Latest GLMRIS Newsletter Available

Dec 19: The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) has released Volume 2, Issue 4 of the GLMRIS Newsletter. In the latest issue includes: an articles on Program Manager Jack Drolet; the path forward for GLMRIS; an update on interagency Asian carp efforts; and more. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in consultation with other federal agencies, Native American tribes, state agencies, local governments and non-governmental organizations, is conducting the GLMRIS.

 

    The newsletter reemphasizes that a GLMRIS Report presenting a range of options and technologies to prevent the transfer of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins at the CAWS and other potential locations along the divide will be submitted to Congress in December 2013. The newsletter indicates, "The purpose of the GLMRIS Report is to meet the intent of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) legislation, which requires expedited completion of the report initially scheduled for completion in 2015, as identified in Section 3061 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. The 90-Day Report, released in October, outlines a plan for the completion of the GLMRIS Report, including anticipated milestones and resource requirements."

 

    Access the latest newsletter (click here). Access the GLMRIS for complete information and background (click here).

 

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U-M Releases Great Lakes Environmental Threat Map

Dec 17: A comprehensive map, prepared by a group led by researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M), three years in the making is telling the story of humans' impact on the Great Lakes, identifying how "environmental stressors" stretching from Minnesota to Ontario are shaping the future of an ecosystem that contains 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water. In an article published online December 17, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the researchers report on an expansive and detailed effort to map and cross-compare environmental stresses and the ecological services provided by the five lakes.

    Their efforts have produced the most comprehensive map to date of Great Lakes' stressors, and also the first map to explicitly account for all major types of stressors on the lakes in a quantitative way. David Allan, the project's lead researcher and a professor of aquatic sciences at U-M's School of Natural Resources and Environment said, "Despite clear societal dependence on the Great Lakes, their condition continues to be degraded by numerous environmental stressors. The map gives federal and regional officials an unprecedented scientific foundation upon which to sustainably manage the Great Lakes, the researchers conclude.  

    The environmental stress map was developed by a bi-national team of researchers from academia and environmental organizations known as the Great Lakes Environmental Assessment and Mapping (GLEAM) project. The team drew upon the latest and best data from Federal and state agencies as well as non-governmental organizations and individual researchers. The map represents the combined influence of nearly three dozen individual stressors and is incredibly detailed for a region spanning nearly 900 miles, showing impacts at the scale of half a mile. Thirty-four stressors were examined, including: coastal development, pollutants transported by rivers from agricultural and urban land, fishing pressure, climate change, invasive species and toxic chemicals (the full list is available from the Great Lakes Mapping website below). 

    To rank the relative importance of different stressors to ecosystem health, the team surveyed 161 researchers and natural resource managers from across the basin. Combining the mapping of multiple stressors with their ranking by experts to assess ecosystem health is an emerging new approach. Their work found high and low "stress" -- defined as human impacts like physical, chemical or biological disruptions that potentially have adverse effects on people, plants and animals -- in all five lakes. Ecosystem stress is highest closer to shores, but also extends offshore in some areas. Large sub-regions of moderate to high cumulative stress were found in lakes Erie and Ontario as well as in Saginaw and Green bays, and along Lake Michigan's shorelines. In contrast, extensive offshore areas of lakes Superior and Huron, where the coasts are less populated and developed, experience relatively low stress.  

    A key goal of the effort was to help lawmakers and natural resource managers better plan Great Lakes-area investments, such as those under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a Federal effort initiated in 2009 that is funding hundreds of projects at sites where ecosystem stress is very high. The initiative is the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. Eleven Federal agencies developed an action plan to implement the initiative through 2014.

    Some worrisome environmental stressors could not be included due to lack of adequate data across all five Great Lakes, and the team hopes to continue to map additional stressors as data become available. However, the cumulative stress index developed from 34 individual maps is unlikely to change much with new data, as simulations of cumulative stress using subsets of the full set of maps produced similar patterns. The researchers launched a new Great Lakes Mapping website to share their results with policymakers, planners and government officials in the region. The project will continue acquiring data to map stressors currently not included and will regularly update the stress maps. The GLEAM project began in 2009 with $500,000 from the Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation.

 

    Access a posted release from U-M (click here). Access the Great Lakes Mapping website for links to the high resolution maps (click here). Access the PNAS website for more information (click here).

 

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Sustain Our Great Lakes 2013 Funding Opportunity

Dec 13: The public–private partnership organization, Sustain Our Great Lakes, has announced a webinar on January 15, 2013 to learn about the grant funding opportunity to be offered. On January 3, the 2013 Sustain Our Great Lakes Request for Proposals (RFP) will be available on the organization's website. In 2013, grant funding for work in the Great Lakes basin will be awarded in three categories: 1) habitat restoration; 2) delisting of habitat-related beneficial use impairments; and 3) private landowner technical assistance. Pre-proposals will be due on February 14, 2013. Webinar participants will learn about funding priorities and the application process, see examples of past projects, receive tips for submitting competitive proposals, and have the opportunity to ask questions. The webinar will begin at 11 AM Eastern Time and last for approximately 1 hour.

    Sustain Our Great Lakes is a bi-national, public-private partnership that sustains, restores and protects fish, wildlife and habitat in the Great Lakes basin by leveraging funding, building conservation capacity, and focusing partners and resources toward key ecological issues. The partnership includes ArcelorMittal, the world's leading steel and mining company; U.S. EPA; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the U.S. Forest Service; the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, established by Congress in 1984; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

 

    Access an announcement with details on registering for the webinar (click here). Access the Sustain Our Great Lakes for more information (click here).

 

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Great Lakes Senators Urge $300 Million For GLRI

Dec 7: Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), and six other Great Lakes state senators, wrote to acting Office of Management and Budget Director Jeffrey Zients calling for robust funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in the President's 2014 budget request. The Senators said, "Cleaning up and protecting the Great Lakes is not just about being good stewards of the environment; these investments are directly tied to the health of the economy." They urged the President to request no less than $300 million for the GLRI in his 2014 budget.

 

    The letter points out that, ". . . the GLRI is cleaning up toxics at Areas of Concern where industrial pollution continues to threaten public health, contaminate fish and wildlife, and make waterfronts unusable to lakefront communities resulting in lost revenues to local governments and sources of income for businesses. The GLRI is also working to prevent destructive invasive species such as the voracious Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes and destroying its $7 billion fishery. The program also works to protect wetlands and watersheds from polluted runoff which can lead to algae blooms resulting in beach closures, fish kills, and public health problems."

    In addition to Senator Levin, co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, the letter was signed by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY); and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Al Franken (D-MN).

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RFP-P "Information Technology and Ecological Outcomes"

Dec 7: The Great Lakes Protection Fund (GLPF) has issued a request for preproposals (RFP-P) for "Information Technology and Ecological Outcomes." According to an announcement, many of the problems plaguing the Great Lakes are the result of "a large number of individual, seemingly inconsequential, disjointed decisions, the aggregate impact of which can be significant enough to drive either degraded or improved ecosystem conditions." GLPF believes that new or existing information technology can connect behaviors to ecosystem outcomes and push the collection of individual, seemingly isolated behaviors towards a tipping point that improves Great Lakes health. A five-page preproposal submission is due Midnight, February 3, 2013.
 
    The Fund seeks to support a suite of projects that design, deploy, and evaluate information technology-supported initiatives that permit individuals, institutions, and/or private corporations to make healthier choices for the Great Lakes ecosystem. "We want to support a number of project teams willing to test specific applications." Like all Fund supported work, these projects should be team-based, collaborative efforts that lead to meaningful actions to restore Great Lakes' health. The most successful teams will mobilize information technology skills, conservation leadership, and commercial partners willing to work together. The Fund has seen success in the information technology space with a suite of grants made in response to an RFP that was released in 2008. As with most things technological, the state-of-the-art has evolved and the Fund expects to capture ideas on the fringe of what is possible.

 

    Access an announcement from GLPF with links to the RFP-P, ideas, resources, FAQs, guidelines and more (click here).

 

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Controversial Provision On Ballast Water Removed From Funding Bill

Dec 5: Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Co-chair of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, in a release said she "celebrated the defeat of flawed federal ballast water legislation that endangered the environmental and economic health of the Great Lakes." The House of Representatives agreed with the Senate amendments to HR2838, which will fund the U.S. Coast Guard for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014. When originally considered, Rep. Slaughter said the legislation included a controversial proposal to set a nationwide standard for the discharge of ballast water. Such a standard would have prevented states like New York from enforcing more stringent ballast water standards and effectively protecting the Great Lakes from invasive species. As a result, Slaughter voted against the original legislation and offered an amendment removing the language from the bill. Although her original amendment failed in the House, the controversial proposal was removed before the passage of the bill.

    Rep. Slaughter said, "In this time of Congressional gridlock, I was pleased to work with my colleagues across the aisle to protect the Great Lakes. Previously proposed standards would have prevented New York and other states from effectively fighting invasive species like Asian Carp, which cost taxpayers billions. The Great Lakes provide 20% of the world's fresh water and directly support over 1.5 million jobs, generating $62 billion in wages every year. For those of us who live on its shores, we must be able to set effective standards to protect this valuable economic and natural treasure."

    In November 2011, Slaughter joined a bipartisan coalition and wrote to Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, to urge the implementation of alternative standards that would provide states like New York flexibility to protect their waters. The Coast Guard's final rule was published on March 23, 2012 in the Federal Register, and became effective 90 days after publication on June 21, 2012. The bill will now return to the Senate, where it is expected to be cleared for enactment.

    Access a release from Rep. Slaughter and link to her letter and additional information (click here). Access legislative details for H.R.2838 (click here).

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Federal Judge Dismisses States' Asian Carp Lawsuit

Dec 3: U.S. District Court Judge, John Joseph "Jay" Tharp, Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois dismissed the case (Case No. 10cv4457) filed by Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Chicago's Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in their attempt to force the Army Corps of Engineers to quickly develop and implement plans to permanently separate the Great Lakes from Asian carp-infested Illinois waterways [See WIMS 10/10/12].

 

    According to a report in Bloomber news, the Judge said in a 46-page decision, "It is not the province of the courts to order parties to take action that would directly contravene statutory mandates and prohibitions." A report in the Detroit Free Press indicated that the Judge said,  he couldn't order the agencies to do what the states want because Federal law requires the Corps to keep shipping channels open between Lake Michigan and one of the Chicago waterways -- the Des Plaines River -- and prohibits constructing dams in any navigable waterway without Congress' consent.

 

    Attorney General Schuette did not issue a release on the latest decision, but a spokesperson indicated that they were disappointed with the decision and reviewing the case for further action.

 

    Access the Bloomberg news report (click here). Access the Detroit Free Press report (click here). Access more information on the AG's efforts on the Asian Carp issue (click here).

 

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Ohio Lake Erie Commission Issues Two RFPs

Dec 4: The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is currently soliciting grant proposals for the Lake Erie Protection Fund for two projects: "Internal Loading as a Source of Phosphorus in Lake Erie" and "Inventory of Water Conservation Measures by Industry Sector." Please see the attached RFPs for project details. Each grant will provide up to $30,000, with a 25% match requirement ($7,500). Proposals are due February 1, 2013. Projects must assist with the implementation of the Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Plan 2008.

    The role of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission is to preserve Lake Erie's natural resources, to protect the quality of its waters and ecosystem, and to promote economic development of the region by ensuring the coordination of policies and programs of state government pertaining to water quality, toxic substances, and coastal resource management. The Lake Erie Protection Fund, which is administered by the Commission, focuses on projects that improve environmental and economic management and development decisions. The Fund is supported by the voluntary contributions of Ohioans who purchase the Erie...Our Great Lake license plate, featuring the Marblehead lighthouse.

 

    Access a posted announcement from the Commission (click here). Access the Commission's website for application materials and to obtain more information about the Lake Erie Protection Fund (click here).

 

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NOAA Tool Offers Custom Views Of Great Lakes Water Level Data

Dec 3: The new NOAA Great Lakes Water Level Dashboard, to be presented this week at the American Geophysical Union annual fall meeting, offers interactive displays of any combination of historical, current and projected water levels for all of the North American Great Lakes. Environmental researchers, educators and students, and Great Lakes region residents are among those who can use this online tool to quickly access desired slices of water level data.

    The dashboard is designed to show the ups and downs of the world's largest freshwater system. It draws from both experimental and operational data sets and forecasts from a variety of regional sources. Among its other benefits, the dashboard allows users to gain a perspective on the relative magnitude of seasonal, year-to-year and decade-to-decade water level changes.

    Marie Colton, Ph.D., NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) director said, "The Great Lakes water levels fluctuate more year-to-year than the water levels of other major coasts in the United States. The dashboard is expected to help resource managers communicate to the public about how water management strategies will change in an uncertain climate future. GLERL and the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research at the University of Michigan, both located in Ann Arbor, MI, developed the new tool with funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), administered by the U.S. EPA.

The Great Lakes dashboard can help users gain insight into the relationship between recent water level dynamics and long-term forecasts, as well as the relationship between climate trends and climate variability in the Great Lakes region. The severe drop in water levels (particularly for lakes Erie, Michigan and Huron) in the late 1990s, the current low levels on lakes Michigan and Huron, long-term declines in ice cover, and recent shifts in the seasonal water budget and water level dynamics of some of the lakes, are just a few examples.

Through its interactive framework, the dashboard allows users to investigate historical trends, and to use them as a reference point for evaluating forecasts of future water level conditions. Researchers plan to expand the dashboard by adding in other agency water level forecasts (including the operational forecasts developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environment Canada) and water budget data such as precipitation, evaporation, and runoff. The NOAA Great Lakes Operational Forecasting System provides the official daily and hourly water level fluctuations for those who need shorter time-scale data. GLERL also offers its own Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System which displays air temperature, cloud cover, wind and wave data.

    Access a release from NOAA with links to related information (click here). Access the water level dashboard (click here).

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Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Toolkit

Nov 30: Freshwater Future and EcoAdapt, have partnered to develop the Great Lakes Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit, with funding support from the Kresge Foundation. The toolkit includes:  A primer on climate change and adaptation;  Four case studies on how community groups are incorporating climate change into their work; Communications guidance; Fact sheets on specific Great Lakes climate impacts;  Approaches to addressing climate change with community leaders; and  A guide to assist with vulnerability assessments.

    Freshwater Future Executive Director Jill Ryan said, "The Great Lakes region is already seeing a number of impacts from climate change, including warmer air and water temperatures, less ice cover, changes in snowfall and rainfall, and extreme storm events like we experienced in many areas of the region this past summer. The toolkit provides a resource to help community groups develop a climate informed perspective on their own work and some approaches to help them bring that knowledge to issues their towns and cities may be addressing." Lara Hansen, Executive Director of EcoAdapt said, "Climate change is everybody's problem. By putting tools into the hands of groups working on a wide range of issues, we can engage many more people in preparing our communities to meet the challenges of climate change."

    The toolkit is one component of Freshwater Future's Great Lakes Community Climate Program, which includes workshops to train community groups how to consider climate change impacts in their work and a grants program to assist with implementation of on-the-ground projects.

    Access a posted announcement from Freshwater Future (click here). Access the Freshwater Future website (click here). Access the toolkit (click here).

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Funding For AOC Habitat Restoration Partnership Projects

Nov 30: NOAA's Restoration Center has released a Federal funding opportunity (FFO) for habitat restoration in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs). The closing date is January 15, 2013. Through the solicitation, NOAA seeks to openly compete funding available for multi-year Great Lakes Regional Habitat Restoration Partnerships. Partnerships will result in implementation of a wide-range of individual habitat restoration projects focused in U.S. AOCs with funds provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative as anticipated in the President's FY2013 Budget.

    NOAA anticipates up to $10 million may be available to establish habitat restoration Partnerships in 2013, with annual funding anticipated to maintain them for up to three years. Typical Partnership awards are expected to range from $500,000 to $5,000,000 per year. Funding will support both engineering and design projects and on the ground implementation projects. NOAA notes that, "This is NOT a request for individual habitat restoration project proposals. A separate project-based funding opportunity will be released in January 2013."

 

    Access a posted announcement with links to the FFO, AOC information and contacts (click here).

 

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HOW Coalition Receives $2.5 Million Continuation Grant

Nov 29: Grand Rapids philanthropist Peter Wege and The Wege Foundation announced that they will continue to support the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes (HOW) Coalition for five more years through a $2.5 million grant. Lynn McClure, Midwest director for the National Parks Conservation Association, and a co-chair of the Coalition said, "We are extremely grateful for the generous support from Mr. Wege and The Wege Foundation. Their leadership has been instrumental in elevating the profile of the Great Lakes nationally, which has led to a federal commitment to improve the health of the lakes for the millions of people who live along the shores and visit each year."

    Former Steelcase CEO Peter Wege and his namesake foundation launched the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition in 2004 with a 5-year, $5 million grant. They have continued to be core supporters of the Coalition, which also receives funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Great Lakes Fishery Trust, The Joyce Foundation and The Kresge Foundation. Ellen Satterlee, CEO of The Wege Foundation said, "Trustees are impressed by the collaborative support of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition and related Great Lakes work from so many other foundations in the region. Together, we're making a real difference for our Great Lakes and we at The Wege Foundation are proud and honored to work with the Coalition on this important cause."

    According to a release from HOW, the Coalition and its 120 member organizations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have been leaders in securing a robust Great Lakes restoration plan and accompanying federal funding. Over the past three years, President Obama and the U.S. Congress have infused more than $1 billion into restoration programs through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to clean up toxic pollution, reduce runoff from cities and farms, restore habitat and wetlands and fight invasive species like the Asian carp.

    Access a release from HOW (click here). Access the HOW coalition website for more information (click here).

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Priorities For Protecting Against Emerging Chemical Pollutants

Nov 27: A report released today by the Alliance for the Great Lakes (Alliance) notes that since the production of synthetic chemicals took off after World War II, the waters of Lake Michigan -- which take a century to refresh -- have yet to see a complete turnover. Halfway through this cycle, scientists are beginning to see alarming trends of an increasing multitude of chemicals found in the water. In southern Lake Michigan, one of the most urbanized and industrialized areas in the Great Lakes Basin and home to approximately a third of the Great Lakes population, these contaminants are a steady source of chemical exposure for aquatic species, and affect the quality of the waters we rely upon for drinking and look to for recreation.

 

    Alliance President and CEO Joel Brammeier said, "The number of chemicals entering the nation's environment each year is staggering, as is the potential for them to degrade the water we drink and swim in." Upwards of 85,000 chemicals are in production and use in the U.S. today -- more than 2,200 of them produced at a rate of 1 million-plus pounds a year. Beyond this, consumers can choose from more than 50,000 pharmaceutical products, and nearly 20,000 registered pesticide products have entered the

market since registration began in 1947.

 

    The report -- Keeping Great Lakes Water Safe: Priorities for Protecting Against Emerging Chemical Pollutants -- applies a published, peer-reviewed scientific framework to rank chemicals of highest concern found in national waters that are representative of those found in the Great Lakes. The methodology examines both surface water and treated drinking water -- identifying the top 20 emerging contaminants for each based on occurrence, ecologic and human health impacts, and water treatment capabilities. The top-ranking chemicals include representatives from a broad range of categories: hormones, synthetic musks, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, antimicrobials and preservatives, UV blockers, plasticizers, flame retardants and pesticides.

 

    The Alliance indicates that as the chemical presence around us expands, the potential for them to end up in the Great Lakes also grows -- arriving there via atmospheric deposition, stormwater runoff and sewage overflows. Others are released into the Great Lakes at trace concentrations via treated wastewater discharges because conventional sewage treatment isn't designed to remove them. Lake Michigan's surface waters are affected, with six of the top 20 chemicals detected -- among them flame retardants, synthetic fragrances, bisphenol A (BPA), and a popular cholesterol-lowering drug -- found in the open lake waters.

 

    Current data shows that, after processing in a treatment plant, drinking water drawn from Lake Michigan may not be significantly burdened with contaminants, with only one chemical -- a flame retardant -- detected of the top 20 identified in the report. The report cautions that the data collected thus far provides only a snapshot of what might be in the open waters of the Great Lakes, however, and doesn't take into account the health risks that bioaccumulating chemicals in the water pose to people who eat Great Lakes fish. Also not known is the level of risk these trace levels of contaminants in the water actually pose for people and wildlife.

 

    The report calls for a comprehensive approach that involves not only technological solutions, but collaboration among utilities, regulatory agencies, public health officials, manufacturers and environmentalists to focus on pollution prevention. Additionally it

further calls for: Funding development of consistent, uniform regional monitoring standards; Encouraging the U.S. and Canada to draw on credible prioritization methods to set binational objectives for controlling high-priority Great Lakes contaminants, and to pursue these goals through domestic policy reforms; and Reforming the 36-year-old federal Toxic Substance Control Act to feature a framework that places pollution prevention at the forefront of new chemical design and production.

 

    Access the report website and link to a release, executive summary and the complete 40-page report (click here).

 

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Eight Draft Aquatic Pathway Assessment For Wisconsin

Nov 27: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released for public comment eight draft Aquatic Pathway Assessment Reports for the State of Wisconsin. The purpose of each report is to evaluate key evidence to estimate the likelihood of an aquatic pathway forming and the possibility of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) using it to reach the adjacent basin, as part of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). Comments for the eight draft Wisconsin reports will be accepted from November 27, 2012 through December 27, 2012. USACE will review and incorporate public input before finalizing and re-issuing the reports early 2013. Additionally, USACE will host a stakeholder conference call Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10 AM (Central) to answer questions regarding the Wisconsin reports. 

    The reports, which were developed in coordination with Federal, State and local partners, show that Portage Upstream (Columbia County), Portage and Canal Downstream (Columbia County), Rosendale-Brandon (Fond du Lac County) and Brule Headwaters (Douglas County) have a medium probability for the potential transfer of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSv) from the Great Lakes Basin into the Mississippi River Basin. Jerome Creek (Kenosha County), South Aniwa Wetlands (Marathon-Shawano County), Hatley-Plover River (Marathon County) and West Menomonee Falls (Waukesha County) have a low probability for the inter-basin movement of ANS.

    The overall objective of the Focus Area 2 portion of GLMRIS is to produce an interim report for each of the 18 potential aquatic pathways found between the two basins (outside of the Chicago Area Waterway System or Focus Area 1). The reports are the next step in a tiered approach to assess the probability associated with the spread of ANS between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. Additional reports focusing on potential pathways in Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania will be released over the next few months, as they are completed. The reports include: study methodology; aquatic pathway characterization; aquatic pathway viability for ANS of Concern; overall aquatic pathway viability and some potential opportunities that, if implemented, could prevent or reduce the probability of ANS transferring between the basins.

 

    Access a release with additional details and instructions for commenting and the conference call (click here). Access links to all reports and online commenting links (click here). [#GLakes]

 

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GLRI Quality Technical Conference Postponed

Nov 19: U.S. EPA has announced that the Third Annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Quality Technical Conference, originally scheduled for December 4-6, 2012 in Chicago, is being postponed until the late winter/early spring of 2013. Once a new conference date has been determined, a new announcement and call for abstracts will be issued. For those who have already submitted abstracts for this conference, you will be contacted to reaffirm your interest in presenting on the new date.

    The conference is designed to bring together GLRI collaborators to: 1) share accomplishments and challenges encountered when implementing projects aimed at removing beneficial use impairments around the Great Lakes basin; 2) collaborate on quality and technical practices that improve project results; and 3) create an open forum for communication and coordination. The theme of the conference is "Quality We Can See!" as demonstrated through the results of projects, cooperation, use of innovative tools and techniques, best practices, quality system developments, and more.

 

    Access the conference website for background information (click here). Access the .GLRI website for more information (click here).

 

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Call For Pre-Proposals For Fishery Research Program

Nov 20: The Great Lakes Fishery Commission has issued a call for pre-proposals for the 2014 funding cycle for the Fishery Research Program. The deadline for pre-proposals is January 15, 2013, 11:59 PM EST. New projects may not begin before January 1, 2014. Awards are generally between $35,000 and $100,000 per year. Total annual funding available for new Fishery Research Program projects is approximately $350,000, and possibly up to an additional $475,000 for projects focused on restoration of native fish species.

 

    Access complete information and details (click here).

 

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USACE Releases Eagle Marsh ANS Controls Report

Nov 16: The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released the Eagle Marsh Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Controls Report for public review and comment. Eagle Marsh, which is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been identified as a potential pathway where ANS may spread between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins. This potential pathway was identified in the report titled Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Other Pathways Preliminary Risk Characterization released in 2010. A 60-day public comment period begins on November 16, 2012 and ends January 14, 2013.

    The purpose of the Eagle Marsh ANS Controls Report is to identify a permanent means to prevent the spread of Asian carp and other aquatic nuisance species across Eagle Marsh as efficiently and effectively as possible. In the report, nine structural alternatives are compared and at least three were determined to have a "high" likelihood of preventing interbasin spread of ANS across Eagle Marsh. A range of non-structural alternatives are also described that could complement any structural solution.

    USACE actively coordinated with the Indiana DNR, U.S. Geological Survey, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. EPA, Council on Environmental Quality, Little River Wetlands Project, Maumee River Basin Commission, Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District and Allen County Surveyor's Office throughout development of the report. Their contributions significantly improved the quality of the report and reflect significant interest and capabilities that may be applied toward long-term prevention of the spread of ANS across Eagle Marsh.

    Access a release from USACE (click here). [#GLakes]

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Groups Highlight Fiscal Cliff Impact On Great Lakes Programs

Nov 14: Drawing attention as to why the so-called "Fiscal Cliff" issue [See WIMS 11/8/12] is important to environmental programs, a number of Great Lakes advocates are urging the nation's leaders to hold the line against cuts to successful programs that are restoring the Lakes, the source of drinking water for 30 million people.

 

    Jeff Skelding, campaign director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition (HOW) said, "President Obama's support for Great Lakes programs has been invaluable, and we challenge him to maintain his commitment to the Lakes. Congressional support has been equally important. Our message to Congress: Do not let up now. Restoration projects are producing results -- but there's more to do. We look forward to working with leaders of both parties to maintain the nation's commitment to the Great Lakes to protect our drinking water, jobs, public health and way of life."

 

    The groups, which also include Alliance for the Great Lakes and the National Parks Conservation Association indicate that unless the U.S. Congress and Obama Administration forge a budget deal by January 1, key Great Lakes programs face mandatory 8.2 percent cuts through a process called "sequestration." The reductions due to sequestration are on top of other potential budget cuts, threatening core clean water programs. They point out that based on fiscal year 2012 levels, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative would be cut by $25 million, from $300 million to $275 million. The Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund -- which helps communities fix old sewers -- would be cut by $120 million, from $1.47 billion to $1.35 billion. By formula, the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would lose approximately $44 million.

 

    Access a release from HOW with more information (click here). Access a fact sheet on the impact of sequestration on Great Lakes programs (click here).

 

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Grants Focus On Adapting To Climate Change In Great Lakes

Nov 15: University of Michigan (U-M) scientists and their colleagues at Michigan State University (MSU) have awarded six grants to organizations across the region for projects that will help decision-makers adapt to climate change and variability in the Great Lakes basin. The grants were awarded by the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments Center (GLISA), a Federally funded collaboration between U-M and MSU. GLISA researchers study issues related to climate change and variability in the Great Lakes basin and how the region can respond to climate-related risks, such as potential damages from changes in long-term temperature and precipitation patterns.

    GLISA program manager David Bidwell, a research fellow at U-M's Graham Sustainability Institute said, "Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on the Great Lakes region, and it's important for us to understand and prepare for them. These projects are laboratories for learning best practices for making decisions informed by climate science."

    In addition to the grant awards, GLISA researchers recently posted a new set of white papers focused on potential impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation options related to climate change and variability in the Midwest. Donald Scavia, GLISA co-leader and special counsel to the U-M president for sustainability said, "These papers were prepared at the request of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and examine how climate change could affect water resources, forestry, biodiversity, transportation, energy, agriculture, tourism and recreation, and the region's coastal systems. These assessments are critical, not only to the U.S. national climate assessment, but also to aid regional adaptation planning."

 

    Access a release with summaries of the projects and link to  more information on the grants and GLISA (click here). Access white papers (click here).

 

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New York Sea Grant Restoration Initiative Projects

Nov 14: The New York Sea Grant (NYSG) announced that it will collaborate on four Great Lakes Restoration Initiative projects. Award-winning educators David MacNeill, a fisheries specialist, and coastal education specialist Helen Domske will be key partners in efforts to: evaluate the status of Lake Ontario's food web; develop resources for North American scientists on high-risk aquatic invasive species currently most well-known in Russian waters and where they may be found should they invade North America; extend successful aquatic invasive species (AIS) education to new target audiences; and educate a wide variety of stakeholders about the proper disposal of personal care products to help reduce unwanted chemicals in the Great Lakes system.
 
    New York Sea Grant Associate Director and Cornell Cooperative Extension Assistant Director Dr. Katherine Bunting-Howarth said, "New York Sea Grant Extension is pleased to partner with our Sea Grant colleagues, educational institutions, the National Geographic Society and others who share an interest in the Great Lakes to pursue critical research and educational opportunities in 2013 on behalf of the Great Lakes' unique environmental system."

 

    Access a release from NYSG and link to more information (click here).

 

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Patty Birkholz Appointed To Great Lakes Protection Fund Board

Nov 9: Michigan Governor Rick Snyder announced the appointment of Patty Birkholz, of Saugatuck, to the Great Lakes Protection Fund Board of Directors. Established in 1989, the Great Lakes Protection Fund (GLPF) is a private, nonprofit corporation and permanent environmental endowment that supports collaborative actions to improve the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The fund's board of directors meets quarterly and governs fund operations. The Governor said, "Patty is a well-known and highly regarded advocate for Michigan and its lakes. I am confident she will do great work to promote and enhance the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem."

 

    Birkholz most recently served as director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes. Previously, she served five terms in the Michigan Legislature, including three in the House and two in the Senate. She was the first woman in State history elected president pro-tempore. Birkholz's legislative work focused on protecting the Great Lakes and Michigan's groundwater; she championed the adoption of the historic Great Lakes Water Compact and spearheaded passage of the nation's first scientifically-based water withdrawal legislation. Birkholz holds a bachelor's degree in speech pathology from Western Michigan University, where she also completed graduate work in speech pathology and public administration. She replaces Rich Baird. Birkholz will serve a two-year term that expires October 11, 2014, and her appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.

 

    The GLPF recently released its draft version of the Fund's 2011 Annual Report which until the close of business on Monday, November 26, 2012. In 1989, the Governors of the Great Lakes states created the Protection Fund to help them protect and restore their shared natural resources. The Fund is the first private endowment created to benefit a specific ecosystem. It is designed to support the creative work of collaborative teams that test new ideas, take risks, and share what they have learned. It is a source of financial support for groups that value innovation and entrepreneurship, focus on tangible benefits for the Great Lakes ecosystem, and learn by doing. Seven Great Lakes states contributed $81 million to the Fund's permanent endowment.

 

    Access a release from the Governor (click here). Access the GLPF website for more information (click here). Access the announcement of the draft report with commenting instructions and link to the complete 36-page report (click here).

 

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Comments On Indiana Aquatic Nuisance Species Pathway Reports

Nov 9: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released for public comment three draft Aquatic Pathway Assessment Reports for the State of Indiana: Eagle Marsh, Loomis Lake and Parker-Cobb Ditch. The purpose of each report is to evaluate key evidence to estimate the likelihood of an aquatic pathway forming and the possibility of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) using it to reach the adjacent basin, as part of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).

    In 2010, a temporary barrier was built to prevent adult Asian carp transfer at Eagle Marsh. However, the Eagle Marsh assessment report found that Eagle Marsh remains a high risk potential pathway due to the probability that viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHS) could spread across the basin divide. USACE GLMRIS Program Manager Jack Drolet said, "There has been significant progress on Eagle Marsh. Because this was identified early on as a potential Asian carp transfer site, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources built a temporary barrier, and the GLMRIS Team began to evaluate potential permanent control options. That report will be available soon and will provide opportunity for stakeholder input."

    The ANS Controls Report that identifies options and technologies that may be available to permanently prevent the inter-basin transfer of ANS during flooding events at the Wabash – Maumee basins connection at Eagle Marsh near Fort Wayne, IN will be released for a 60-day comment period November 16. Comments for the three draft Indiana reports will be accepted beginning Nov. 9, 2012 and will close Dec. 7, 2012.

    Access a release from USACE with commenting instructions and link to the three reports and background information (click here).

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Deepwater Ciscoes to be Re-Introduced Into Lake Ontario

Nov 9: The "bloater" fish, a deepwater cisco, was re-introduced into Lake Ontario offshore of Oswego, bringing the fish back to the lake for the first time in nearly thirty years, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and partner agencies announced today. This historic action is the first of its kind in the Great Lakes and is the culmination of several years of collaborative laboratory, hatchery and field research conducted by federal, state, and provincial agencies. The last known fish was collected in 1983.

 

    DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said, "Lake Ontario's sport fisheries are a significant economic driver in New York State, and were valued at more than $113 million in 2007. Re-establishing bloaters in Lake Ontario will diversify the fish community, adding stability to the lake's ecosystem and sport fisheries." According to a release from DEC, re-establishing self-sustaining populations of bloater in Lake Ontario is the focus of a cooperative, international effort between DEC, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to restore native fish populations in Lake Ontario.  This program will improve food web stability and mitigate negative impacts of invasive species; however, it will require a long-term stocking program. 

 

    Russ Strach, Director of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center, said, "The capital investment in the new research vessel demonstrates USGS' commitment to cutting-edge deepwater science in Lake Ontario.  The new vessel greatly enhances our ability to conduct ecosystem-based fishery research to address management questions important to our partner agencies.  I'm proud to see the platform used by the partnership working to restore this important native species."

 

    Deepwater ciscoes, a diverse group of species including bloater, kiyi, blackfin cisco, and shortnose cisco, were once the most abundant prey fish in the lake and supported important commercial fisheries.  Members of the whitefish family, bloaters feed primarily on invertebrates in water depths from 180 feet to 650 feet, spawning in winter at great depth, and were an important food source for native lake trout and burbot. 
 
    By the mid-20th century, populations declined dramatically in association with over-harvest and expanding populations of invasive alewife and rainbow smelt. Re-introducing bloaters will provide more food choices for predators, such as lake trout and salmon, and diversify the Lake Ontario fish community.  Lake trout and salmon that feed primarily on alewife can experience reproductive failure due to a vitamin B deficiency.  Predators that feed on native species like bloater are less likely to experience reproductive failure.

 

    Access the release from NY DEC (click here).

 

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Great Lakes Green Chemistry Conference

Nov 2: U.S. EPA announced the first Great Lakes Green Chemistry Conference, followed by the GreenScreen(tm) Training for Safer Chemicals. According to the announcement, the use of Green Chemistry and Engineering in the market strategies of businesses throughout the Great Lakes region is growing as companies look for ways to meet consumer demand for products and processes that are more sustainable. Participants will include representatives from industry, academia, government, non-profits, U.S. EPA Region 5, and those involved in the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable's Safer Chemistry Challenge Program. The conference will be held November 13-15, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

 

    Participants will: Learn first-hand about the business case for Green Chemistry and Engineering and how companies can take advantage of technical assistance opportunities to help them move forward in their own effort to promote sustainability; Hear from businesses who have successfully used the framework of green chemistry who will talk about what the benefits for their businesses have been; Are public-private partnerships the wave of the future? Hear from the leaders who are building these partnerships today; and Take advantage of working sessions to identify technical assistance needs and develop resources to promote Green Chemistry in the Great Lakes region.

 

    Access complete details including registration, fees, agenda, etc. (click here).

 

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RFP For Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife Restoration Projects

Nov 1: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS or Service) is accepting project proposals to protect, restore and enhance Great Lakes fish and wildlife habitat under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (Act). The Service requests interested entities to submit restoration, research and regional project proposals for the restoration of Great Lakes fish and wildlife resources, as authorized under the Act (16 USC 941c). The purpose of the Act is to provide assistance to states, tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration and management of the fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. The deadline for proposal submission is Monday, December 17, 2012.

    Supported in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), approximately $2 million in funding is projected to support projects this fiscal year. Available funding and project awards are subject to final Congressional appropriations for fiscal year 2013. Project funding is available to support Great Lakes Basin restoration, research and regional projects. Local watershed associations, municipalities, tribes, states and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to apply. All project proposals will be compiled, reviewed and ranked by the Proposal Review Committee, and final funding decisions will be made by the Service in the summer of 2013.

 

    Access complete details and background information from FWS (click here).

 

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Healthy Water Solutions Coalition Formed To Stop Asian Carp

Oct 24: More than a dozen Illinois organizations announced the formation of a new coalition committed to stopping the two-way transfer of invasive species -- including Asian carp -- between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basin. Robert Hirschfeld of Prairie Rivers Network, a founding member of the new Healthy Water Solutions (HWS) coalition said, "Stopping Asian carp and other invasive species is an economic and ecological imperative. But it is also just one piece of a greater plan for improved water quality, flood control, recreation and transportation in Illinois."

 

   HWS was formed in response to the need for Illinois residents and organizations to promote locally focused solutions, rather than wait for Federal agencies and regionally contentious lawsuits. Jared Teutsch of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, also a HWS coalition member said, "HWS exists to complement the work of federal and state agencies, while recognizing the importance of local action to help move issues like invasive species forward when they are stalled by outside forces. We encourage the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago and other governmental groups to work with the rest of the region to fashion a modern solution to the growing problems of invasive species and decaying water infrastructure."

    According to a release, the new coalition will advocate for reinvestment in the Chicago River system, a critical piece of infrastructure that affects the waters of the entire state. Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club's Illinois Chapter said, "The Chicago River system can be so much more than a conduit for our wastewater. The threat posed by the Asian carp and other aquatic invaders is also an opportunity to restore the Chicago River and make it a clean, healthy resource that attracts wildlife, people and economic development."

    Invasive species protection promises to provide benefits to Chicago and Lake Michigan, as well as businesses and communities around the state. Invasive species cost the economy hundreds of millions annually. The spread of Asian carp threatens the Great Lakes fishery -- calculated at $7 billion annually, with billions more generated through tourism and recreation. The groups said that while Asian carp are the public face of invasive species, they are among 39 species labeled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as "high-risk" to transfer between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins and inflict significant damage to new habitat.

 

    HWS re-envisions the Chicago River as a system that not only prevents the transfer of all aquatic invaders, including Asian carp, but better serves its functions of moving people and goods and managing stormwater -- all while improving water quality. Henry Henderson, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Midwest Program and a former commissioner of the environment for the city of Chicago said, "Chicago and the rest of the region will not thrive until we address its failing water infrastructure. Re-imagining Chicago's waterways is at the core of the vision that the HWS coalition will bring to help move us all toward a modern system that enhances our environment, economy and quality of life."

 

   Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River said, "The Chicago River is the lifeblood of the city. And it flows through so many urban and suburban communities playing the role of natural and recreational resource and catalyst for community revitalization. Through HWS we are committed to improving and protecting the Chicago River at the same time we solve the aquatic invasive species problems we face." HWS will work with the region's leaders on a plan for separation that satisfies public needs without severing Chicago's vital connection to the lake.

    Access a posted release from HWS including a listing of initial members (click here). Access the HWS website for more information (click here). [#GLakes]

 

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NWF Report Details Major Pipeline Threat to Great Lakes

Oct 18: The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) released a report warning of a pipeline hazard located beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Just west of the 5-mile long Mackinac Bridge, below the water's surface, lie two 20-inch pipelines, called Line 5, that carry a total of 20 million gallons of crude oil and natural gas fluids each day from Superior, Wisconsin east through the Upper Peninsula to the bridge, then south through to Michigan and another Great Lakes crossing at Port Huron, Michigan to Sarnia, Ontario. The pipelines were placed in the Straits of Mackinac in 1953. The aging pipelines are operated by Enbridge Energy -- the Canadian company responsible for the worst inland oil disaster in U.S. history. NWF said the report comes as Enbridge faces increasing scrutiny for safety lapses both in the U.S. and Canada.

    The report, Sunken Hazard: Aging oil pipelines beneath the Straits of Mackinac, an ever-present threat to the Great Lakes, documents how an oil spill from the pipeline -- commonly referred to as Line 5 -- would have devastating consequences for people, fish, wildlife and the economy. Andy Buchsbaum, director of the NWF Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor said, "This is a recipe for disaster. This toxic oil pipeline is 60 years old, runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac, and is operated by a company with a terrible record of spills and ruptures. Now they want to increase pressure and temperature in the line by pumping an additional 50,000 barrels -- 2.1 million gallons -- per day. This is a BP oil spill scale catastrophe waiting to happen."

    Enbridge Energy, according to the report, has been responsible for more than 800 pipeline spills in the United States and Canada from 1999-2010, including the biggest inland oil spill in U.S. history, in which more than 1 million gallons of oil spilled into the Kalamazoo River. NWF indicated, "Despite its shoddy safety record, Enbridge Energy is now trying to expand Line 5. This project is part of a system wide expansion that will have massive impacts throughout the entire Great Lakes region as Enbridge gears up to push incredible amounts of toxic tar sands oil through our waters to refineries that dot the lakes. In addition, that oil is not likely to stay here. Enbridge is also expanding their pipeline network east of Michigan to push tar sands oil to New England and possibly out for export through the Portland-Montreal pipeline.

    Beth Wallace with NWF said, "We are extremely concerned about all of Enbridge's plans to expand and what this will mean for the Great Lakes, but we are especially concerned about Enbridge getting approvals to expand pumping through Line 5. It would be a serious mistake for federal officials to rubber stamp this project based on Enbridge's track record of devastating oil spills that have harmed our communities, economy and environment. There is very little known about the integrity of Line 5 because Enbridge, and agencies charged with pipeline oversight, refuse to provide the pubic maintenance records or inspection history. What we do know is that Enbridge's emergency response plans for this location are abysmal. The overall line is nearly 60 years old and has had its fair share of spills. And there is no margin for error when it comes to preventing oil spills in the Great Lakes: the Lakes provide drinking water for 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada, support a $7 billion fishery, a $16 billion recreational boating economy and are the backbone of one of the world's largest regional economies."

    The report makes the following recommendations to address the sunken hazard of Enbridge's Line 5:

• PHMSA [U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration] should deny the proposed 50,000 barrels per day expansion of the Enbridge pumping rate. PHMSA has authority under a federal corrective action agreement to regulate Enbridge activities anywhere along the Lakehead system, which includes Line 5. The higher pressures, and possibly temperatures, in a 60-year old line are too great a risk to the Straits, one of the jewels of Michigan and the Great Lakes.
• Enbridge should be required to install additional response centers on either side of the Straits to speed their response to any spills or ruptures.
• The 60-year old pipeline should be replaced, but only to its current size. Michigan should not have even more oil running through the Great Lakes.
• The federal agency, PHMSA, should declare a moratorium on any new or expanded pipelines that transport a highly toxic form of crude -- tar sands derived oil that contains diluted bitumen -- until after the National Academy of Sciences completes an ongoing study on this type of crude and new regulations are promulgated.
• Passage of the proposed ballot measure to increase clean energy from utilities, Proposal 3, would reduce the diesel gasoline used to transport coal into the state and promote the type of technological innovation that increases fuel economy in vehicles and decreases the demand for gasoline.

    Access a release from NWF (click here). Access the complete 17-page report (click here). [#Energy/Pipeline, #GLakes]

 

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Universities Team Up On Great Lakes Futures Project

Oct 15: According to a release, the University of Michigan and 20 other U.S. and Canadian research institutions will join forces to propose a set of long-term research and policy priorities to help protect and restore the Great Lakes and to train the next generation of scientists, attorneys, planners and policy specialists who will study them. The Great Lakes Futures Project of the Transborder Research University Network will use a cross-disciplinary, cross-sector approach to outlining alternative Great Lakes futures through science-based scenario analysis.

    Donald Scavia, director of U-M's Graham Sustainability Institute said, "With the recent release of the revised Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement [See WIMS 9/7/12], this is a critical time to bring together scholars and practitioners from across the region to chart a more protective future for this precious resource."

    The release indicates that the Great Lakes basin is home to more than 35 million people -- 30 percent of the Canadian population and 10 percent of the U.S. population. The economic output of the basin is one of the largest in the world (more than $4 trillion gross regional product), and the area is expected to grow by 20 million people over the next 20 years. While the basin contains more than 80 percent of the water in North America and 21 percent of the world's surface fresh water, demands from within and outside the basin are substantial and escalating.

    The Great Lakes Futures Project will be led by Irena Creed of Western University, Gail Krantzberg of McMaster University, Kathryn Friedman of SUNY at Buffalo and U-M's Scavia. The project will be managed by Katrina Laurent of Western University. This unprecedented collaboration of U.S. and Canadian academics, governments, nongovernment organizations, industry and private citizens will address questions such as "How can this water and watershed be managed?" and "What are the environmental, social, economic and political impacts of those management plans?"

    The assessment will begin with development of white papers outlining critical drivers of change in the Great Lakes basin over the past 50 years and the next 50 years, including climate change, the economy, biological and chemical contaminants, invasive species, demographics and societal values, governance and geopolitics, energy and water quantity. The papers will be developed by teams of graduate students from Canadian and U.S. universities under the mentorship of leaders in Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin research and presented at a workshop at U-M in January. The assessments will drive scenario analyses and policy briefs that will be communicated to residents and government officials in both Canada and the U.S.

    The Great Lakes Futures Project will also produce scholarly and popular publications and will conduct public events with schools and community groups. In addition, it has the potential to create a binational academic forum, research collaborations and a think tank. This initiative has also laid the foundation for two major Federal grant opportunities for training of highly qualified personnel who will work on improving the status of the Great Lakes.

    Eighteen U.S. and Canadian universities and colleges have provided cash support to the project including: University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, SUNY at Buffalo, Guelph University, McMaster University, Queens University, Trent University, University of Toronto, University of Windsor, Ryerson University, Waterloo University, Western University, York University, McGill University, Seneca College, Université de Montréal and the Université du Québec à Trois Rivière.
Funding was also provided by the Group for Interuniversity Research in Limnology and Aquatic Environment, Michigan Sea Grant and New York Sea Grant.

    Project officials will recruit students for the next phase of the scenario analysis this fall. The Transborder Research University Network expands and supports cooperation among research universities in the border region of Canada and United States through collaborative/ consortial research; joint applications for external funding; cooperative academic programs; faculty and student exchanges; shared facilities, library materials and electronic resources; and joint conferences, symposia and workshops.

 

    Access a release from U-M and link to more information on TRUN (click here).

 

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