Gary Wilson
@garyglx5.bsky.social
41N 87W ~ Independent environmental journalist commenting on Substack. Ex-Great Lakes Now - Detroit PBS, WKAR Public Radio, environmental film judge. Photo: Lake Michigan at Grand Haven ~ Justin Calkins
Seems like we should have a data center pause button to press until all the issues can be properly vetted. Right now it's ready, fire... aim.
Concentrated weapons grade nitrates is a fun data center byproduct.
Everyone knows data centers use a ton of water.
What hardly anyone knows: they can poison the water that remains.
And in eastern Oregon, Amazon is doing exactly that.
What hardly anyone knows: they can poison the water that remains.
And in eastern Oregon, Amazon is doing exactly that.
November 25, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Seems like we should have a data center pause button to press until all the issues can be properly vetted. Right now it's ready, fire... aim.
Not a lot of detail in this proposed NW data center story. But siting likely cuz of proximity to Lake Michigan.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/24/a...
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/24/a...
Amazon plans $15B data center campuses in Northwest Indiana for state’s largest construction project
Amazon plans to spend $15 billion for the largest construction project in Indiana history, building data center campuses in Northwest Indiana.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Not a lot of detail in this proposed NW data center story. But siting likely cuz of proximity to Lake Michigan.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/24/a...
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/24/a...
You can add the massive amounts of water that data centers require to the list of things, like bottled water, that the Great Lakes Compact doesn't govern. The threat to Great Lakes water is greater from within the basin than from arid western states.
The Great Lakes Compact doesn’t require reporting of #datacenters’ water use when they tap municipal systems. Prof. Melissa Scanlan warns this hides major water & #energy demands and urges more transparency + long-term regional planning. @wuwmradio.bsky.social
www.wuwm.com/are-there-ru...
www.wuwm.com/are-there-ru...
Are there rules governing data center water usage?
Data centers are known for using huge amounts of water. Is that water usage regulated? If so, by whom?
www.wuwm.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:21 PM
You can add the massive amounts of water that data centers require to the list of things, like bottled water, that the Great Lakes Compact doesn't govern. The threat to Great Lakes water is greater from within the basin than from arid western states.
If EPA admin Zeldin had any environmental cred when appointed, wasn’t it on PFAS? Now this. @annaleighclark.bsky.social reports.
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
Trump’s First EPA Promised to Crack Down on Forever Chemicals. His Second EPA Is Pulling Back.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin claims to prioritize combatting long-lasting chemicals called PFAS. Despite this, the agency has delayed enforcement of standards and terminated over $15 million in fundin...
www.propublica.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:40 PM
If EPA admin Zeldin had any environmental cred when appointed, wasn’t it on PFAS? Now this. @annaleighclark.bsky.social reports.
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
www.propublica.org/article/trum...
ICYMI: Nature via wetlands provides a cost free way of keeping pollutants out of waterways. So why do we neglect them? The push, pull of protecting wetlands versus economic development. More here.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Are wetlands a retained environmental hobby?
We sing their praises but protection lags. Illinois has no state-level plan and Michigan slashed its wetlands budget by two-thirds.
substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:48 AM
ICYMI: Nature via wetlands provides a cost free way of keeping pollutants out of waterways. So why do we neglect them? The push, pull of protecting wetlands versus economic development. More here.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
An expert says wetlands are the "last line of defense" before pollutants reach the Great Lakes. So why do we treat them like a retained environmental hobby? My thoughts here.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Are wetlands a retained environmental hobby?
We sing their praises but protection lags. Illinois has no state-level plan and Michigan slashed its wetlands budget by two-thirds.
substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:32 PM
An expert says wetlands are the "last line of defense" before pollutants reach the Great Lakes. So why do we treat them like a retained environmental hobby? My thoughts here.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Are wetlands a retained environmental hobby? We sing their praises but protection lags. Illinois and Michigan as examples. My thoughts here.
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
Are wetlands a retained environmental hobby?
We sing their praises but protection lags. Illinois has no state-level plan and Michigan slashed its wetlands budget by two-thirds.
