News & Commentary

Chicago’s Buildings Need to Help Protect Its River. That Means You Too, Trump Tower.

September 20, 2018 DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier

The president’s hotel uses more river water than any other building and has been chronically out of compliance with the Clean Water Act.

Illinois Has One Wild and Scenic River—and It’s Contaminated With Coal Ash

August 22, 2018 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Canoers, kayakers, and other citizens have had enough of the purple and orange pollution oozing into the Vermilion from Vistra’s waste pits.

Can We Save the Midwest’s Only Rattlesnake?

July 16, 2018 DispatchMidwest, Michigan, IllinoisSusan Cosier

As the region’s wetlands disappear, so may the swamp rattler.

Race to Reduce Launched to Energize Saint Paul

June 12, 2018 Expert BlogMinnesotaKatharine McCormick

Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter has kicked off an energy efficiency challenge directed at the city’s largest buildings. Through the program, dubbed the “Race to Reduce,” buildings will be invited to join a cohort that will collectively strive to streamline…

Illinois EPA Hosts Public Meetings on Volkswagen Plan

May 29, 2018 Expert BlogIllinoisAloysius Makalinao

In addition to reducing emissions, settlement funds from Volkswagen's cheating scandal can be used to transform Illinois' transportation market by facilitating the transition from dirty gasoline to zero-emission electricity.

Rural Illinois Burdened by Nitrates in Drinking Water

May 22, 2018 Expert BlogIllinoisEllen Lee

Like Wind Before It, Minnesota’s Solar Industry Is Booming

March 26, 2018 DispatchMinnesotaSusan Cosier

Rapid development and strong support in the state may help projects all across the country.

Can the Great Lakes Become Fishable, Drinkable, and Swimmable Again?

January 29, 2018 DispatchMidwest, Canada, Ohio, IllinoisSusan Cosier

A joint United States–Canada report maps out the way to clean up the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem

For the Delaware River Basin, a Partial Fracking Ban Is a Partial Victory

January 11, 2018 DispatchDelaware, New York, Pennsylvania

Proposed regulations would still allow wastewater to be disposed of in the watershed, with risks to both drinking water and the environment.

For This Ex-miner, BBQ (Not Coal) Is the Answer

November 28, 2017 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Southern Illinois is waiting for Trump’s promised coal boom, but job prospects are still a bust.

How Fish Autopsies Help in the Fight Against the Invasive Asian Carp

October 11, 2017 DispatchIllinois, MidwestSusan Cosier

Dead fish tell many tales—but can they persuade authorities to strengthen Lake Michigan’s defenses against these ecological saboteurs?

The “Sioux Chef” Shares His Roots (and the Midwest’s, Too)

September 22, 2017 DispatchMinneapolis, Minnesota, MidwestSusan Cosier

Sean Sherman wants to show the world another type of North American cuisine: indigenous food.

After a Century, Chicago-Area Otters Are Back—but They Aren’t the Same

August 7, 2017 DispatchChicago, IllinoisSusan Cosier

These wetland predators are showing scientists a whole new side to otter behavior.

What a Gutted EPA Could Mean for Chicago’s “Toxic Doughnut”

April 17, 2017 DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier

This Southeast Side community has helped give a voice to the environmental justice movement. Now Trump’s budget cuts threaten to silence it.

Kill the Renewable Energy Industry? The Midwest Says “NO!”

January 17, 2017 DispatchIllinois, Chicago, MichiganSusan Cosier

Since the election, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio have been keeping their clean power progress strong.

Illinois Holds Its First Bobcat Hunt in 40 Years—and Biologists Are Paying Close Attention

December 29, 2016 DispatchIllinoisSusan Cosier

Scientists may soon have a better grasp of how many of these elusive wild cats are out there.

Let’s Go Swimming in the Chicago River! Save the Date: 2030

October 5, 2016 DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier

Within 15 years, the waters flowing through the midwestern metropolis could be clean enough for a dip.

Who Pays for Mine Cleanup After Big Coal Goes Bankrupt?

June 22, 2016 DispatchIllinois, Indiana, Kentucky, TennesseeSusan Cosier

Peabody Energy’s recent filing could change how the country funds mining messes.

This Former Meatpacking Facility Is Now an Experiment in Sustainable Urban Ag

March 8, 2016 DispatchChicagoSusan Cosier

Come take a tour of "The Plant."

Life on the Mississippi, Now

January 5, 2016 DispatchMissouri, Illinois, MidwestBarry Yeoman

We've spent billions of dollars on dikes, locks, and levees in a vain attempt to subdue what Mark Twain called "that lawless stream." Is it time to let the river have its way?