air quality index, used by states to track particle pollution. A red reading means it is unhealthy for many people in the general public. Air quality alerts have also been issued across the entire state of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, according to The Weather Channel. The smoke that is blowing into these areas is near-surface smoke, which can be unhealthy to breathe since it is at lower levels. Meteorologists in Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said that the levels of fine particulate in the air would be elevated in the state into Saturday. Those in sensitive groups who may be more susceptible to smoke were advised to take precautions, including adjusting outdoor activity, The New York Times reported. These groups include those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, pregnant people and outdoor workers. As the fires burn in Canada's prairies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the two neighboring provinces have declared states of emergency. The premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, issued the emergency order on Thursday, following Wab Kinew of Manitoba who did the same on Wednesday, per The New York Times. Across northern Saskatchewan, a rural region housing several Indigenous reserves, 15 communities have been evacuated. The emergency orders will last for at least 30 days, enabling public safety officials to mobilize resources quickly and get help from other provinces. Firefighting crews from British Columbia and Nova Scotia are already at work in Saskatchewan. Around 17,000 residents of Manitoba are under evacuation orders as fires burn in the north and east areas of the province, per The New York Times. Throughout the weekend, the greatest concentrations of smoke will be in the Midwest and northern Plains; as winds continue to blow, lesser concentrations will move into the South and East. Weather patterns will change Monday into Tuesday, turning winds out of the South and central U.S. ahead of a cold front from the West. Wildfire seasons across the country, including Utah's, are increasing in length, per Axios. These increases are straining fire departments and other organizations that control and contain wildfires. Between 1973 and 2024, the number of 'fire weather' days along most of the Wasatch Front rose by 12 to 15 days, according to an analysis from Climate Central. In western Utah, fire weather days have increased by 34. A 'fire weather day' is defined as 'one with temperatures of at least 45°-55°F (depending on the season), relative humidity within 5% of regional thresholds, and sustained wind speeds of 15mph or more — all happening together during at least two hourly measurements on a given day," according to Axios.
3 days ago
- Business
Army Corps analysis finds Great Lakes pipeline tunnel would have sweeping environmental impacts
Building an underground tunnel for an aging Enbridge oil pipeline that stretches across a Great Lakes channel could destroy wetlands and harm bat habitats but would eliminate the chances of a boat anchor rupturing the line and causing a catastrophic spill, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday in a long-awaited draft analysis of the proposed project's environmental impacts. The analysis moves the corps a step closer to approving the tunnel for Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel was proposed in 2018 at a cost of $500 million but has been bogged down by legal challenges. The corps fast-tracked the project in April after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies in January to identify energy projects for expedited emergency permitting. A final environmental assessment is expected by autumn, with a permitting decision to follow later this year. The agency initially planned to issue a permitting decision in early 2026. With that permit in hand, Enbridge would only need permission from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy before it could begin constructing the tunnel. That's far from a given, though. Environmentalists have been pressuring the state to deny the permit. Meanwhile, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are trying to win court rulings that would force Enbridge to remove the existing pipeline from the straits for good. The analysis notes that the tunnel would eliminate the risk of a boat anchor rupturing the pipeline and causing a spill in the straits, a key concern for environmentalists. But the construction would have sweeping effects on everything from recreation to wildlife. Many of the impacts, such as noise, vistas marred by 400-foot (121-meter) cranes, construction lights degrading stargazing opportunities at Headlands International Dark Sky Park and vibrations that would disturb aquatic wildlife would end when the work is completed, the report found. Other impacts would last longer, including the loss of wetlands and vegetation on both sides of the strait that connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, and the loss of nearly 300 trees that the northern long-eared bat and tricolored bat use to roost. Grading and excavation also could disturb or destroy archaeological sites. The tunnel-boring machine could cause vibrations that could shift the area's geology. Soil in the construction area could become contaminated and nearly 200 truck trips daily during the six-year construction period would degrade area roads, the analysis found. Gas mixing with water seeping into the tunnel could result in an explosion, but the analysis notes that Enbridge plans to install fans to properly ventilate the tunnel during excavation. Enbridge has pledged to comply with all safety standards, replant vegetation where possible and contain erosion, the analysis noted. The company also has said it would try to limit the loudest work to daytime hours as much as possible, and offset harm to wetlands and protected species by buying credits through mitigation banks. That money can then be used to fund restoration in other areas. 'Our goal is to have the smallest possible environmental footprint,' Enbridge officials said in a statement. The Sierra Club issued a statement Friday saying the tunnel remains 'an existential threat.' 'Chances of an oil spill in the Great Lakes — our most valuable freshwater resource — skyrockets if this tunnel is built in the Straits,' the group said. 'We can't drink oil. We can't fish or swim in oil.' Julie Goodwin, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental law group that opposes the project, said the corps failed to consider the impacts of a spill that could still happen on either side of the straits or stopping the flow of oil through the Great Lakes. 'My key takeaways are the Army corps has put blinders are in service to Enbridge and President Trump's fossil fuel agenda," she said. Enbridge has been using the Line 5 pipeline to transport crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, since 1953. Roughly 4 miles (6 kilometers) of the pipeline runs along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. Concerns about the aging pipeline rupturing and causing a potentially disastrous spill in the straits have been building over the last decade. Those fears intensified in 2018 when an anchor damaged the line. Enbridge contends that the line remains structurally sound, but it struck a deal with then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's administration in 2018 that calls for the company to replace the straits portion of the line with a new section that would be encased in a protective underground tunnel. Environmentalists, Native American tribes and Democrats have been fighting in court for years to stop the tunnel and force Enbridge to remove the existing pipeline from the straits. They've had little success so far. A Michigan appellate court in February validated the state Public Service Commission's permits for the tunnel. Nessel sued in 2019 seeking to void the easement that allows Line 5 to run through the straits. That case is still pending. Whitmer revoked the easement in 2020, but Enbridge challenged that decision and a federal appellate court in April ruled that the case can proceed. About 12 miles (19 kilometers) of Line 5 runs across the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's reservation in northern Wisconsin. That tribe sued in 2019 to force Enbridge to remove the line from the reservation, arguing it's prone to spilling and that easements allowing it to operate on the reservation expired in 2013. Enbridge has proposed a 41-mile (66-kilometer) reroute around the reservation. The tribe has filed a lawsuit seeking to void state construction permits for the project and has joined several other groups in challenging the permits through the state's contested case process.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfire smoke reduces air quality moving into the weekend
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — We hold on to mostly sunny conditions across Mid-Michigan as we move into our Friday afternoon. But this evening, we will have the chance for rain and some Canadian wildfire smoke moving into the region. While most of the wildfire smoke that moves over our area will remain elevated in the atmosphere, a small amount could make it down to the surface this afternoon and evening, creating some moderate impacts on air quality. As a result, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has issued an Air Quality Advisory for the entire state, expiring at 6 am Saturday. Lingering wildfire smoke will also create a more vibrant sunset and sunrise across the area before it exits the region on Saturday afternoon. If you suffer from respiratory issues, it is recommended that you limit your time outdoors today through Saturday morning. In addition to the wildfire smoke, we will also add in the chance for a few showers and isolated thunderstorms across Mid-Michigan this evening. Showers will begin around 5 or 6 o'clock and exit overnight. After the chance for rain exits the region, we will have a beautiful forecast for the weekend. Hazy sunshine will be possible on Saturday, with highs in the upper-60s. We will stay dry and mostly sunny on Sunday, with temperatures climbing into the low 70s. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Army Corps analysis finds Great Lakes pipeline tunnel would have sweeping environmental impacts
Building an underground tunnel for an aging Enbridge oil pipeline that stretches across a Great Lakes channel could destroy wetlands and harm bat habitats but would eliminate the chances of a boat anchor rupturing the line and causing a catastrophic spill, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday in a long-awaited draft analysis of the proposed project's environmental impacts. The analysis moves the corps a step closer to approving the tunnel for Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel was proposed in 2018 at a cost of $500 million but has been bogged down by legal challenges. The corps fast-tracked the project in April after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies in January to identify energy projects for expedited emergency permitting. A final environmental assessment is expected by autumn, with a permitting decision to follow later this year. The agency initially planned to issue a permitting decision in early 2026. With that permit in hand, Enbridge would only need permission from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy before it could begin constructing the tunnel. That's far from a given, though. Environmentalists have been pressuring the state to deny the permit. Meanwhile, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are trying to win court rulings that would force Enbridge to remove the existing pipeline from the straits for good. Construction could have major short-term, long-term impacts The analysis notes that the tunnel would eliminate the risk of a boat anchor rupturing the pipeline and causing a spill in the straits, a key concern for environmentalists. But the construction would have sweeping effects on everything from recreation to wildlife. Many of the impacts, such as noise, vistas marred by 400-foot (121-meter) cranes, construction lights degrading stargazing opportunities at Headlands International Dark Sky Park and vibrations that would disturb aquatic wildlife would end when the work is completed, the report found. Other impacts would last longer, including the loss of wetlands and vegetation on both sides of the strait that connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, and the loss of nearly 300 trees that the northern long-eared bat and tricolored bat use to roost. Grading and excavation also could disturb or destroy archaeological sites. The tunnel-boring machine could cause vibrations that could shift the area's geology. Soil in the construction area could become contaminated and nearly 200 truck trips daily during the six-year construction period would degrade area roads, the analysis found. Gas mixing with water seeping into the tunnel could result in an explosion, but the analysis notes that Enbridge plans to install fans to properly ventilate the tunnel during excavation. 'Our goal is to have the smallest possible environmental footprint,' Enbridge officials said in a statement. The Sierra Club issued a statement Friday saying the tunnel remains 'an existential threat.' 'Chances of an oil spill in the Great Lakes — our most valuable freshwater resource — skyrockets if this tunnel is built in the Straits,' the group said. 'We can't drink oil. We can't fish or swim in oil.' Julie Goodwin, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental law group that opposes the project, said the corps failed to consider the impacts of a spill that could still happen on either side of the straits or stopping the flow of oil through the Great Lakes. 'My key takeaways are the Army corps has put blinders are in service to Enbridge and President Trump's fossil fuel agenda," she said. Tunnel would protect portion of Line 5 running through straits Enbridge has been using the Line 5 pipeline to transport crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, since 1953. Roughly 4 miles (6 kilometers) of the pipeline runs along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. Concerns about the aging pipeline rupturing and causing a potentially disastrous spill in the straits have been building over the last decade. Those fears intensified in 2018 when an anchor damaged the line. Enbridge contends that the line remains structurally sound, but it struck a deal with then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's administration in 2018 that calls for the company to replace the straits portion of the line with a new section that would be encased in a protective underground tunnel. Enbridge and environmentalists spar in court battles Environmentalists, Native American tribes and Democrats have been fighting in court for years to stop the tunnel and force Enbridge to remove the existing pipeline from the straits. They've had little success so far. A Michigan appellate court in February validated the state Public Service Commission's permits for the tunnel. Nessel sued in 2019 seeking to void the easement that allows Line 5 to run through the straits. That case is still pending. Whitmer revoked the easement in 2020, but Enbridge challenged that decision and a federal appellate court in April ruled that the case can proceed. Another legal fight over Line 5 in Wisconsin About 12 miles (19 kilometers) of Line 5 runs across the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's reservation in northern Wisconsin. That tribe sued in 2019 to force Enbridge to remove the line from the reservation, arguing it's prone to spilling and that easements allowing it to operate on the reservation expired in 2013. Enbridge has proposed a 41-mile (66-kilometer) reroute around the reservation. The tribe has filed a lawsuit seeking to void state construction permits for the project and has joined several other groups in challenging the permits through the state's contested case process.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
U.S. Army analysis finds Great Lakes pipeline tunnel would have sweeping environmental impacts
Building an underground tunnel for an aging Enbridge oil pipeline that stretches across a Great Lakes channel could destroy wetlands and harm bat habitats but would eliminate the chances of a boat anchor rupturing the line and causing a catastrophic spill, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday in a long-awaited draft analysis of the proposed project's environmental impacts. The analysis moves the corps a step closer to approving the tunnel for Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel was proposed in 2018 at a cost of $500 million but has been bogged down by legal challenges. The corps fast-tracked the project in April after President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies in January to identify energy projects for expedited emergency permitting. A final environmental assessment is expected by autumn, with a permitting decision to follow later this year. The agency initially planned to issue a permitting decision in early 2026. With that permit in hand, Enbridge would only need permission from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy before it could begin constructing the tunnel. That's far from a given, though. Environmentalists have been pressuring the state to deny the permit. Meanwhile, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are trying to win court rulings that would force Enbridge to remove the existing pipeline from the straits for good. Construction could have major short-term, long-term impacts The analysis notes that the tunnel would eliminate the risk of a boat anchor rupturing the pipeline and causing a spill in the straits, a key concern for environmentalists. But the construction would have sweeping effects on everything from recreation to wildlife. Many of the impacts, such as noise, vistas marred by 400-foot (121-meter) cranes, construction lights degrading star-gazing opportunities at Headlands International Dark Sky Park and vibrations that would disturb aquatic wildlife would end when the work is completed, the report found. Other impacts would last longer, including the loss of wetlands and vegetation on both sides of the strait that connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, and the loss of nearly 300 trees that the northern long-eared bat and tricolored bat use to roost. Grading and excavation also could disturb or destroy archaeological sites. The tunnel-boring machine could cause vibrations that could shift the area's geology. Soil in the construction area could become contaminated and nearly 200 truck trips daily during the six-year construction period would degrade area roads, the analysis found. Gas mixing with water seeping into the tunnel could result in an explosion, but the analysis notes that Enbridge plans to install fans to properly ventilate the tunnel during excavation. 'Our goal is to have the smallest possible environmental footprint,' Enbridge officials said in a statement. The Sierra Club issued a statement Friday saying the tunnel remains 'an existential threat.' 'Chances of an oil spill in the Great Lakes — our most valuable freshwater resource — skyrockets if this tunnel is built in the Straits,' the group said. 'We can't drink oil. We can't fish or swim in oil.' Tunnel would protect portion of Line 5 running through straits Enbridge has been using the Line 5 pipeline to transport crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, since 1953. Roughly 4 miles (6 kilometers) of the pipeline runs along the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. Concerns about the aging pipeline rupturing and causing a potentially disastrous spill in the straits have been building over the last decade. Those fears intensified in 2018 when an anchor damaged the line. Enbridge contends that the line remains structurally sound, but it struck a deal with then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's administration in 2018 that calls for the company to replace the straits portion of the line with a new section that would be encased in a protective underground tunnel. Enbridge and environmentalists spar in court battles Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Environmentalists, Native American tribes and Democrats have been fighting in court for years to stop the tunnel and force Enbridge to remove the existing pipeline from the straits. They've had little success so far. A Michigan appellate court in February validated the state Public Service Commission's permits for the tunnel. Nessel sued in 2019 seeking to void the easement that allows Line 5 to run through the straits. That case is still pending. Whitmer revoked the easement in 2020, but Enbridge challenged that decision and a federal appellate court in April ruled that the case can proceed. Another legal fight over Line 5 in Wisconsin About 12 miles (19 kilometers) of Line 5 runs across the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's reservation in northern Wisconsin. That tribe sued in 2019 to force Enbridge to remove the line from the reservation, arguing it's prone to spilling and that easements allowing it to operate on the reservation expired in 2013. Enbridge has proposed a 41-mile (66-kilometer) reroute around the reservation. The tribe has filed a lawsuit seeking to void state construction permits for the project and has joined several other groups in challenging the permits through the state's contested case process.
