House Investigates CDC Suppressed Great Lakes Report

Feb 28: Representatives John Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, announced an investigation into the withholding of a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) that reportedly demonstrates a correlation between pollution in the Great Lakes and health issues such as cancer mortality and higher infant mortality rates. On February 7, the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) announced that, "For more than seven months, the nation’s top public health agency has blocked the publication of an exhaustive federal study of environmental hazards in the eight Great Lakes states, reportedly because it contains such potentially “alarming information” as evidence of elevated infant mortality and cancer rates." [See WIMS 2/8/08].

Dingell said, “Pollution in our Great Lakes can have very real health consequences for the millions of Americans who live in and around the Great Lakes basin. If the Administration has willfully withheld a report from the public, it raises questions about whether they are putting the public health at risk and about the scientific integrity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Stupak said, “With a mission to promote health and prevent disease, CDC has an obligation to share the results of this report with the American public. Instead it appears CDC has made a concerted effort to conceal this information. The health challenges facing these Great Lakes communities will not go away by ignoring the scientific facts. This report could be a valuable tool as federal, state and local governments allocate resources for Great Lakes clean-up efforts. We intend to determine through our investigation who at CDC made the decision to withhold the report and whether the author was penalized for advocating for its publication.”

The massive 400-page study, officially entitled, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern, was completed in July 2007, following several years of work and extensive scientific peer review. According to a recent article by the Center for Public Integrity, officials at ATSDR, blocked the study’s publication. In a letter sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dingell and Stupak asked that the Great Lakes Report be published so that the validity of its findings can be fairly evaluated. The letter also requests information on events surrounding the suppression of the study. According to the article by the Center for Public Integrity, the Great Lakes Report’s chief author, Dr. Christopher De Rosa, was demoted after working to see the Great Lakes Report released to the public.

Access a release from Dingell and Stupak with links to the letter to CDC and the draft report (click here).

Report Shows $15 Billion In Great Lakes Local Government Investment

Feb 27: A report released by the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) and funded by the Joyce Foundation, concludes that local governments in the U.S. and Canada invest an estimated $15 billion annually to protect and restore the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, but cannot keep pace with the one-two punch of escalating threats to the resource and ongoing cuts in Federal restoration programs. Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry, chair of the Great Lakes Commission said, “This report clearly demonstrates that our cities and other communities are ready and willing partners in the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence ecosystem. Their contributions at the local level play a key role in the environmental health and well-being of the entire system, and they need and deserve federal support in those efforts.”

Results from the 143 U.S. and Canadian local governments that responded to the survey document 2006 local investment at $2.5 billion on water quality management activities, including wastewater systems operation, maintenance and infrastructure, and $784 million on ecosystem protection activities such as greenspace protection and recycling/reuse programs. By extrapolating to incorporate the entire survey population of 688 local governments, which included cities, towns, villages, counties, regional municipalities and conservation authorities, the estimated local government investment is $15 billion annually, with $12 billion for water quality management and $3 billion for ecosystem protection.

Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago, founding U.S. chair of the Cities Initiative said, “This study makes it clear that there is a growing movement that recognizes the need for long-term funding for Great Lakes protection and restoration, but it also suggests that we need to do more. All our cities desperately need significant funding for water and wastewater infrastructure, but it’s still not on the radar of the national government and it’s time for them to step up and help protect this precious natural resource.” The survey found that in both the United States and Canada, local investment was highest in the area of wastewater systems operation, maintenance and infrastructure. U.S. survey results alone indicate that local government makes capital investments in wastewater infrastructure in the Great Lakes Basin at well over 10 times the U.S. Federal government. Federal funding through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) has been cut by 49 percent since 2004 and more cuts are proposed for 2009. When viewed in light of the survey results, these cuts only amplify the need for Congress to restore funding of the CWSRF to $1.35 billion.

The report -- Local Investment In The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence -- is expected to build support in the United States for Federal legislation to implement recommendations of the 2005 Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes -- the product of a year-long initiative among Federal, state and local governments, tribes and other stakeholders that was established by a presidential executive order. Among the Strategy’s foremost recommendations to protect and restore the Great Lakes is increased federal investment in storm-and wastewater treatment, to supplement the substantial local investment documented in the report.

Access a release from the GLC and Cities Initiative (click here). Access the complete 89-page report (click here). Access further information from the Cities Initiative including an Introduction, Synopsis, Survey Fact Sheets (respondents, results) Press event speakers, and Clean Water State Revolving Fund facts (click here).

U.S. Seaway Development Corporation Finalizes Ballast Water Regs

Feb 25: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) have published the final rule governing ballast water regulation in the Federal Register [73 FR 9950-9954]. SLSDC and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) of Canada, under international agreement, jointly publish and presently administer the St. Lawrence Seaway Regulations and Rules (Practices and Procedures in Canada) in their respective jurisdictions. Under agreement with the SLSMC, the SLSDC is amending the joint regulations by updating the Regulations and Rules in various categories. The changes will update the sections of the Regulations and Rules: Condition of Vessels; Seaway Navigation; and, Information and Reports.

The SLSDC is seeking to harmonize the ballast water requirements for vessels transiting the U.S. waters of the Seaway after having operated outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with those currently required by Canadian authorities for transit in waters under Canadian jurisdiction of the Seaway. These amendments are necessary to take account of updated procedures and will eliminate the confusion regarding the requirements for saltwater flushing in the binational waters of the Seaway System. The final rule will be effective March 26, 2008. SLSMC and SLSDC originally announced the coordination of the regulation of ballast water management practices between the two countries for the 2008 season on January 16, 2008 [See WIMS 1/17/08].

Beginning with the 2008 navigation season, all ocean vessels, including those with "no ballast on board", will be subjected to an inspection, covering 100% of ballast water tanks. The inspection process will ensure that the vessel -- while still a minimum of 200 km offshore -- flushed all of its tanks with salt water. On subsequent transits during the year, the vessel will again be subjected to a series of inspections, with the objective of ensuring that the vessel's crew is strictly adhering to the salt water flushing practice.

Saltwater flushing is defined as the addition of midocean water to ballast water tanks: the mixing of the flushwater with residual water and sediment through the motion of the vessel; and the discharge of the mixed water. The resultant residual water remaining in the tank must have a salinity level of at least 30 parts per thousand (ppt). Further, each vessel must maintain the ability to measure salinity levels in each tank onboard the vessel so that final salinities of at least 30 parts per thousand can be ensured. Any vessel that has tanks that fail to reach this salinity level will be required to retain any water in those tanks until it exits the Seaway.

According to the Federal Register notice, SLSDC received 15 letters or other forms of correspondence on the proposed regulation requiring saltwater flushing of ballast water tanks that contain residual amounts of water and/or sediment. Comments were received from: Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Great Lakes Commission, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Shipping Federation of Canada, McCabe Chapter of IWLA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species, Great Lakes United/Save The River/Alliance for the Great Lakes, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Polish Steamship Company, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and 3 private citizens. All 15 comments supported the proposed regulations and eleven of the commenters stated that while the regulation is an important step in the right direction, more needs to be done to reduce invasions of aquatic nuisance species (ANS).

Access the FR announcement which includes a details discussion of the various comments (click here). Access the SLSDC website (click here). Access the SLSMC Ballast Water website for extensive information (click here).

MSU & WJR Launch Greening of the Great Lakes Website

Feb 22: Michigan State University (MSU) and News/Talk 760 WJR radio have launched a website called "Greening of the Great Lakes." The goal of the website is to provide information and insight into the organizations committed to making the Great Lakes region a leader in environmental practices. It's designed to be an online resource for anyone interested in learning about the Great Lakes region, related environmental issues and ways that they can protect the environment.

