EPA Science Advisory Board Meetings On GLRI Review

Jun 15: U.S. EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) has announced a public face-to-face, 2-day meeting of the SAB panel to review the interagency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan (FY 2010-FY2014) that describes restoration priorities, goals, objectives, measurable ecological targets, and specific actions for the Great Lakes. The meeting will be held on July 12, 2011 from 9 AM to 5:30 PM  and on July 13, 2011 from 8 AM to 5 PM (Central Time) at the Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago.

 

    EPA is leading the interagency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to protect and restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes. The GLRI is designed to target the most significant environmental problems in the region, as documented in extensive scientific studies and by stakeholder review. To guide the efforts of the GLRI, EPA and its Federal partners, through the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, developed a comprehensive multi-year Action Plan. The GLRI Action Plan identifies outcome-oriented performance goals, objectives, measurable ecological targets, and specific actions for five major focus areas: toxic substances and areas of concern; invasive species; near-shore health and nonpoint source pollution; habitat and wildlife protection and restoration; and accountability, education, monitoring, evaluation, communication, and partnerships. The EPA Great Lakes National Program Manager has requested the SAB to review the GLRI Action Plan to assess the appropriateness of its measures and actions to achieve its stated priorities and goals. On June 1, the SAB issued a determination memo announcing the 16 members SAB Panel for Review of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan.

    Access the Federal Register announcement of the meeting with further details and links to related information (click here). Access the SAB GLRI Panel website for complete information, documents and meetings related to the review (click here).

 

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IJC 2011 Great Lakes Water Quality Biennial Meeting

Jun 15: The International Joint Commission (IJC) announced that the 2011 Great Lakes Water Quality Biennial Meeting will be held October 12-14 on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit. The theme of the meeting is "H2O NOW", emphasizing the pressing need for the public, industry, environmental groups and governments to take action and work together to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Lana Pollack, U.S. Co-Chair of the IJC said, "At the Biennial Meeting in Detroit, the public can learn firsthand about the health of the Great Lakes and how to press for action," H2O NOW is a reflection of the urgent need for action, not just by governments, but by everyone who uses the lakes to swim, fish and drink the water."

    For the first time, the IJC Biennial Meeting will be held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the Great Lakes Commission and the Healing Our Waters Coalition (an organization of more than 100 environmental groups), among other organizations. In addition to holding their respective meetings, all of the groups will meet jointly for a half day afternoon session on October 12 that will feature reports on progress toward Great Lakes restoration from top government officials and a public town hall meeting [See WIMS 6/14/11].

    The Biennial Meeting is a critical opportunity for citizens throughout the Great Lakes basin community to become involved in the work of the IJC. Over the past two years expert work groups have been tasked by the Commission's Great Lakes advisory boards to undertake research in six key priority areas: the Nearshore Framework; Chemicals of Emerging Concern; Harmful and Nuisance Algae; Aquatic Invasive Species; Benefits and Risks of Fish Consumption; and Beaches and Recreational Water Quality. On October 13th, the public can participate in workshops on each of the priorities and provide comments on the findings and recommendations regarding draft reports that will be published later this summer. The public input will inform the 16th Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality, a responsibility of the IJC under the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, to be published in 2012.

 

    Access a release from IJC (click here). Access the Biennial Meeting website for complete information including a detailed schedule and registration (click here).

 

 

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EPA, Et Al Announce Great Lakes Week

Jun 13: U.S. EPA and other participating organizations will announce on June 15, the details of the first-ever Great Lakes Week scheduled for October 2011 in Detroit. The theme of Great Lakes Week is "Working Together, Taking Action" and will bring representatives of the U.S. and Canadian governments together with a broad coalition of public and private groups to highlight efforts to implement solutions for the lakes' most pressing problems.

 

    Great Lakes Week is designed to advance the Administration's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), deemed "the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades." The special week will also gather the annual meetings and conferences of various organizations in one place from October 11-14, making it one of the most wide-ranging Great Lakes summits in history. EPA and the other organizations will host a conference call to provide details about Great Lakes Week. The call will feature: Cameron Davis, Senior Advisor to the EPA Administrator (Great Lakes); Lana Pollack, U.S. Section Chair, International Joint Commission; Jennifer Hill, Field Director, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition; and Dr. Carol J. Miller, Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University.

 

    Access a release from EPA Region 5 (click here). Access a list of organizational meetings and events and register information  (click here). Access the GLRI website for more information (click here). 

Sen. Collins Introduces National Mercury Monitoring Act

Jun 13: U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation to create a comprehensive new program to measure mercury levels across the United States. The bipartisan "Comprehensive National Mercury Monitoring Act" (S.1183) is cosponsored by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE). Senator Collins said, "This legislation would build on existing environmental monitoring efforts to create a comprehensive nationwide mercury monitoring network to provide sound mercury measurements that EPA sorely needs." Through the program, mercury monitoring sites would be established across the nation to measure mercury levels in the air, rain, soil, lakes and streams, wildlife and the fish that people eat. Senator Collins has made reducing the mercury threat to our people and wildlife one of her priorities in the Senate. In 2002, the Senate unanimously passed her legislation to ban the sale of mercury fever thermometers, the source of some 17 tons of mercury in solid waste every year. 

