Articles by John Flesher

Michigan-Based Kellogg to Suppliers: Disclose Carbon Emissions

Kellogg said it will step up efforts to reduce planet-warming emissions in its supply chain as part of a broader initiative designed to be more environmentally friendly. Under the plan, the Battle Creek, Mich.-based food products manufacturer will require key …

Drunken Boating Remains Problem on Great Lakes

Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs remains a serious problem on the Great Lakes even though the number of pilots busted for intoxication is down from a decade ago, the U.S. Coast Guard says. Agency personnel stationed on …

2-Story Waves on Great Lakes Halt Cargo Shipping

Cargo shipping was at a standstill on Oct. 30 on the Great Lakes as superstorm Sandy churned waves up to two stories high, forcing crews to take refuge in bays and harbors and raising concerns about an economic blow if …

NTSB: Neglect, Inaction Caused Huge Michigan Oil Spill

The National Transportation Safety Board has approved the findings of its investigators that Canadian company Enbridge Inc.’s neglect of pipeline cracks and its slow response likely caused the most expensive onshore oil spill in U.S. history. The board on July …

Feds OK Help for Mich. Fruit Growers Hammered by Weather

The federal government has declared Michigan a disaster area because of damage to fruit crops from erratic spring weather, making growers eligible to seek low-interest loans. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture had granted …

Feds Make Slow Progress on Flood Levee Inventory

More than six years after Hurricane Katrina’s rampage, authorities have taken only halting steps toward identifying weaknesses in a nationwide patchwork of levees intended to protect millions of Americans’ lives and property during potentially catastrophic floods. The U.S. Army Corps …

Flooding Damages Thousands of North Dakota Homes

The Souris River crested nearly 2 feet lower than expected in Minot, N.D., where city officials hoped to ride out the high water without losing more than the thousands of homes already damaged by flooding. The river had been expected …

Floods Recede in Fargo, But Other Hazards Linger

As the Red River slowly started to recede this week and fears of major flooding diminished, Fargo residents were left to deal with another problem: environmental hazards that linger long after the waters decline. Floodwaters can be noxious brews of …