MSU President Lou Anna Simon said, "'Greening of the Great Lakes' is an exciting extension of MSU's partnership with WJR. The stewardship of the environment in which we live is vitally important to all of us, especially when it concerns our treasured Great Lakes. We want 'Greening of the Great Lakes' to become the online resource for all the important information people need to incorporate sound environmental practices into their daily lives." WJR President and General Manager Mike Fezzey said, "The outstanding partnership between WJR and MSU to create Greening of the Great Lakes has not only created a place where listeners can go to find extensive resources for those dedicated to living an environmentally friendly lifestyle, but this site will stay on the cutting edge of environmental related news and information."

Almost all of the information and resources on the site are and will continue to be provided by MSU and a dozen current company sponsor. The website is divided into several categories and sub-categories related to our environment.Primary categories include: Agriculture, Biobased Technologies, Companies Contributing, ECO/AGRI Tourism, Energy, Green Building, Green Careers, Green Facts, Green Products, Public Policy, Recycling, Transportation, Green Events and Water and Land. One of the primary features of the Web site is Green in the News and Regional Green in the News. This news feed is produced by MSU's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism through a news service called Michigan's Echo.

Access a release with further information (click here).

Great Lakes Commission Outlines Major Priorities

Feb 21: Michigan Lt. Governor John Cherry, Chairman of the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) reiterated the need for increased protection and preservation of the Great Lakes and urged lawmakers in Washington over the next year to increase Federal investments in Michigan's greatest natural resource. Cherry said, "With one-fifth of the Earth's surface freshwater supply, the Great Lakes are truly a world-class resource and a national treasure without peer. State, local, tribal and private interests contribute billions of dollars for Great Lakes protection. It is essential that the Federal government step up its support, recognizing that investing in the Great Lakes will protect a national asset and produce a good return for taxpayers' dollars."

Acting on behalf of its membership -- the Great Lakes states -- the GLC will present its annual list of Federal legislative priorities to Congress on February 28, which has been designated as Great Lakes Day in Washington. The annual event, held in conjunction with the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Healing Our Waters® - Great Lakes Coalition, is designed to convey a unified message regarding Great Lakes needs and legislation to address them.

At the top of the list -- legislation to curb the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species and to implement other key recommendations of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration's Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes. The GLC said its priorities are consistent with and complement those of the Council of Great Lakes Governors.

The commission outlined four of its highest priorities -- (1) Enacting legislation to curb the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species by ensuring that commercial vessels visiting Great Lakes ports meet uniform ballast water discharge requirements, providing funding to control invasive sea lamprey and complete a barrier to prevent Asian carp from migrating into the lakes from the Mississippi drainage. (2) Reauthorizing and fully funding the Great Lakes Legacy Act at $150 million a year to clean up contaminated hot spots in Great Lakes rivers and harbors [See WIMS 2/19/08]. (3) Appropriating $28.5 million to restore 200,000 acres of wetlands toward the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration strategy's goal of restoring 550,000 acres. (4) Appropriating $1.35 billion nationwide to protect water quality by restoring funding to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund - cut significantly in 2008. The program is essential to updating sewerage systems and improving coastal health in the Great Lakes and nationwide.

Access a release from Chairman Cherry (click here). Access a full list of GLC's FY2009 legislative priorities, fact sheets and related information (click here).

Great Lakes Fish And Wildlife Restoration Grants

Feb 15: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is seeking pre-proposals for projects to restore Great Lakes fish and wildlife resources through its Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Grants Program. The program provides Federal grants on a competitive basis to states, tribes and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration and management of fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes basin. Projects are funded under authority of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2006.

