For Friday, Dec. 22, 2017

…

1 – Consumers Energy is tearing down a coal-fired power plant.

In April 2016, the utility retired its Weadock power plant in Bay County’s Hampton Township. The plant had been generating electricity at the mouth of the Saginaw River since 1940.

Company officials say they’re now working to return the site to “brownfield” status, making it available for potential reuse.

The process includes abatement of environmental hazards, and the dismantling and demolition of buildings on the site.

A Lapeer-based contractor is dealing with asbestos and tearing down outbuildings and a chimney.

Demolition of the main plant will follow, with completion slated for late 2019.

…

2 – The reintroduction of Arctic grayling in Michigan has received support from a foundation.

The Wenger Foundation has gifted $180,000 to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The funds will support a research project as part of Michigan’s Arctic Grayling Initiative.

The initiative is a statewide partnership effort focused on restoring self-sustaining populations of the native fish.

The gift will support research to determine how co-existing populations of brown trout and brook trout may affect reintroduction efforts.

The work also will provide insight into potential impediments to the grayling’s successful reintroduction.

Some of the funds will support researchers traveling to Alaska to pick up Arctic grayling eggs, which will be used for the studies and to help establish Michigan’s future broodstock program.

For more information, see migrayling.org.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 9:30 a.m. Fridays in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Q-90.1 FM NPR. Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes