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Great Lakes Daily News is a collection of news articles of interest to the Great Lakes community, curated by Great Lakes Commission staff. This valuable service provides a selection of recent coverage of Great Lakes issues from professional media outlets in the United States and Canada. Subscribers receive a email digest, making it easy and convenient to keep up with important regional news. Sign up now to get Great Lakes Daily News in your inbox!
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Latest Daily News
Ships remain stuck in the St. Lawrence Seaway, prolonging navigation season
There are massive ships stuck in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ice is building up around the locks between Lake Ontario and Montreal, making it difficult to impossible for ships to get through. The severe winter weather has indefinitely delayed the end of the Seaway’s navigation season, originally set to close on January 5th. Read the full story by North Country Public Radio.
Michigan appeals court decision allows Line 5 to continue operating in Straits of Mackinac
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is appealing a federal court decision in a lawsuit over the pipeline that runs through the Straits of Mackinac. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
How changing winters are affecting fish in the Great Lakes
Warmer winters are reshaping Wisconsin’s ice season, impacting fish populations in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WLUK-TV – Green Bay, WI.
Ontario announces underwater electricity transmission line expansion for Toronto
Ontario has approved a plan to expand Toronto’s electricity transmission line with an estimated $1.5-billion project to build a new underwater transmission line to deliver energy from the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station to Toronto. Read the full story by CBC News.
DNR stocks 640,000 fish in fall. Where they ended up in 2025
This past fall, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources stocked more than 600,000 fish across Michigan while wrapping up 2025 operations that put more than 19 million fingerlings in state waters. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Ohio EPA considers allowing data centers to dump wastewater into local streams and lakes
A proposed Ohio Environmental Protection Agency permit would allow data centers to release wastewater into Ohio’s lakes and streams. If approved, a five-year permit would allow certain data centers to release water used to cool down their technology and water from air compressor condensation and boiler blowdowns back into the state’s freshwater resources with some limitations. Read the full story by 614 Now.
What’s pancake ice? ‘Frazil’ leads to this unusual formation
Like frozen lily pads, Michigan’s Great Lakes and inland water bodies, can form what’s known as “pancake ice” under the right frosty conditions. Read the full story by Detroit Free Press.
Ice boom installation delay sends heavy ice down Niagara River
Large sheets and chunks of ice moved down the Niagara River along Fort Erie’s waterfront this week after work on the Lake Erie-Niagara River ice boom was delayed by severe weather in late December. Read the full story by Fort Erie Radio.
Mystery solved: Ann Arbor says foamy substance was nature creating a bubble bath
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, a street experienced a strange phenomenon when a mysterious foamy substance was spilling out of a storm sewer, which the city revealed is caused by the seed pods of the local honey locust trees. Read the full story by MLive.
High PFAS levels in Wisconsin eaglets may reduce their ability to fend off illness
Findings from a long-running project have already shown high levels of PFAS in nestling bald eagles across Wisconsin. Now researchers have found a decline in antibody levels among eaglets with high PFAS levels. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.