Since 1998, 72 restoration projects totaling $6.6 million, including $3.9 million in Federal funds, have been implemented. FWS contributes up to 75 percent of the cost of the projects, with matching funds and expertise coming from partner organizations. To date, more than 60 organizations have participated in projects funded under the act. States, Federally recognized Indian Tribal governments and Native American treaty organizations within the Great Lakes basin are eligible to apply for the funding. Non-government and conservation organizations may also receive funding, if sponsored by an organization listed above; however, sponsorship is not required at the pre-proposal stage. Applicants must submit their pre-proposals to FWS by March 28, 2008.

Access a release from FWS (click here). Access a request for proposals, instructions for submitting pre-proposals and complete background information (click here).

Governors Decry "Misguided Efforts" To "Derail" Compact

Feb 19: According to a release from the Great Lakes Council of Governors (CGLG), the eight Great Lakes Governors renewed their call to state legislators to take the steps needed to protect the region’s most valuable asset, the Great Lakes. Specifically, the Governors adopted a resolution again urging swift enactment of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (compact) and rejected calls for renegotiations that will only serve to weaken the protections they endorsed more than two years ago. The Governors issued a clear statement decrying recent proposals to upset the delicate compromise among diverse and varied interests in support of protecting the Great Lakes through the compact.

On February 14, Ohio Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland, OH), and Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Michael Huebsch (R-West Salem, WI) announced they had teamed up to propose "modification" of the Great Lakes Compact and said they "will move expeditiously to pass legislation in their respective chambers." [See WIMS 2/15/08]

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, CGLG Chair said, “The Great Lakes are not only our greatest natural resource, but they are also a true national treasure. As Great Lakes Governors, we have been fighting to make sure we have a compact that preserves and protects the waters of the Great Lakes. We cannot allow misguided efforts to derail this important compact at this critical time.” Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said, “This compact will improve and protect the health of the Great Lakes and our region’s economy. It was designed to enhance the protections many of our states already have in place and will protect us from new diversions of water from the Basin. We are hopeful that every Great Lakes state will ratify the compact soon.”

In a release the CGLG said, "The compact was developed by the Governors during an open and transparent process in order to ensure that everyone’s interests were represented and protected. As a result, there is an overwhelming consensus in favor of enacting the compact’s protections. Recent proposals by individual state legislators to change the compact threaten to destroy its protections and jeopardize regional management of the Great Lakes. Due to the legal vulnerability of current federal law, failure to enact the compact endorsed by the Governors will likely result in litigation through the courts or Congress interceding to exercise control over the Great Lakes.

Legislative approval has already been completed in four states: Minnesota, Illinois, New York and Indiana. Compact legislation has been approved by the Pennsylvania House and the Ohio House; bills are pending in Michigan; and, a bill is expected to be introduced soon in Wisconsin. Additionally, over 100 diverse groups of stakeholders who depend on the Great Lakes have endorsed the compact approved by the Governors.

Access a release from the Governors (click here). Access a resolution adopted by the Governors (click here). Access details on individual state adoption of the Compact (click here).

Great Lakes Commission Recommendations On Legacy Act

Feb 15: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act in order to continue progress in remediating contaminated sediments in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs). First passed in 2002, the Great Lakes Legacy Act authorizes funding to remediate contaminated sediments in the U.S. and binational Great Lakes Areas of Concern designated under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Commission Chair and Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry Jr., in a letter to Congressional leaders and members of the House and Senate Great Lakes Task Forces said, “The Legacy Act program has been highly successful in cleaning up toxic hot spots in Great Lakes rivers and harbors and has become a cornerstone of Great Lakes restoration efforts. It’s critical that Congress reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act and maintain this vital program for restoring the Great Lakes.” Cherry noted that the Commission’s recommendations are consistent with the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration and that the Legacy Act enjoys strong support from the Great Lakes states, the business community, regional environmental organizations and local Area of Concern advisory councils.

