Natural populations of oil-degrading bacteria could help to clean up freshwater rivers and lakes after spills from pipelines and trains, researchers have found after experiments that simulated spills in a Canadian lake. Vince Palace, who led the work at the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Experimental Lakes Area in western Ontario, said that the methods currently in use for cleaning up spills in rivers and lakes – mostly digging up and dumping contaminated soil – are not particularly effective. Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Strong thunderstorms caused widespread damage across Wisconsin, left tens of thousands without power and triggered tornado warnings. The severe weather stretched from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan and began Wednesday evening in northwestern Wisconsin. By 2 a.m. Thursday, the numerous tornado warnings around the state had expired. Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

The Great Lakes are great for many reasons – their economic power, the lifestyle they provide millions of residents, as a getaway for tens of millions visitors and the livelihood it offers hundreds of thousands in lakes-related industries. And then there’s the water. Summer sees the lakes filled with people soaking, swimming, skiing – and boating. Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

By Tom Krisher and Hope Yen, Associated Press Writers WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major step against climate change, President Joe Biden is proposing a return to aggressive Obama-era vehicle mileage standards over five years, according to industry and government officials briefed on the plan. He’s then aiming for even tougher anti-pollution rules after that to forcefully reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nudge 40% of U.S. Read Now at Great Lakes Now.