    Sen. Collins said, "Mercury is one of the most persistent and dangerous pollutants that threatens our health and environment today. This powerful toxin affects the senses, the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver. It poses significant risks to children and pregnant women, causing an elevated risk of birth defects and problems with motor skills. It is estimated that approximately 410,000 children born in the U.S. each year are exposed to levels of mercury in the womb that are high enough to impair neurological development. While mercury exposure has gone down as mercury emissions in the United States have declined, levels remain unacceptably high."

 

        The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) issued a release praising the legislation. GLC indicated that since 2003, members of the scientific community have been calling for a national network to track mercury in the environment and are strong supporters of Collins' bill. GLC said, "With fish consumption advisories in every state in the nation and scarce monitoring to track how mercury levels in the environment are changing over time, the time has come to advance this common sense legislation. The National Mercury Monitoring Network (MercNet) established by this bill would systematically track mercury in the environment to help safeguard our fisheries, protect public health, and evaluate the impact of policy decisions." In October 2010, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) adopted a resolution calling for comprehensive, collaborative, long-term mercury monitoring and research programs within and outside of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin.

 

    Access a release from Senator Collins (click here). Access legislative details from S.1183 (click here). Access a posted release from the GLC (click here).

Options For Restoring Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels

Jun 10: The International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS) released a 187-page peer review report that says "there are positives and negatives to placing structures and other engineering measures in the St. Clair River to restore Lake Michigan-Huron water levels." The exploratory analysis doesn't make any recommendations, and is an informational analysis undertaken at the request of the International Joint Commission (IJC). The IJC asked IUGLS to investigate the impacts of raising the levels of Lake Michigan-Huron for five different restoration scenarios, from a base case of 0 cm to 10 cm (3.9 in), 25 cm (9.8 in), 40 cm (15.7 in), and 50 cm (19.7 in), to account for various channel changes and drops in water levels from navigational and other dredging projects dating back to the mid-1800s.

    Four previously proposed structures and two other engineering options were evaluated, and an assessment was done on the potential impacts to the Lake Huron to Lake Erie corridor and the Upper Great Lakes. The structures and engineering options examined include a series of submerged sills in the Upper St. Clair River, estimated to cost from $71.1 million-$222.5 million for up to 13 sills; and an adjustable, inflatable flap gate across the river's east channel at Stag or Fawn islands, estimated to cost $134 million-$171.1 million. The report indicates that these structures could achieve a maximum increase of 25 cm in water levels. The analysis found that inflatable rubber weirs have only been tested in small and shallower systems. Further, the analysis found that in-stream turbines for restoration are only in the exploratory stages.

    The analysis found that restoration is technically achievable through a combination of engineering solutions, but that there are a mixture of benefits and costs for various sectors. Under economic effects, the report indicates benefits to navigation, but losses to net hydropower generation and shoreline damages for restoration especially greater than 25 cm. A mix of positive and negative environmental impacts also were identified. For the St. Clair and Detroit River system, the analysis found uniformly negative ecological effects, because the system is home to five endangered or threatened aquatic species, including the Lake Sturgeon. Lake Sturgeon spawning and habitat areas are located in the same deep areas where restoration structures would need to be built to raise water levels and still allow ships to continue to pass through the channel. In the Upper Lakes region, the analysis shows positive ecological impacts for Georgian Bay, Ontario, especially for its wetlands. However, negative ecosystem impacts were identified for Lake St. Clair, along with negative wetland impacts for Lake Erie.

    The report indicates that one key factor in estimating the impacts of restoration is Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA), which has the effect of gradually tilting the land surface of the Great Lakes basin over time. Additionally, the report says that major works in the St. Clair River are estimated to take decades due to the need for government approvals, environmental assessments, engineering and design.

    The exploratory analysis will become part of the Study's final Phase 2 report, which will focus on an improved regulation plan for Lake Superior outflows at Sault Ste. Marie, multi-lake regulation and climate change adaptation. In July and August, IUGLS plans to hold a series of public meetings throughout the Great Lakes basin, to provide a presentation on the status of the Phase 2 findings. Also planned are informational opportunities via traditional mail, email and the Internet. The final, peer-reviewed Phase 2 report is expected to be submitted to the IJC in March 2012. After that time, the IJC may choose to hold public meetings on that Phase 2 report.

 

    Access a release from IUGLS (click here). Access links to the complete report and the peer review comments and responses and an earlier draft (click here).

Oceans & Great Lakes Proclamation, Policy, Plans & Meetings

Jun 2: President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation on National Oceans Month. Within the proclamation the President said, "Last year, I signed an Executive Order directing my Administration to implement our Nation's first comprehensive National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes [See WIMS 7/20/10]. This policy makes more effective use of Federal resources by addressing the most critical issues facing our oceans. It establishes a new approach to bringing together Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and all of the ocean's users -- from recreational and commercial fishermen, boaters, and industry, to environmental groups, scientists, and the public -- to better plan for, manage, and sustain the myriad human uses that healthy oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes support. . .  I call upon Americans to take action to protect, conserve, and restore our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes."

 

    In conjunction with the Proclamation, the Obama Administration took another step to implement the nation's first comprehensive ocean policy by launching a series of events aimed at gathering public input from the communities and economies that depend on and care for our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. Feedback and comments gathered through this public engagement will assist the National Ocean Council as it implements a new National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our coasts, and the Great Lakes. 

    Under the Executive Order issued by President Obama last July that established the National Ocean Policy, the National Ocean Council is charged with implementing that policy. The National Ocean Council will host a series of public listening sessions across the country starting next week. Listening sessions will be held throughout the month of June in Washington, DC; Barrow, AK; Anchorage, AK; Chicago, IL; Jacksonville, FL; Honolulu, HI; Exeter, NH; Galveston, TX; Ocean Shores, WA; San Francisco Bay Area, CA; West Long Branch, NJ; and Portland, OR.   

    According to a release, these listening sessions mark the latest milestone in implementing a robust ocean policy that will address the most critical issues facing the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes and ensure that Federal resources in these domains are used wisely. The National Ocean Council's efforts will bring together State, local, and tribal governments and all of the ocean's users -- including recreational and commercial fishermen, boaters, industry, environmental groups, scientists, and the public -- to better plan for, manage, harmonize, and sustain the uses that healthy oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes support.

    In addition, the National Ocean Council has launched a month-long online public review period for nine draft strategic action plan outlines. These strategic action plans will propose attainable goals and specific, measureable actions the Federal government can take to address key challenges facing our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. The National Ocean Council will host The National Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) Workshop in Washington, DC, on June 21-23. The first day of the Workshop will be a dedicated public and stakeholder session.

    The nine draft outlines have been released for public comment, including: (1) incorporating ecosystem-based management; (2) implementing coastal and marine spatial planning; (3) informing decisions and improving understanding to respond to changes and challenges facing our resources; (4) improving coordination and support for Federal, state, tribal, local and regional management of our resources; (5) addressing changing conditions in the Arctic; (6) enhancing water quality; (7) implementing a regional ecosystem restoration and protection strategy; (8) strengthening and integrating ocean, coastal and great lakes observations, mapping and infrastructure; and, (9) strengthening the resiliency of coastal communities and their abilities to adapt to climate change impacts. The outlines were drafted with input from a wide range of stakeholders.

    Access the Presidential Proclamation (click here). Access a release on the meetings and plan outlines (click here). Access the National Oceans & Great Lakes Policy website for background, copies of the strategic action plan outlines and to provide comments (click here). Access details on the public meetings (click here). Access further information on the Chicago meeting and webinar (click here); and (click here). 

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GLOS RFQ On Acoustic Telemetry Observing System

Jun 3: The Great Lakes Observing System is issuing a Request for Quotes (RFQ) for services to develop an interactive, web-based map search tool for the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observing System (GLATOS) database of fish tags, acoustic receivers, and related project information. Please see the attached RFQ including contact information for questions. The deadline for quotes is Friday, June 24, 2011.

 

    Access the RFQ posted on the GLOS website (click here).

 

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Great Lakes Cities To Hold Annual Conference

Jun 1: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative will hold their Annual Meeting and Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, June 15-17, 2011. Keynote Speakers include: Consul General Kevin Johnson, U.S. Consulate; Minister John Wilkinson, Ontario Ministry of the Environment; Karel Mayrand, Québec Director General of the David Suzuki Foundation; and Chair Lana Pollack, U.S. Chair of the International Joint Commission. Panel Sessions will include: Green CiTTS – High Returns on Blue Investments; Spills on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence – are we ready?; Exchange with Mayors; Lessons for Cities on Shale Gas and Other Energy Exploration; and Cities In Action.

 

    Access complete conference information (click here). Access the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative website for more information (click here).

Great Lakes Governors Release Latest Newsletter

Jun 1: The Council of Great Lakes Governors (CGLG) has released its June 2011 edition of THE COMPASS newsletter. Highlights in the issue include: A Message from Council Co-Chair Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels; Regional Body and Compact Council to Hold Meetings on June 9; Naftzger Authors Chapter in New Book; State Trade Directors Strategize Regional Economic Development; Council participates in Taiwan Delegation; Council to Present at 54th IAGLR Conference; and U.S. Ambassador Visits with Great Lakes of North America.

 

    Access the CGLG newsletter (click here). Access the CGLG website for more information (click here).