The Commission recommended several amendments to benefit the Great Lakes states and improve the Legacy Act’s effectiveness and efficiency. Two major recommendations included, one, reauthorizing the Legacy Act through 2013 and increasing authorized appropriations to $150 million annually, consistent with the recommendations of the Great Lake Regional Collaboration and to better match the projected long-term costs of remediating contaminated sediments. Second, the GLC recommended that the current 35 percent nonfederal cost-share requirement be reduced to 25 percent for orphan sites where no responsible party is available to support the nonfederal cost share, to lessen the burden on states and local communities. The complete list of recommendations and additional information is available fro the contacts below.

To date, five cleanup projects and seven projects to monitor and evaluate contaminated sediments have been implemented under the Legacy Act, with eight additional projects now under review. The original Great Lakes Legacy Act enacted in 2002 authorized $270 million over five years to remediate contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

Access a release from the GLC (click here). Access the complete recommendations and background (click here).

OH & WI Legislators Team Up To Challenge Compact Approval

Feb 14: According to a release from Ohio Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland, OH), he and Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Michael Huebsch (R-West Salem, WI) have teamed up to propose "modification" of the Great Lakes Compact and say they "will move expeditiously to pass legislation in their respective chambers." The release from Harris indicates the version they support was introduced as Senate Bill 291 in the Ohio Senate by State Senator Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland). A companion bill will be introduced in coming days by Representative Scott Gunderson, chairman of the Wisconsin Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee.

The legislators say the bills seek to protect the Great Lakes from future diversions outside the Basin, while making two clarifying changes that they say "will address fatal flaws within the existing language that threaten private property rights, and that grant participating states unilateral authority to block one another from future intra-Basin water transfers." The legislators said they hope that if given a viable alternative to "the problematic wording in the Compact," the other Great Lakes states will follow suit and pass a Compact which they say "is stronger and a more accurate reflection of the participating states’ intent."

Until now the assumption has been that the Compact language, approved by eight Great Lakes Governors and two Canadian Provinces in 2005 is not up for negotiation. Thus far, Minnesota and Illinois approved the compact; Indiana and New York legislators have approved and sent legislation to their Governors for signing expected very soon [See WIMS 2/13/08]; and approval bills are pending in the Michigan and Pennsylvania. However, the Ohio and Wisconsin legislators say that, "While the goals are commendable, many experts have begun to raise concerns that, in the haste to ratify the Compact, the language agreed to at that time by the Governors is ambiguous and conflicts with current Ohio law when it comes to traditional protections for private property owners."

Ohio Senator Grendell noted that the current language states that “The Waters of the Basin are a precious natural resource shared and held in trust by the states.” He said, "While that sounds reasonable on its face, devil is in the details. The problem is that 'waters of the Basin' is defined as not just the Great Lakes, streams and navigable surface waters, but also includes groundwater and wells, that run under and supply the homes of private property owners throughout the 35 counties in Ohio that are part of the Basin. We support passage of a multi-state Compact to protect the Great Lakes. What we cannot support is ambiguous language that would call into question for example, the rights of private property owners to use or tap into groundwater on their own land. As it stands today, the Compact we are being asked to approve would be in direct conflict with Ohio’s tradition of strong private property rights.”

While alternative language is suggested, there appears to be a larger concern with the overall Compact. According to the release, "Grendell and Harris, backed by the opinions of other attorneys who specialize in these areas, are concerned that intent language alone is insufficient for protecting Ohio private property rights. As the governing document, the multi-state Compact would trump any assertions made only in Ohio law by the members of the 127th General Assembly. Harris said, “If clarifying language is needed to explain the intent of the Compact, then the language is too ambiguous.The only way to address this concern is to fix the Compact itself.”

Additionally, the legislators are suggesting additional changes in the basic structure of the Compact. Their release indicates that, "Another change supported by the group of legislators from Ohio and Wisconsin is to ensure that in the future if any of the Great Lakes states petitions to increase intra-Basin water transfers for things like economic development projects, the decision would be made by a majority vote of the Great Lakes states. By contrast, the existing Compact would allow any one of the participating states to unilaterally veto such transfers."

