Planet Detroit

Detroit neighbors are becoming environmental journalists! 19 residents just started Planet Detroit's Neighborhood Reporting Lab, where they'll spend 6 weeks learning to tell the stories that matter most in their communities. Each is paired with an experienced coach. buff.ly/VdXXBWe

A Detroit pastor reflects on rising energy costs, stewardship, and the responsibility to care for our neighbors. Read the full essay: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/voices-cost-of-keeping-the-lights-on-in-detroit/ #climate #affordability

Timothy Jackson and Nicole Lindsey started Detroit Hives in 2016 with no beekeeping experience and $1,600 in seed money. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/detroit-hives-turns-10/

State Rep. Jim DeSana says he introduced the bipartisan TENORM legislation in response to the uproar over the Manhattan Project waste at Wayne Disposal. Read the full story from Planet Detroit: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/michigan-radioactive-waste-fee-1400-percent/

Detroit needs dedicated funding and a grace period to help community farms meet regulations, Tepfirah Rushdan says in a Voices column. Read the full piece: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/voices-after-decades-of-grassroots-greening-detroits-urban-farms-deserve-a-compliance-pathway/

A new millage for the Wright Museum and Detroit Historical Society and a Detroit Zoo renewal are on the Nov. 3 ballot. Here’s what each would cost. Read BridgeDetroit's report: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/detroit-museum-zoo-millages/

Rukiya Colvin transformed a trash-filled vacant lot near her childhood home into Alma Garden, a thriving east side community space. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/detroit-resident-turns-vacant-lot-into-community-hub-with-food-books-and-overdose-prevention-resources/ #urbanfarms #agriculture

Google's planned data center received final approval from the Van Buren Township Planning Commission. Here's what residents need to know. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/google-data-center-van-buren-township-resident/ #google #dte #datacenters

Detroit has more than 3,200 farms and gardens, continuing centuries of food cultivation. Questions about land, funding and climate change cloud what's next. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/detroit-urban-farming-history-future-food-sovereignty/

WyTV at Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte spoke with Planet Detroit's Brian Allnutt about his reporting on problems in the city's drinking water system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGVVOXP9420

A new Michigan Natural Resources Commission appointee is drawing criticism from environmental groups and tribal leaders over qualifications and potential conflicts of interest. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/new-natural-resources-commission-appointee-draws-criticism/

Noojimo’waning, Detroit’s first Land Back project, returns five city lots to Anishinaabe stewardship for ecological restoration and cultural healing. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/detroit-indigenous-land-back/ #indigenouspeoplesday

New open GitHub repo from Hacks/Hackers! https://github.com/hackshackers/voter-guide-commons

Michigan's utility regulator votes unanimously Thursday to grant conditional approval for DTE Energy contracts to power Google's 1-gigawatt data center project in Van Buren Township. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/dte-google-data-center-contract-approval/ #datacenters #dte

Wayne Disposal in Van Buren Township has accepted more than 650,000 tons of elevated radiation waste, according to Monday court filing. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/wayne-disposal-appeals-radioactive-waste-ban/

As intense rainstorms overwhelm Metro Detroit’s century-old combined sewer system, residents, nonprofits, and government turn to rain gardens and large-scale green infrastructure. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/rain-gardens-detroit-stormwater-solutions/ #flooding #climate #solutionsjournalism

DTE Energy's long-range power plan would more than double the utility's electric capacity. Read our report on how data center demand factors into DTE’s 20-year power plan: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/dte-gas-plants-data-centers-power-plan/ #dte #datacenters #climate

Abdul El-Sayed, Mike Rogers square off in key Senate contest in Michigan, where 62% of likely voters oppose data centers. Read more about how this issue is shaping the race: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/data-centers-michigan-senate-rogers-el-sayed/ #datacenters #midterms

Michigan’s data center expansion could introduce new sources of PFAS contamination to communities already burdened by forever chemicals, says Michigan Green Muslims Director Huda Alkaff. Read more: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/michigan-pfas-awareness-data-center-threat/ #pfas #datacenters

Regulating only a microscopic fraction of forever chemicals leaves the public exposed, groundwater expert Matthew Tunnell writes during Michigan PFAS Awareness Week. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/pfas-epa-rules-forever-chemicals/ #pfas

While overshadowed by cost of living concerns, the environment and climate are an undercurrent in debates over data centers, affordability, and corporate accountability. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/environment-michigan-2026-midterm-election/ #midterms #election #politics

The Ypsilanti Township community is voicing “enormous anger” and “enormous distrust” over 100-megawatt computing center project, says University of Michigan representative: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/ypsilanti-township-uofm-data-center-opposition/ #datacenters #ypsilanti #michigan

Michigan’s utility regulator will decide whether to approve DTE Energy contracts for Google’s 1-gigawatt data center project in Van Buren Township. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/google-dte-van-buren-data-center-contracts/

Environmental advocates call for Wyandotte to switch from Detroit River intake to regional system due to contaminated groundwater flowing from nearby BASF facility. Officials say the drinking water is safe. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/wyandotte-drinking-water-detroit-river-basf/

Michigan's next attorney general will decide whether to continue challenging utilities over rate hikes, environmental issues, and data centers. https://planetdetroid.org/2026/09/michigan-attorney-general-candidates-utility-oversight/

A draft Detroit data center ordinance is expected from the planning commission in the coming weeks, says City Council Member Scott Benson. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/detroit-data-center-moratorium-push/

Inspired by a global movement, some Detroit River advocates are exploring whether legal personhood for the river could strengthen protection efforts — even as similar laws face court challenges nationwide. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/detroit-river-personhood-movement/ #DetroitRiver

DTE Energy will ask Michigan regulators to approve construction of two natural gas plants totaling 2.1 gigawatts of capacity. Read the full story: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/dte-natural-gas-plants-michigan/

Southeast Michigan is grappling with "compound flooding" and the questions of infrastructure, funding, politics, and responsibility that go along with the stormwater. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/southeast-michigan-flood-cleanup-prevention/ #flooding #climate

The decision comes after Southeast Michigan weathered three federally declared disasters inside of a decade with the 100-year storms in August 2014, June 2021, and August 2023. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/army-corps-slashes-metro-detroit-flood-study-budget/

Residents who spoke during Monday’s Gibraltar City Council meeting expressed concern about the data center’s potential impacts on the power grid and Humbug Marsh. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/gibraltar-faces-data-center-lawsuit/

A Sept. 3 Michigan Public Service Commission community workshop in Detroit will address agency’s ongoing affordability work and solicit input on the challenges utility customers face: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/detroit-energy-affordability-workshop/ #dte #energyaffordability

If the Legislature takes no action on the ballot proposal by Sept. 5, it will automatically be placed on the ballot: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/dte-consumers-donations-ballot-proposal/

The Michigan Electric Vehicle Alliance held its 3rd annual Clean Cruise on Aug. 8, showcasing EVs and hybrids ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise. Planet Detroit's Maggie Quinn stopped by to learn about the event's sustainable driving mission.

ICYMI: The Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved ballot language Monday for a proposal to bar political donations by monopoly utilities, including DTE, and contractors doing significant business with the state. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/michigan-ballot-proposal-utility-donations/

ICYMI: Michigan’s utility regulator says ending yearly rate increases and changing how utilities earn profit would do more for household energy bills than anything the commission can do on its own. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/mpsc-dte-consumers-recommendations/

Before the property changed hands, Michigan regulators contacted North Morris Estates about a raw sewage spill in the community, according to state records. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/north-morris-communities-hedge-fund-ownership/

Planet Detroit intern Maggie Quinn tabled at the Oak Park Garden Tour on July 26th and created a recap video. See highlights from the community gardening event and hear what attendees had to say.

Draw inspiration from how @planetdetroit.org, the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, and the @pulitzercenter.org think about what counts as impact and how to track it in our latest Climate Blueprint conversation, moderated by @breannadraxler.bsky.social buff.ly/GVYm4p1

The greening of Poletown East reflects a broader conversation unfolding across Detroit: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/arboretum-detroit-green-oasis-poletown/

The scale and intensity of Canadian wildfires has fundamentally changed since 2023, researcher says: https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/canadian-wildfires-likelihood-climate-change/

When Aevitas Specialty Services caught fire June 30, 2025, it caused approximately 1,000 gallons of oily water to spill onto the street. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/detroit-oil-recycler-drops-reopening-plan/

My 2021 story on drinking water affordability for @planetdetroit.org that featured now Dem Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed was working on the issue for Detroit Mayor Duggan. Affordability legislation in Michigan has failed to advance. planetdetroit.org/2021/11/dugg...

“It seems to be well thought out, but I don’t see other residents here,” Hilda Rangel says of open house for $112-million project at Southwest Detroit freight terminal. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/detroit-freight-terminal-upgrade-community-input/

Two Detroit-based writers will profile growers and farmers across the city, exploring what drives them to grow food in Detroit. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/brennan-resiliency-fellowships-detroit-growers/

Candidates will face voters in the general election who hold more favorable views of renewable energy, says Michigan Conservative Energy Forum’s Ed Rivet. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/08/michigan-clean-energy-governors-race/

What environmental issues matter most to you this election? We're building our 2026 Environmental Voter Guide around reader questions. Vote for the ones that matter most or submit your own: voterguide.planetdetroit.org

What environmental issues matter most to you this election? We're building our 2026 Environmental Voter Guide around reader questions. Vote for the ones that matter most or submit your own: voterguide.planetdetroit.org

The Detroit oil refinery burned off excess gas during a power outage earlier this month. https://planetdetroit.org/2026/07/marathon-refinery-expansion-approval-detroit/