Tag: great lakes

Sep 1

2021

More danger lurking in the water

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A concrete pier juts hundreds of feet into the Niagara River from the northern tip of Unity Island. It’s isolated, quiet and where Antawyn Parker likes to fish. He makes dinner with his catch about once a month, Parker told Investigative Post. But unbeknownst to him the fish are contaminated with a toxin recently linked to a slate of disorders and illnesses, including cancer and immune system concerns. According to a study by the state Department of Health, Western New Yorkers who eat local fish have “substantially elevated” levels of the toxin PFOS in their bodies. Some of the readings[...]

Posted 1 year ago

Feb 13

2019

Proposed wind turbines generating conflict

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Pam Atwater lives on six and a half acres in the Niagara County Town of Somerset. Her home is primarily fueled by energy from the solar panels on the rooftop of her barn and a geothermal system that heats and cools her house. Despite her embrace of renewable energy, Atwater leads a group fighting to prevent a Virginia-based company from placing 47 wind turbines across the southern shore of Lake Ontario in her community and the neighboring Town of Yates. The project could create enough energy to power 53,000 homes. The 591-foot wind turbines would be among the tallest structures[...]

Posted 4 years ago

Sep 25

2014

EPA’s new Great Lakes plan helps Buffalo River

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By 2019, enough toxic pollutants should be removed from the Buffalo River to thrust its rebound toward a level of health that would allow people to once again safely eat the fish and possibly even enjoy a swim. That’s one of the chief goals of the Environmental Protection Agency’s second phase of its Great Lakes restoration initiative. But Jill Jedlicka, the executive director of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, cautioned that there won’t be instant gratification for fishermen and swimmers. “It doesn’t mean that by 2019 that you will be able to eat the fish or swim in the water,” said Jedlicka, whose nonprofit group[...]

Posted 8 years ago

Jun 25

2014

Western Lake Erie’s algae blooms not going away

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The harmful algae blooms in western Lake Erie may be a problem over the next century. In fact, some parts of the western basin could see huge increases of blooms. A story from the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio.

Posted 8 years ago

Mar 27

2014

Mapping spread of Great Lakes invasive species

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Ever wonder how fast invasive species can spread throughout the Great Lakes? Look no further. The Nature Conservancy developed a series of time lapse maps that show the shocking, rapid spread of the different types of invasive species. Zebra and quagga mussels, round goby and sea lamprey are the chief invaders in Western New York. “A 2012 report by Anderson Economic Group commissioned by The Nature Conservancy revealed that it costs hundreds of millions of dollars to control aquatic invasive species,” The Nature Conservancy states on its website. “Industries like sport and commercial fishing, water treatment, power generation and tourism are all affected by[...]

Posted 9 years ago

Mar 12

2014

Asian carp found in unsuspecting spot

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Asian carp found breeding in the Upper Mississippi. That means they are spreading much faster than any scientist had originally thought. The biggest fear is when these voracious eaters with no known predators will reach the Great Lakes. A story from National Geographic.

Posted 9 years ago

Feb 12

2014

Attorney general wants microbeads banned

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Microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic in over 100 beauty and cosmetic products. Toxic chemicals attach to the beads and fish eat them. Research led by SUNY Fredonia’s Assistant Professor of Chemistry Professor Sherri Mason found high levels of microbeads in Lake Erie. Now, lawmakers and the attorney general want them banned.

Posted 9 years ago

Jan 31

2014

Artificial sweeteners found in Great Lakes river

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Levels of three artificial sweeteners found in Canada’s Grand River, which flows into Lake Erie, are the highest ever found in surface waters worldwide, according to a new study. Researchers aren’t sure what this means for fish and other aquatic species. A report from Environmental Health News.

Posted 9 years ago