Access the release from Senator Harris (click here). Access details on individual state activity in enacting the Compact from the Council of Great Lakes Governors website (click here). Access various media reports on the Ohio and Wisconsin efforts (click here). Access the WIMS Great Lakes Environment Blog for links to additional information and background or to comment on this article (click here).

Indiana & New York Close To Compact Enactment

Feb 12: The Alliance for the Great Lakes (formerly the Lake Michigan Federation) issued a release applauding the Indiana legislature for endorsing the Great Lakes Compact, and urged that the Governor sign it into law promptly and that those states that have yet to pass the legislation move quickly toward adoption. The Alliance said that following a 91-8 vote in the House and an earlier unanimous vote in the Senate, Indiana and New York are now poised to become the third and fourth states in the region to adopt the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. The compact is also headed to New York Governor Eliot Spitzer after passing that State’s Assembly February 11. Minnesota and Illinois were the first of the eight Great Lakes states to adopt the compact and the critical protections it provides.

Sharon Cook, water conservation program director for the Alliance said, “The states all across the Great Lakes are keeping a watchful eye on each other’s legislatures. The compact’s passage by the Indiana General Assembly should prompt other states to adopt the compact now. The compact will set consistent, reasonable standards that all states within the basin must use. With predicted drops in congressional representation, locking water protections in now is the best defense against unsustainable use of the Great Lakes.”

Endorsed by the region’s eight state governors and two Canadian premiers in 2005, the compact must pass in each Great Lakes state before heading to the U.S. Congress for ratification. Legislatures in the remaining states are in varying stages of acting on compact, with bills pending in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Wisconsin’s legislation is still being drafted, which the Alliance said was a noticeable lag in a state where recent polling shows an overwhelming majority -- 80 percent -- of residents support the compact’s passage. Adopting the compact, as well as companion laws in the provinces of Ontario and Québec, would provide a first-of-its-kind model for a consensus-based, basin-wide approach to decisions about how much and how far away Great Lakes water can be used.

Access a release from the Alliance (click here). Access details on individual state activity in enacting the Compact from the Council of Great Lakes Governors website (click here). Access links to various media reports (click here).

ATSDR Great Lakes AOCs Report Held Up 7 Months

Feb 7: According to the Center for Public Integrity (CPI), "For more than seven months, the nation’s top public health agency has blocked the publication of an exhaustive federal study of environmental hazards in the eight Great Lakes states, reportedly because it contains such potentially “alarming information” as evidence of elevated infant mortality and cancer rates."

CPI says the 400-plus-page study, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern, was undertaken by a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the request of the International Joint Commission (IJC), an independent bilateral organization that advises the U.S. and Canadian governments on the use and quality of boundary waters between the two countries. The study was originally scheduled for release in July 2007 by the IJC and the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

CPI has obtained the study, which it says "warns that more than nine million people who live in the more than two dozen 'areas of concern' [AOCs] -- including such major metropolitan areas as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee -- may face elevated health risks from being exposed to dioxin, PCBs, pesticides, lead, mercury, or six other hazardous pollutants."

Access a brief article on the report and link to the report which is marked throughout "do not quote or cite" (click here). Access links to various Internet citations to the report (click here). Access various Blog posts regarding the report (click here). Access various news media reports (click here). Access complete information on Great Lakes AOCs (click here).

Upcoming Upper Great Lakes Study Meetings In SE Michigan

Feb 4: The Public Interest Advisory Group (PIAG) of the International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS) -- a binational team of researchers studying whether possible physical changes in the St. Clair River are contributing to record low levels in the Great Lakes -- has scheduled two public meetings in the Detroit area for February 19-20, 2008. PIAG co-chair Kay Felt and researchers will present an overview of the Study, highlighting the latest findings and focusing on the importance of public input and collaboration with local governments. Attendees will have an extensive opportunity to present their views and ask questions. More broadly, the Study is examining whether regulation of outflows from Lake Superior might be improved to take into consideration changing climate and evolving interests of property owners, local governments, the shipping industry, and the recreation/tourism industry.

On Tuesday, February 19, 2008, from 7 to 9 PM, PIAG will meet at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial, 32 Lakeshore Drive, Grosse Pointe Farms. On Wednesday, February 20, 2008, from 1 to 3 PM, PIAG will meet jointly with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), at 535 Griswold St., Suite 300, Detroit, Michigan.

The International Joint Commission (IJC) appointed the International Upper Great Lakes Study Board in February 2007 to examine whether the regulation of Lake Superior outflows can be improved to address the evolving needs of the upper Great Lakes. The study area includes lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie, and their interconnecting channels (St. Mary's River, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River and Niagara River), up to Niagara Falls.

Major topics for investigation include determining the factors that affect water levels and flows, developing and testing potential new regulation plans and assessing the impacts of these potential plans on the ecosystem and human interests. Physical changes in the St. Clair River will be investigated early in the study as one factor that might be affecting water levels and flows. Depending on the nature and extent of the physical changes, and their potential impact on water levels and flows, the study may also explore potential remediation options.

On November 1, 2007, the IUGLS released preliminary results that did not appear to support the theory that an eroding river bed is responsible for causing the Lake Michigan-Huron system to "hemorrhage" 2.5 billion gallons of water a day [See WIMS 11/2/07]. On August 14, 2007, an analysis from a consultant for the Georgian Bay Association (GBA), indicated that the channel drainage in the St. Clair River was causing the extensive loss of water from the Lake Michigan-Huron system. However, the preliminary results from the extensive IUGLS indicate that the so-called "armour layer" in the upper part of the St. Clair River is considered to be stable and therefore, the bed cannot be eroding.

Access the IUGLS website for details and further information (click here).

HOW Coalition Looks At Great Lakes Funding

Feb 6: The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition (HOW) has released a preliminary review of the President's proposed budget released on February 4, and how it relates to Great Lakes programs. They said the White House budget "leaves the Great Lakes on thin ice and underscores the need for Congress and the next President of the United States to do more to restore a national resource that millions of people depend on for their jobs, public health and quality of life.” HOW said the biggest single cut is to a program to help communities modernize old wastewater treatment facilities to prevent sewage contamination.

Jeff Skelding, National Campaign Director for HOW said, “Absent leadership from this President, we urge the U.S. Congress to fund the manageable solutions we have at our disposal to restore the Great Lakes now, because every day we wait, the problems get worse and the solutions more costly. We need strong federal leadership to partner with the region’s states and cities to restore the largest source of surface freshwater in the world. Instead, the White House budget cuts programs to stop sewage contamination and confront the threat of aquatic invasive species. Most of the leading presidential candidates have signed a pledge to restore the Great Lakes. We can’t wait until January. Now is the time to increase funding to restore the Great Lakes as called for in the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy. Congress must act to restore the cuts in this short sighted budget.”

Access a release from HOW (click here). Access a table comparing FY08 & FY09 funding levels (click here). Access a table comparing funding levels by individual Great Lakes states (click here). Access the HOW Coalition website for additional information (click here). Access a detailed, 78-page FY09 EPA Budget summary (click here, search Great Lakes for detailed information).

Five New Great Lakes Fishery Commission Research Projects

Feb 4: The Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) has completed five separate research projects related to the Great Lakes fishery, invasive species, and management. The projects deal with the possible factors leading to the dramatic decline of the American eel; luring the round goby into traps by the scent of male round goby urine; the ecology of a diverse and highly threatened group of fishes called the deepwater ciscoes; improving the inclusion of stakeholders in decisions affecting fisheries; and estimating the diets of the sea lamprey, one of the most devastating invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Access a release with a brief summary of each project and links to further information of each (click here).