EPA Administrator Jackson Greets Great Lakes Commission

Feb 24: U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson addressed the semiannual meeting of the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) as part of Great Lakes Day on February 24, at the Madison Hotel in Washington, DC. She said, "As the Great Lakes go, so goes the national policy as to water.” Jackson noted that President Barack Obama established his commitment to Great Lakes protection early in his campaign and continues to demonstrate that commitment through such legislative vehicles as the American Recovery Act, the recently passed stimulus bill. She said, “We look at the Act as extremely important to restoring infrastructure." She indicated that, “Removal of persistent toxins is really necessary,” she said. “It is expensive and takes a lot of time but we will continue.” The administrator pledged to work to reverse the previous Administration to increase funding to clean up Areas of Concern.

With an underlying theme at the meeting of environmental restoration of the Great Lakes as an economic development strategy, Commission Chair and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn exhorted the Commission member states and Canadian provinces to maximize the potential of the lakes to lure new business and investment. Among actions taken by the Commission were resolutions endorsing reauthorization of the Coastal Zone Management Act, supporting reform of the Harbor Maintenance Tax and Trust Fund, and supporting the American Wind Energy Association’s upcoming Windpower Conference in Chicago.

Access an announcement from GLC (click here). Access an overview and resolutions from the GLC Semiannual Meeting (click here). Access a summary of GLC recommendations to Congress (click here). Access a two-part video of Jackson's presentation to the GLC on the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition website (click here).

Commission To Take Great Lakes Priorities To DC

Feb 18: Next week, at its annual Great Lakes Days in Washington, DC, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) will present recommendations to Congress to support job creation and stimulate economic development on a long-term basis by investing in Great Lakes protection and restoration. In its list of legislative priorities for fiscal year 2010, the Commission is urging Congress and the Administration to work together to create a sustainable funding mechanism for the Great Lakes and to increase support for several existing programs. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, GLC chair said, “An investment this year in Great Lakes restoration will improve our precious environment and yield solid economic returns for the region and the nation."

According to a release from GLC, the health of the lakes is vital to more than 35 million citizens who depend on them for drinking water; a recreational boating industry that generates spending of $16 billion annually and supports over 100,000 jobs in the Great Lakes states; a commercial and sport fishery valued at more than $4 billion; and a maritime transportation system that supports trade and manufacturing for the heartland of North America. They said, a significant Federal investment is needed to match the estimated $15 billion annually that is invested by local governments.

In its priorities for fiscal year 2010, the Great Lakes Commission calls on Congress to: provide sustainable, ongoing funding for Great Lakes restoration through a block grant, trust fund or similar mechanism as recommended by the President during the campaign; create jobs and protect water quality by providing the Great Lakes states with nearly $500 million through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; clean up toxic sediments by fully funding the Great Lakes Legacy Act with $54 million in 2010 and an increased annual authorization of $150 million; close the door on aquatic invasive species through strong ballast water treatment requirements, better regulation of organisms in trade, and continued funding for such existing programs as the sea lamprey control program; and restore valuable fish and wildlife habitat with full funding of $16 million for the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act.

The five priorities are consistent with those of the Council of Great Lakes Governors and shared by an alliance that includes the mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, the Healing Our Waters® - Great Lakes Coalition, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, Council of Great Lakes Industries, and GLC.

Access a release from GLC and link to complete details on the GLC priorities (click here).

NOAA Study Documents Invasives Disruption In Lakes' Food Web

Feb 18: Scientists from NOAA say the quick decline of a tiny shrimp-like species, known scientifically as Diporeia, is related to the aggressive population growth of non-native quagga mussels in the Great Lakes. As invasive mussel numbers increase, food sources for Diporeia and many aquatic species have steadily and unilaterally declined. A recent research study from NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Laboratory published this week in Freshwater Biology documents the recent decline of Diporeia and the explosive growth of quagga mussels in Lake Michigan. Over the past five years quagga mussels have displaced native Diporeia as the dominant bottom dwelling organism, leading to a major disruption in the lake’s food web.

Tom Nalepa, NOAA research biologist said, “Quagga mussels have displaced other more energy-rich food sources and leave fish and other aquatic species with fewer food options. The invasive mussels are low in calories and their shell has no nutritional value. Fish feeding on quagga mussels expend considerable energy crushing and passing the indigestible shell.”

Access a release from NOAA (click here). Access an abstract of the paper and information on obtaining the complete paper (click here).

Report Documents Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Increase

Feb 17: While the nation as a whole gained freshwater wetlands from 1998 to 2004, a report by NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documents a continuing loss of coastal wetlands in the eastern United States. The report, Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Coastal Watersheds of the Eastern United States, shows a loss of 59,000 acres each year in the coastal watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico from 1998 to 2004, but an increase in the Great Lakes.

Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service said, “This report shows the nation’s need to expand the effort to conserve and rebuild valuable coastal wetlands. Coastal wetlands are nurseries for important commercial and recreational fish and are vital to many threatened and endangered species. They also provide natural protection to coastal communities from the most damaging effects of hurricanes and storm surges.”

In a release, NOAA indicates that one reason wetland loss is concentrated in coastal watersheds is because of the large numbers of people living there -- more than half of the nation’s population lives in coastal counties in densities five times greater than inland counties -- the building of roads, homes and businesses have accelerated wetlands loss, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico. Wetland restoration is also more difficult in coastal areas where land values are high and factors such as storms and large expanses of soft muddy ground hamper restoration efforts.

Rowan Gould, acting director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said, “We are concerned by the findings of this report because coastal wetlands provide essential habitat for many migratory bird, fish, and endangered species. The high rate of coastal wetlands losses is even more alarming when we consider the anticipated stresses that climate change will bring to our coasts in the future. We look forward to working with federal and non-federal partners to stop this trend and achieve no net loss of coastal wetlands."

NOAA and FWS are discussing with the U.S. EPA and other interested groups how to best respond to the alarming loss of coastal wetlands outlined in the new report. Michael Shapiro, acting assistant administrator for water at EPA said, "Our coastal wetlands are ecological treasures that help protect shorelines and infrastructure in areas where more than half of Americans live. This report emphasizes the need for action to protect these valuable resources."

According to the report, watersheds of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts have almost the same amount of total wetland area: 15.9 million and 15.6 million acres, respectively. Watersheds of the Great Lakes had an estimated 8.4 million acres. Considering saltwater and freshwater systems together, there was an estimated loss of 361,100 wetland acres in the coastal watersheds between 1998 and 2004. Both the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico coasts experienced net wetland losses of 14,980 and 370,760 acres, respectively. The Great Lakes coastal watersheds had an estimated net gain of 24,650 acres (10,000 ha).

Access a release from NOAA (click here). Access the complete 36-page report (click here).

RFP To Address Persistent Toxic Substance Deposition

Jan 29: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) is requesting project proposals under its Great Lakes Air Deposition (GLAD) program. Pre-Proposals are due March 2, 2009. The purpose of the GLAD program is to safeguard the environment and human health from the adverse effects of atmospherically deposited toxic contaminants in the Great Lakes region. This program supports scientific investigation and the development of assessment tools to identifying the magnitude, sources and impacts of toxic contaminant deposition within the region and to facilitate concerted and strategic actions to mitigate such impacts. The funding available for the current year of the GLAD program is at least $600,000. Previously sponsored projects have ranged from $20,000 to $250,000, with a median of $120,000.

Proposals should focus on contaminants of concern for atmospheric deposition in the Great Lakes region and should demonstrate a likelihood that the contaminant(s) being examined are depositing to the region's waterways from the atmosphere in a quantity that may cause adverse impacts to humans or wildlife. Proposals must describe tangible benefits delivered to the Great Lakes states and how projects will assist the state agencies and their partners in taking informed actions toward assessing and reducing the occurrence and impact of atmospheric deposition of toxic substances.

The 2009 RFP identifies priority project areas that are specifically targeted to be addressed in the upcoming year: Impacts of atmospherically deposited toxic pollutants on Great Lakes wildlife; Effects of climate change on toxic deposition and bioaccumulation; Great Lakes Coordinated Science and Monitoring Initiative; Demonstrate the influence of remaining local, continental and controllable sources; Characterize emissions from burning of agricultural plastics; and Flame Retardants.

Access a posted announcement (click here). Access the RFP (click here). Access the GLAD website for additional information (click here).