Persistent cold temperatures this winter led to record ice covers of the Great Lakes. Normally, the lakes have enough exposed water to allow piscivorous (fish-eating) waterfowl to access minnows as a food source, enabling them to survive winters. However, this year there was a spike in bird mortalities because of frigid temperatures and ice cover in the region.
See full story here: indianagazette
With winter temperatures staying so low for so long, the Great Lakes are covered in generous volumes of ice. These sheets are thick enough that people can recreate (using caution) in various ways atop the lakes. The Apostle Islands sea caves on Lake Superior, a sight to see during warmer months, are a spectacle this winter as they are now glazed in ice. Check out a cool photo gallery by clicking this sentence.
Photo: Brian Peterson, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Efforts are underway in Indiana to limit environmental regulation using the argument of protecting businesses and jobs. The rationale is that we should not impose additional “hurdles” to businesses by imposing stricter state standards. What is curious about the approach of imposing the limitation is that raising the bar in our state would require consensus to do so anyway – so why “tie our hands”?
Here are recent stories on the topic providing various points of view: