Still flowing: Petroleum continues to flow through Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, despite Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order that the company shut it down by May 12. Here’s the latest on the situation:More

Heatwaves and blackouts: A new study examines the risk for concurrent blackouts and heatwaves in Detroit, Phoenix, and Atlanta, finding that power failures have increased by more than 60% since 2015. “A widespread blackout during an intense heatwave may be the deadliest climate-related event we can imagine,” said Brian Stone Jr., a professor at the School of City & Regional Planning at Georgia Institute of Technology and the study’s lead author.More

Emissions matter: Environmental activists and Enbridge Energy expressed approval for aspects of a decision by the Michigan Public Service Commission concerning the company’s plans to relocate a portion of its Line 5 pipeline into a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac. The MPSC will not consider whether or not there is a need for the project, but they will look at arguments concerning greenhouse gas emissions created by the pipeline. The MPSC must grant final approval for the project to go forward. “Should the tunnel become a reality, Michigan is handcuffed to a century of continued use of fossil fuels,” said Jennifer McKay, policy director for Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. “This will result in an increase in droughts, severe storms, and flooding events that can amplify the risk of erosion, sewage overflow, and flood damage.” Enbridge said it was “pleased” with the MPSC’s decision. (Detroit News)More

Tree care: R&B singer SZA has teamed up with the TAZO tea company and tree planting organization American Forests to start a green jobs program in Detroit and several other cities that will train residents to plant and care for trees. As previously reported in Planet Detroit, tree planting could help the city manage stormwater and mitigate against extreme heat, but the success of such programs hinges on resident support. “For many Americans, the effects of climate change are already here. Across the country, Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities are already facing the worst of it.” SZA said in a video promoting the initiative. “Some (communities) are 20 degrees hotter than whiter neighborhoods in the same city.” The application for the program can be found here. (Freep, Planet Detroit)

Stagnant water: Most K-12 schools plan to begin offering in-person instruction by March 1. But since many buildings have been closed for nearly a year, experts worry that lead or the legionella bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease may have been allowed to accumulate in stagnant water in school plumbing. Most districts will flush their pipes before students return from breaks, but the practice isn’t standardized, and the state doesn’t require them to test their water or ensure water quality. The Detroit Public Schools Community District uses drinking water filtration systems that remove lead, and some of these systems can also eliminate bacteria. In her recent budget proposal, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked for $55 million to put water filters in schools statewide. (Chalkbeat)

Permanent shutoff ban (for some): State Rep. Abraham Aiyash introduced legislation to permanently ban water shutoffs for seniors, families with children, people with disabilities, and those with serious medical conditions. “With the statewide moratorium on water shut-offs ending on March 31st, we need to advocate for permanent solutions to water access beyond the current state of emergency,” Aiyash said in a statement. “Access to safe, affordable water is a human right as well as a public health priority.” The legislation would require water systems to set up payment plans based on a household’s income and ability to pay. Utilities would also have to follow a strict notification process before shutting off water for anyone ineligible for permanent shutoff protection. (Metro Times)

Asbestos and bribery: An asbestos abatement company involved in Detroit’s demolition program has been charged with multiple felonies, including bribery. The State Attorney General’s office has charged Kevin Woods, president of BBEK Environmental, with bribing Arodando Haskins to win contracts with Haskins’ former employer, Adamo Group. Adamo, a demolition contractor for the Detroit Land Bank Authority, frequently used Woods’ company, although Woods violated Michigan statutes that required asbestos abatement and air monitoring to be done independently. (Detroit News)

PFAS in the home: Hamtramck resident Tom Perkins took a hard look at how PFAS chemicals in his household might be affecting his health. After testing several products like dental floss and clothing and his water, Perkins had blood tests done on himself and his cat. He found what experts say were “unusually high” levels of the so-called forever chemicals. Although research has associated PFAS chemicals with cancer and reduced immunity, it’s impossible to know what level of exposure will result in health problems. “We’re understanding that a lot of the long-term chronic disease that people have can link back to these cumulative exposures over their lifetime,” Carla Ng, a University of Pittsburgh researcher, told Perkins. “It’s not just about keeping somebody from keeling over; it’s about reducing the overall burden of environmentally associated diseases in the U.S. population, which is pretty big.” (Great Lakes Now)

Nestle sale: Nestle has sold its North American bottled water operation to private equity firms One Rock Capital Partners LLC and Metropoulos & Co. for $4.3 billion. The operation includes brands like Ice Mountain and Poland Spring. Nestle has come under intense criticism for its water-bottling operation in Mecosta and Osceola counties. The company takes more than one million gallons a day while paying only $200 a year for a state permit. Last year, Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) dismissed the Nestle permit challenge. Peggy Case, board president for Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, had criticized the company’s ability to sell water for a profit with such a minimal licensing fee. At the same time, many Michigan residents struggled to afford water service. Her organization and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians also feared that increased pumping would harm the Chippewa Creek watershed. Case said her organization is unhappy with the Nestle sale “because we see it as an attempt to privatize water and water infrastructure further and treat it as a commodity.” (Freep, Bridge, Detroit News)

Grid doubts: The massive failure of Texas’ electrical grid last week raises fresh concerns about Michigan’s energy infrastructure. Unlike Texas, Michigan’s grid is more prepared for cold weather, and it’s connected to regional electricity networks. Still, according to one analysis, the state also suffered 111 weather-related outages between 2000 and 2019 — the highest number of outages for any state. The energy justice group Soulardarity is lobbying the state to require that utilities give rate-payers a $2 credit for every hour that they are without power as an incentive to reduce blackouts. More transmission lines may also be necessary to distribute power from decentralized, renewable sources and ensure grid reliability. (Bridge, Climate Central)

Not a crime: Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder‘s attorney Brian P. Lennon in a criminal case related to the Flint water crisis has found his defense, apparently. “Neglecting a city is not a crime — certainly not one with which Governor Snyder has been charged,” Lennon said. Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley called these words “infuriating.” “This criminal defense goes beyond implicit bias,” Neeley said. “Moreover, it is explicit bias when communities of color are neglected, and they argue it is not a crime.” (MLive)

At risk: More than 317,000 households in Michigan and 800,000 people are behind on their water bills and may be at risk of shutoffs, according to a report issued by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Detroit People’s Water Board Coalition. This follows the repeal of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s moratorium on shutoffs by the Michigan Supreme Court, a move that created a patchwork of policies among the state’s many water systems. An estimated 78,869 residents in Macomb County and roughly 11,452 people in the Upper Peninsula stand to be impacted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has emphasized the importance of handwashing for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and research suggests a link between inadequate hydration and dying from the disease. (NRDC)

Higher and higher: Drew Gronewald, an associate professor at Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability predicts more precipitation this winter leading to new records broken for Great Lakes water levels this spring. What’s caused the remarkable rise in water levels since 2013 when some lakes were at record lows? Gronewald cites the polar vortex in the winter of 2013-2014, which slowed down evaporation and was followed by several years of heavy precipitation. (WDET)

Whoops: The Detroit River was the site of quite the cluster this week after the freighter Harvest Spirit ran aground near Grosse Ile at a section of the Livingstone Channel known as Hole-In-The-Wall. The Canadian Coast Guard reported that there was no pollution coming from the vessel. A backlog of 13 vessels was waiting to go through the channel once the Harvest Spirit became unstuck. And all that waiting around isn’t cheap. “We estimate that it costs $3,000 to $5,000 per hour for a 1,000-foot freighter to sit idle,” said Eric Peace, director of operations and communications for the Lake Carriers Association. “You can multiply that by the number of vessels sitting around, and it’s been over 24 hours.” (Detroit News)

The plume: A large plume of dioxane contamination from the former Gelman Sciences site continues to spread through Ann Arbor’s groundwater, showing up in levels ranging from one to 84 parts per billion in the city’s West Park neighborhood. Dioxane–a likely carcinogen–can be dangerous at very low levels and is associated with liver, kidney and respiratory problems. If it moves into basements, residents could inhale it as it volatilizes into the air. “Alarm bells should be going off,” said Vince Caruso, a member of the Coalition for Action on Remediation of Dioxane. He is calling on local officials to pursue a Superfund cleanup for the contamination. (MLive)

Jobs, jobs and also jobs: According to U.S. Rep Andy Levin, the effect of the incoming administration of president-elect Joe Biden on Michigan will be “jobs, jobs, jobs.” The future president plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and to push to a 100 percent clean-energy agenda, with net-zero emissions by 2050. That could be a boon for industries like electrical vehicle production and energy storage in Michigan. Howard Lerner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, says that the clean energy sector creates more jobs in Michigan than coal, and that a shift away from non-renewable power generation would likely create a net gain of new jobs in the state. (Governing)

‘Slap in the face’: Representatives from Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) expressed their displeasure with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) dismissal of a case that sought to prevent Nestle Waters of North America from increasing its water extraction in Osceola County. “The slap in the face we received November 20th was an assault on all those who expect government agencies to serve in the public trust and protect natural resources,” MCWC said in a statement. GTB tribal attorney Bill Rastetter said that the decision ignores the state’s responsibility to protect “the Tribes’ treaty-reserved resources from diminishment”. MCWC is calling on Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate potential ecological damage from Nestle’s water-bottling operation. (Great Lakes Now)

(Un)desirable precedent: Enbridge Energy is challenging Gov. Whitmer’s order that the company shut down its Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, arguing that it’s up to the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to make the decision, not the state of Michigan. The company argues that the governor’s order “would create a disturbing precedent”. However, others might welcome such a precedent. Bryan Newland, chair of the Bay Mills Indian Community, applauded Whitmer’s order, which cited an 1836 treaty promising protection for tribal hunting and fishing rights. “It is always a struggle to get state governments to recognize the existence of our treaties, our rights and their responsibilities to not impair those rights,” he said. “…State governments have a responsibility to stop harming and degrading this fishery. This was a big step in tribal-state relations.” (Bridge, Pew)

Not mincing words: “Humanity is waging war on nature,” United Nations secretary-general António Guterres said in a virtual speech entitled State of the Planet. “This is suicidal. Nature always strikes back – and it is already doing so with growing force and fury.” Gutteres drew attention to the potential for inequality to make the climate crisis much worse for the most vulnerable members of society, even in wealthy nations. He called for governments to end subsidies for fossil fuels, put a price on carbon emissions, stop building coal power plants, and shift to taxing pollution rather than income. (Guardian)

Amazon development sparks air quality concerns: A baseline air monitoring program for the Amazon project at the Michigan State Fairgrounds is set to begin prior to demolition and will continue through November 2024. The program is aimed at addressing community concerns around increased truck traffic. (Documenters via Detour Detroit)

Free water: Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has upheld the permit that allows Nestle to pump up to 400 gallons of water per minute at its Osceola County water-bottling plant for the ultra-low price of $200 a year. Peggy Case from the group Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation said the group has filed a complaint, arguing that Nestle’s operation is affecting the local ecosystem. “There are places where feeder streams are all dried up or are an inch or two deep, which isn’t deep enough for trout,” she said. EGLE Director Liesl Clark expressed support for more state control of groundwater extraction or the collection of royalties to compensate residents but noted that these measures would need to be addressed by the Michigan Legislature. (MLive)

