Monday, April 29, 2013

IJC Disagreement On Plan To Address Lake Water Levels

Apr 26: The International Joint Commission (IJC) advised the governments of Canada and the United States, in a 16-page letter-report dated April 15, 2013, that it will implement this year, what it said is an "improved plan" for regulating Lake Superior outflows at Sault Ste. Marie. The new plan, Lake Superior Regulation Plan 2012, provides additional benefits compared to current regulation, especially during extreme water supply conditions. In addition, the Commission recommends that the governments of Canada and the United States investigate structural options to restore water levels in Lake Michigan-Huron by 13 to 25 centimeters (about 5 to 10 inches), including a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and a detailed environmental impact study. Specifically, the Commission encouraged governments to focus on options that would not exacerbate future high water levels but that would provide relief during periods of low water. 
 
    In order to better understand how future water supplies may affect water levels, the IJC calls upon governments to better coordinate the binational collection of climate-related data and strengthen climate change modeling capacity to help improve water management. This approach underpins the adaptive management framework recommended by the Study so that decision-makers at all levels of government have the tools and processes to make informed decisions. The Commission will issue specific recommendations regarding adaptive management for the Great Lakes system following its deliberation of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management Task Team final report.

    Joe Comuzzi, Canadian chair of the IJC said, "Although future water levels are uncertain, we cannot ignore the damage from record low water levels. From Georgian Bay to Door County, from shoreline property owners to the shipping industry, we heard calls for action, and we urge governments to act in response to our recommendations." Lana Pollack, U.S. chair of the IJC, chose not to sign the Commission report because, in her view, it places insufficient emphasis on climate change and the need for governments to pursue and fund adaptive management strategies in the basin. She also cautioned against raising "false hopes that structures in the St. Clair River, if built, would be sufficient to resolve the suffering from low water levels of Lake Michigan-Huron, while at the same time causing possible disruption downstream in Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie."

    The IJC advice to governments is in response to the findings and recommendations of the International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS). Originally focused on updating the regulation plan for Lake Superior outflows, the five-year Study was expanded to include an examination of whether physical changes in the St. Clair River were affecting the level of Lake Michigan-Huron. Prior to making these recommendations to the governments, IJC thoroughly reviewed more than 3,500 comments received from the public, including those provided at 13 public hearings held throughout the upper Great Lakes basin last summer. 

    In a related matter, the U-M Water Center, NOAA-Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, U-M Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research have announced a two-hour seminar and panel discussion of the drivers of decreased lake levels as well as the management and potential economic implications. The event is free and open to the public and will also be broadcasted live via webcast. Pre-registration is requested. The seminar will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2013 from 3:00 – 5:00 PM, with a one-hour reception to follow at the University of Michigan, 4th Floor Forum Hall, Palmer Commons, 100 Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor.

    Access a release from IJC with links to the letter-report, statement from Commissioner Pollack, comments on the IUGLS study and more (click here). Access complete details on the U-M seminar (click here). [#GLakes]

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Monday, April 15, 2013

WIMS Spring Break

WIMS will be taking our Spring publication break the next two weeks. 
 
We will resume regular publication on Monday, April 29, 2013.
 
During our break you may want to
follow some of the news on our:
 
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Friday, April 12, 2013

ICR On Great Lakes Accountability System

Apr 12: U.S. EPA issued a Federal Register announcement [78 FR 21937] indicating that it is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), "Great Lakes Accountability System" (EPA ICR No. 2379.02, OMB Control No. 2005-001) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through July 31, 2013. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
 
    In 2010, EPA, in concert with its federal partners, began implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) that was included in the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-88) and subsequent appropriations. The GLRI invests funds in programs and projects strategically chosen to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem. The legislation called for increased accountability for the GLRI and directed EPA to implement a process to track, measure, and report on progress.  web-based Great Lakes Accountability System (GLAS) is the primary mechanism for collecting information on GLRI activities.
 
    Access the FR announcement (click here). [#GLakes/GLRI]
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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

President Proposes $300 Million For GLRI Programs

Apr 10: The President's FY2014 budget indicates that U.S. EPA will continue to lead the implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The initiative provides $300 million for programs and projects strategically chosen to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem. According to budget documents, "This investment will allow for implementation of important restoration activities emphasizing on-the-ground work to achieve the goals, objectives and targets of the Initiative. EPA expects continued progress within each of the Initiative's focus areas: Toxic Substances and Areas of Concerns, Invasive Species, Nearshore Health and Nonpoint Source, Habitat and Wildlife Protection and Restoration, and Accountability, Education, Monitoring, Evaluation, Communication, and Partnerships.
 
    Access the EPA budget summary with information on the GLRI (click here, see page 6). [GLakes]
 
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Interactive Map Of Great Lakes Restoration Work

Apr 9: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) has unveiled a new interactive map showcasing nearly 1,000 restoration projects being implemented under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The site, available on the GLC website includes map overlays of Congressional districts, and state and county boundaries. The website showcases GLRI restoration projects funded in fiscal years 2010-2012, with an emphasis on "on-the-ground" actions. The project table is fully searchable and can be sorted by title, lead agency, state and other parameters. When users click on a project in the table the map zooms into the site.

    When county or congressional district boundaries are turned on, the map shows what county a project is located in or which Member of Congress represents the district and the percentage of the district that lies within the Great Lakes Basin. The project table "disaggregates" programs to show separate on-the-ground projects, versus showing a grant program managed by an agency or organization. For example, the map shows separate contaminated sediment cleanups implemented under the Great Lakes Legacy Act program.

    The website emphasizes on-the-ground actions and does not include some projects focused on research, monitoring, public education and other broad-scale activities not focused on a specific site. The project locations may represent a specific site or the watershed in which restoration work is being conducted. In some cases the site is the
location of the lead agency. The Commission has also produced state-specific factsheets showcasing how the GLRI is benefiting each of the eight Great Lakes states.
 
    Access a release from GLC with more information with links to more information (click here). Access the interactive map (click here). [GLakes]
 
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