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Are wetlands a retained environmental hobby? We sing their praises but protection lags. Illinois and Michigan as examples. My thoughts here.
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
A good primer here from Traverse City's Dave Dempsey on the size of the world's lakes. Great Lakes followers, before you get all braggy, read on. It's complicated.
open.substack.com/pub/dempseyd...
open.substack.com/pub/dempseyd...
The Great Lakes Academy -- Lesson II
How do the Fab Five stack up against the world's large lakes?
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:01 PM
A good primer here from Traverse City's Dave Dempsey on the size of the world's lakes. Great Lakes followers, before you get all braggy, read on. It's complicated.
open.substack.com/pub/dempseyd...
open.substack.com/pub/dempseyd...
One former EPA exec told me it might take 10+ years to recover from this administration's actions.
Boast from EPA chief Lee Zelda: “We will do more deregulation in one year than entire federal governments in the past have done across all federal agencies combined.”
In One Week, Trump Moves to Reshape U.S. Environmental Policy
www.nytimes.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:23 PM
One former EPA exec told me it might take 10+ years to recover from this administration's actions.
Pope Francis, Judge "Odie" and People of the Dune from Traverse City enviro law attorney, Jim Olson. A good read here if you care about our common home. open.substack.com/pub/jim901/p...
Pope Francis, Judge "Odie" and People of the Dune
Judge "Odie" Holmes and Pope Francis Find Common Ground
open.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Pope Francis, Judge "Odie" and People of the Dune from Traverse City enviro law attorney, Jim Olson. A good read here if you care about our common home. open.substack.com/pub/jim901/p...
Not a good look for the Army Corps.
'Feds eye new option for Michigan Line 5: No concrete tunnel, horizontal drilling.' The Corps did not issue a widely-distributed press release alerting the media to the new developments — an atypical move for the agency...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
'Feds eye new option for Michigan Line 5: No concrete tunnel, horizontal drilling.' The Corps did not issue a widely-distributed press release alerting the media to the new developments — an atypical move for the agency...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Feds eye new option for Michigan Line 5: No concrete tunnel, horizontal drilling - Bridge Michigan
As it weighs the fate of Line 5, the US Army Corps of Engineers is quietly pitching a major alternative: Rather than moving the pipeline into a concrete tunnel, Enbridge could use ‘horizontal directio...
bridgemi.com
November 22, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Not a good look for the Army Corps.
'Feds eye new option for Michigan Line 5: No concrete tunnel, horizontal drilling.' The Corps did not issue a widely-distributed press release alerting the media to the new developments — an atypical move for the agency...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
'Feds eye new option for Michigan Line 5: No concrete tunnel, horizontal drilling.' The Corps did not issue a widely-distributed press release alerting the media to the new developments — an atypical move for the agency...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Red flags on data centers. Pressure on local municipal officials to make decisions, non-disclosure agreements and fast-tracking the approval process. @planetdetroit.org's ongoing reporting.
planetdetroit.org/2025/11/howe...
planetdetroit.org/2025/11/howe...
Howell Township officials under pressure to approve $1 billion data center: 'DTE is going to have to pivot'
The Howell Township board is set to review a six-month data center moratorium Thursday following resident pushback against a $1 billion proposal.
planetdetroit.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Red flags on data centers. Pressure on local municipal officials to make decisions, non-disclosure agreements and fast-tracking the approval process. @planetdetroit.org's ongoing reporting.
planetdetroit.org/2025/11/howe...
planetdetroit.org/2025/11/howe...
@wdcb909.bsky.social Leslie Keros, TY for Rachel Price today.
November 19, 2025 at 5:44 PM
@wdcb909.bsky.social Leslie Keros, TY for Rachel Price today.
Anti-nuclear groups haven't given up the fight against the re-start of an aged nuke plant that borders Lake Michigan. Current MI Gov. Whitmer and former MI Gov and Biden energy exec Granholm support the re-start. Both are Dems.
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Anti-nuclear groups file suit against Palisades restart in southwest Michigan - Bridge Michigan
The groups have accused the plant’s owners of a “bait-and-switch” that has cleared regulatory shortcuts to approving the plant’s reopening. They fear the aging plant can’t be reopened safely — an asse...
bridgemi.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Anti-nuclear groups haven't given up the fight against the re-start of an aged nuke plant that borders Lake Michigan. Current MI Gov. Whitmer and former MI Gov and Biden energy exec Granholm support the re-start. Both are Dems.
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Water at a tipping point: Today, the Colorado River. Tomorrow, the Great Lakes? Because the existing pillars of government and water sustainability are no longer reliable. My thoughts here.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Water headed toward a tipping point?
The Colorado River is in dire straits, the Great Lakes region is resting on past accomplishment laurels and the federal government is non-functional
substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Water at a tipping point: Today, the Colorado River. Tomorrow, the Great Lakes? Because the existing pillars of government and water sustainability are no longer reliable. My thoughts here.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Water headed toward a tipping point? The Colorado River is in dire straits, Great Lakes states are resting on past accomplishments and the federal government is non-functional.
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
Water headed toward a tipping point?
The Colorado River is in dire straits, the Great Lakes region is resting on past accomplishment laurels and the federal government is non-functional
open.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Water headed toward a tipping point? The Colorado River is in dire straits, Great Lakes states are resting on past accomplishments and the federal government is non-functional.
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
open.substack.com/pub/garyglx5...
And a closer look.
November 17, 2025 at 4:05 PM
And a closer look.
Chicago approaching from the west as seen from a CTA car.
November 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Chicago approaching from the west as seen from a CTA car.
Chicago - Line to drop off at the local food bank.
November 15, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Chicago - Line to drop off at the local food bank.
Single use plastic getting scrutiny cuz of microplastics. Reminded me of a 2019 conf of Great Lakes governors where bottled water was everywhere. Told a staffer it was a bad look for the govs. Staffer shrugged as if to say, it is what it is.
November 15, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Single use plastic getting scrutiny cuz of microplastics. Reminded me of a 2019 conf of Great Lakes governors where bottled water was everywhere. Told a staffer it was a bad look for the govs. Staffer shrugged as if to say, it is what it is.
Not a big fan of this type of venture but wishing O'Brady safe travels. Thx @ashrouten.com for the coverage.
Colin O’Brady has begun his attempt to ski completely across Antarctica, or almost completely. The American arrived at Union Glacier last weekend, where he carried out final equipment checks and packed his sled before flying to his starting point.
explorersweb.com/antarctica-r...
explorersweb.com/antarctica-r...
Antarctica Roundup 2025-6: O’Brady Kicks Off Crossing But Starts Slightly Inland » Explorersweb
The American flew from Union Glacier to the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf at roughly 79°S -- close to, but not directly on, the heavily crevassed coastline.
explorersweb.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Not a big fan of this type of venture but wishing O'Brady safe travels. Thx @ashrouten.com for the coverage.
ICYMI: As environmental protection lags in D.C. and Michigan, it's important to support the journalists working in that space. Here, three from Michigan deserving of your attention. Carol Thompson, Brian Allnutt and Kelly House.
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
Journalists are critical as environmental protection fades
Recognizing the work of three Michigan journalists on the environment beat
garyglx5.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:09 AM
ICYMI: As environmental protection lags in D.C. and Michigan, it's important to support the journalists working in that space. Here, three from Michigan deserving of your attention. Carol Thompson, Brian Allnutt and Kelly House.
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
Journalists are critical as environmental protection fades. Recognizing three Michigan reporters on the environment beat.
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
Journalists are critical as environmental protection fades
Recognizing the work of three Michigan journalists on the environment beat
garyglx5.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Journalists are critical as environmental protection fades. Recognizing three Michigan reporters on the environment beat.
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
garyglx5.substack.com/p/journalist...
ICE or no ICE….. full CTA train in Chicago.
November 12, 2025 at 2:41 PM
ICE or no ICE….. full CTA train in Chicago.