I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
A leak in a Benzie County natural gas well this week is likely to refocus attention on Michigan’s natural gas drilling rules, which don’t require companies to disclose the chemicals they use.
The Associated Press reports:
The state said cement used to contain a steel sleeve where liquid is pumped apparently failed, causing the leak in the well that was being drilled through a rock bed called Antrim Shale. But Joe Quandt, a lawyer representing Presidium Antrim West LC, the company drilling the well, said Thursday afternoon the company still was investigating and it was too soon to say a cause.
“We are developing a response plan,” Quandt said. The company doesn’t anticipate an environmental impact around the well, located about 25 miles southwest of Traverse City, but will continue to monitor the well, he said.
It is not yet known what chemicals the fracking fluid contained or how much of it leaked.
Deb Muchmore, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Oil and Gas Association and wife of Gov. Sydner’s Chief of Staff Dennis Muchmore, told AP that the industry group was pleased with the way the state and the company responded to the leak.
A promising test well in Missaukee county this year touched off a flurry of mineral rights purchases by gas companies. Drilling rights on 392,000 acres of state land were leased at two auctions this year.
Environmental groups has warned that current state policies on fracking are inadequate.
In Nov. 17 letter a coalition of 30 state environmental groups asked the DNRE to require gas production companies to share information about the chemicals they use and the contamination present in the wastewater from fracking operations.
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter