For Friday, July 19, 2024

1 – Wildlife Drive is back open at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County. 

The 6.5-mile auto tour route through the refuge opened in June but closed earlier this month (July 11) due to flooding. It was reopened this week (July 16). 

Wildlife Drive is typically open from June 1 through Sept. 30, from sunrise to one hour before sunset, beginning at 6000 Bishop Road in Spaulding Township. 

The route meanders past forests, grasslands, marshes, open water pools and the Shiawassee River. There’s an opportunity to see lots of wildlife.

Officials note that Wildlife Drive currently has a detoured entrance due to restoration construction. The temporary entrance is located at the junction of Ambrose and Bartel roads. Look for detour signs.

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2 – Michigan is in the Top Ten among states with the most clean energy jobs, spurred by the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. 

That’s 58 projects and more than 21,000 jobs with investments totaling almost $25.4 billion.

This is according to a Climate Power report from a communications firm that advocates for climate action. 

The publication Michigan Advance says that over the past year, Michigan lawmakers have taken a number of steps to clear the way for an energy transition. 

Those include setting clean energy goals, altering the state’s siting process for large-scale renewable and battery storage projects, and ensuring homeowners can make energy-saving home improvements.

Michigan had the most clean energy projects in the country, the report says, with Texas in second place followed by Georgia in third. 

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3 – No more so-called “flushable” wipes in Michigan.

A new state law says that manufacturers are no longer allowed to market the wipes in Michigan as “flushable.” Makers are required to include the words “Do Not Flush” and a symbol discouraging people from sending the wipes down the toilet to sewage treatment plants.

Flushable wipes, whether they’re labeled that way or not, shouldn’t be flushed. 

The wipes are a constant pain for wastewater treatment plant operators and significant expense for ratepayers.

The wipes clog screens and pumps used in treatment plants, requiring constant maintenance and costly cleaning.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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