GM abandons Trump: In what probably does not count as a profile in courage, General Motors announced they were dropping their support from the Trump administration’s litigation that sought to deny California the right to adopt its own fuel efficiency standards that are stricter than federal requirements. “President-elect Biden recently said, ‘I believe that we can own the 21st-century car market again by moving to electric vehicles.’ We at General Motors couldn’t agree more,” GM chief executive Mary Barra wrote in a letter to environmental groups on Monday. Four years ago the company had pushed the Trump administration to roll back Obama-era fuel economy and emissions standards. “It’s always interesting to see the changing positions of U.S. corporations,” said a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency spokesman. (NY Times)

2% for rooftop solar: Consumers Energy says it has reached its cap on rooftop solar and will ask the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for permission to double the cap from 1 to 2 percent. This puts Consumers ahead of DTE Energy, which has not yet reached its 1 percent cap. The Michigan Environmental Council says that these caps are arbitrary barriers to clean energy that put workers who install solar panels out of a job. (Michigan Radio)

And a new pipeline: Consumers Energy also secured approval from the MPSC for a new, $550 million natural-gas pipeline connecting areas near Lansing, Chelsea, and Ann Arbor. The project will bypass densely populated areas. The MPSC says it will address corrosion issues and other problems with an existing pipeline. (Crain’s Detroit Business)

Will Biden clean up PFAS? There’s hope among some lawmakers and environmental activists that the administration of president-elect Joe Biden will make good on Trump’s unfulfilled promise to classify some forms of PFAS as hazardous substances. Melanie Besh from the Environmental Working Group says this is “one of the most significant things that a new administration could do,” noting such a move would give the Environmental Protection Agency and communities more power to address PFAS pollution by prioritizing cleanups and making Superfund designations. (Michigan Radio)

#SoundsGood: Rather than going shopping for waffle irons and Furbies in the middle of a pandemic, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is encouraging people to spend some time in nature and “#OptOutside” on Black Friday. This campaign was launched by the outdoor retailer REI in 2015 and a number of states have since signed on, with the Michigan DNR waiving its normal Recreation Passport vehicle entry fee for more than 200 state parks, recreation areas, and state forest campgrounds. (State)

The ‘canopy gap’: As Planet Detroit has reported before, Detroit has some work to do if it’s going to plant trees fast enough to protect its citizens against the impacts of climate change. A new initiative by the tree-planting organization American Forests could help in this regard. The group is developing “tree equity scores” that use demographic data and information on current plantings to determine where new trees are most needed. It’s hoped that this could address some of the inequities around tree planting in U.S. cities–where whiter and wealthier areas often have better canopy coverage. So far, scores have been developed for Maricopa County, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the state of Rhode Island, but American Forests hopes to have the tool available for all the country’s urbanized areas by 2022. (Grist, New York Times)

Rethinking Thanksgiving: The New York Times examined the myth of Thanksgiving through an Indigenous lens, speaking with tribe members about the importance of food sovereignty and their feelings about the holiday. Linda Coombs of the Wompanoag Tribe of Gay Head challenges the story of the first Thanksgiving as a manufactured narrative, intended to make European settlers feel more comfortable about taking over Indigenous lands. And Dana Thompson–who helps run the Sioux Chef, an organization devoted to revitalizing Native American cuisine–encourages people to focus on “the true Indigenous wisdom that is behind the philosophy of Thanksgiving — it’s about not taking, but about giving back.” (NY Times)

A stop to shutoffs: Detroit’s moratorium on water shutoffs will extend through the end of 2022, with the ultimate goal of ending them in perpetuity. The city will “work on a permanent water affordability solution at the state and federal levels,” said Gary Brown, director of the city’s water and sewerage department said Tuesday. But Brown noted moratoriums do not amount to amnesty and that water customers will continue to accrue charges for unpaid bills. Water activists remain skeptical. “The devil will be in the details, in terms of a real commitment to a timeline and a budget line,” Monica Lewis-Patrick of We the People Detroit, a grassroots advocacy group that has fought for water affordability, told the Detroit Free Press. Brown said the city would use the next two years to “work on a permanent water affordability solution at the state and federal level.” Meanwhile, the state Senate passed Senate Bill 241, a bill sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Chang to codify a moratorium on water shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday. The statewide moratorium would extend through March 2021. The bill goes to the House next. (Detroit Free Press, WDET, Nushrat Rahman via Twitter)

