For Friday, Oct. 28, 2022

…audio…

1 – Bay, Gladwin, Midland and other counties are part of a state public land review. 

Officials say work was done to determine which parcels best meet a goal of delivering broad public access to quality outdoor recreation while also protecting natural and cultural resources.

You can learn more about the land review process in virtual meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 2 and 3. You’ll also be able to share your input. 

Officials say they evaluated more than 30,000 acres in 11 counties to decide whether to retain, protect, trade or sell the land. 

There’s an interactive map online of the lands examined. In Bay County, most land would be retained with the exception of 40-plus acres southwest of Pinconning.

For more information about the state land review, see Michigan.gov/PublicLands.

…

2 – You can save on heating costs this winter through a state Weatherization Assistance Program. 

The governor says the program reduces household energy costs by an average of $283 per year. 

Anyone interested in applying can contact their local provider. 

In Bay County, that local provider is Mid Michigan Community Action in Farwell. 

Eligibility is based on household income and the home’s current condition.

Income eligibility is up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $55,500 for a household of four.  

…

3 – The federal Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab is sharing highlights from monitoring work this year, including on Saginaw Bay. 

Scientists travel across the Great Lakes region every summer to study the biological, chemical and physical properties of the lakes. 

A portion of the fieldwork contributes to a larger project called the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative, which takes a deeper dive into studying a different Great Lake each year. 

2022 was Lake Huron’s turn. Fieldwork this year included benthic, or lake bottom, surveys in Thunder Bay and Saginaw Bay. 

Surveying the lake bottom allows scientists to track population dynamics of invasive mussels, follow their impacts on native species and monitor for any new invasives.

Now that the work is complete, the next step is to process samples and analyze data to continue building knowledge of Lake Huron. 

For more information, see greatlakesCSMI.org.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard Friday mornings in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

-30-