State of the air: A Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) 2019 annual air quality report shows continuing improvement statewide. However, all of metro Detroit is in a nonattainment area for ozone–meaning the level of this pollutant exceeds the National Ambient Air Quality Standards–and portions of Wayne County and St. Clair County are in nonattainment for sulfur dioxide. (EGLE)

A lot of bacon: Meanwhile, Justin Onwenu, an organizer for the Sierra Club in Detroit, and Nick Leonard, executive director for the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, are calling for a change in the way pollution is measured to account for the combined effect of different pollutants. “Imagine if dietary guidelines, which currently recommend 2,000 calories per day, allowed you to eat 1,999 calories worth of ice cream, 1,999 calories worth of apples, and 1,999 calories worth of bacon all in one day,” they write. “That is the current state of National Air Quality Standards.” (The Hill)

Flint weighs in: As the details of the $641 million Flint settlement are ironed out, residents have thoughts on what the city needs to recover from the crisis caused by lead-tainted drinking water. Dr. Kent Key believes that a free college education could help children impacted by lead poisoning. “It’s scientifically documented that the youth are impacted by this through behavior issues, and then we also see a lack of academic performance,” he said. “We need a buffer…so those kids who may become challenged still have support to go through the academic process.” Others would like to see cash payments for individuals to help the city recover. But the settlement will likely only amount to $600 per person, an amount that Nic Custer from the University of Michigan Flint’s Center for Economic Development called “paltry.” (WaPo, Great Lakes Now)

Dirty trucks: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that roughly a half-million diesel trucks are creating as much pollution as 9 million on account of owners using “defeat devices” to tamper with their emissions systems. Illegal defeat devices are advertised as a way to improve gas mileage and reduce wear on truck engines. Some also do this to “roll coal” or emit large black exhaust clouds, which practitioners deem to be very cool. Michigan is one of 18 states that doesn’t have an emissions testing program. (Detroit News)

High water: Michigan’s House Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill to simplify permitting for erosion controls on Michigan beaches. Expedited permitting would go into effect for beachfront property owners if the water level on any of the Great Lakes (excluding Lake Ontario) or Lake St. Clair rises more than a foot above the ordinary high water mark. Applications for shoreline protection more than tripled in the past year when water levels rose to historic highs. However, rock protections and seawalls are imperfect defenses, often diverting erosion to other parts of the shoreline. (MLive, Michigan Radio)

New Lock: Work has begun on a $1 billion project to build a new lock in Sault St. Marie. Currently, only the Poe Lock can handle ships that are 1,000 feet long, leading the Department of Homeland Security to report that the structure is “the Achilles’ heel of the North American industrial economy.” Crucially, the Poe Lock allows for the passage of almost all the taconite iron ore that feeds Great Lakes steel mills and the auto industry. “It’s estimated a shutdown during the shipping season for six months could lead to 11 million unemployed across the country,” Jim Weakley, president of the Lakes Carriers Association in Cleveland, said. (DNews)

Line 5 latest: Enbridge Energy’s plan for a new Line 5 oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac hit another snag this week. The Michigan Public Service Commission says Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s revocation of the company’s 1953 pipeline easement necessitates a rehearing on whether or not specific considerations, including how the new line will impact climate change, must be considered. (MLive)

Sabotage: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may have to start workshopping a new name after its latest move, which seems designed to make regulating pollution more difficult. Changes to how the EPA must calculate costs and benefits of air pollution seem to account for the expenses of curbing pollution while ignoring positive impacts on public health. John Walke, clean air director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, argues the move is designed to delay reforms by an incoming Biden administration, calling it “sheer sabotage.” (WaPo)