WIMS Environmental News Blogs

WIMS Environmental News Blogs - Sep 30: WIMS is relocating our offices and is taking a temporary leave from all of our publications and blogs. We will return on January 6, 2014.

In the meantime it is a great opportunity to check out our Environmental News Blogs. The blogs are continuously, automatically updated with the latest news and information from various RSS feed sources selected by WIMS.

• White House News;
  
• Congressional News;
  
• Federal Agencies News;
  
• Industry News;
  
• Enviro Group News;
  
• Air Quality News;
  
• Hazardous Waste News; and
  
• Transportation News

 

    

Dry Cargo Residue Discharges In The Great Lakes

Sep 25: The Coast Guard announced the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) assessing the potential environmental impacts associated with a proposed final rule to regulate discharges of dry cargo residue (DCR) in the Great Lakes [78 FR 58986-58987]. The Coast Guard is requesting public comment on the FEIS which must be submitted on or before October 25, 2013.

 

    In August 2008, the Coast Guard issued an Environmental Impact Statement (the Phase I FEIS), which evaluated regulatory alternatives for discharging DCR into the Great Lakes. Based in part on that FEIS's
findings, we published an interim rule on September 29, 2008 (73 FR 56492). It kept in place the Coast Guard's interim enforcement policy for Great Lakes DCR discharges and announced our intention to research Phase I FEIS data gaps related to DCR discharge control measure costs and effectiveness.

 

   The Phase II FEIS we are now making available is "tiered" off the Phase I FEIS, addresses the Phase I FEIS data gaps, and would provide support for a Coast Guard final rule to take the place of the 2008
interim rule. It finalizes the Phase II draft EIS that we made available for public comment when we issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (77 FR 44528; Jul. 30, 2012) to propose the final rule. The Phase II FEIS reviews data we collected from approximately 2,000 DCR reporting forms and 30 Coast Guard-observed dry cargo loading and unloading operations. Data collected permitted further evaluations of DCR quantities and the effectiveness of control measures. The Phase II FEIS analysis concludes that the final rule would require maintaining a "broom-clean" standard on the vessel deck and implementing a management plan to minimize DCR discharges from a vessel's deck and tunnel. Vessels would need to keep onboard records of DCR-related discharges and continue observing existing DCR discharge exclusion areas. Mitigation of nearshore and port impacts would be included through a prohibition of limestone and clean stone DCR discharges within 3 statute miles of shore. In the Western Basin of Lake Erie, vessels not traveling beyond 3 statute miles from shore could discharge DCR within dredged navigation channels and not create adverse impacts to native sediment or benthos.

 

    Bulk dry cargo residues means non-hazardous and non-toxic residues of dry cargo carried in bulk, including limestone and other clean stone, iron ore, coal, salt, and cement. It does not include residues of any substance known to be toxic or hazardous, such as, nickel, copper, zinc, lead, or materials classified as hazardous in provisions of law or treaty.

 

   Access the FR announcement (click here). Access the docket to submit and review comments (click here). [GLakes]

Great Lakes Observing System Data Portal Launch

Sep 24: The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) announced the launch of its Data Portal. The GLOS Data Portal is the central repository for Great Lakes data hosted by GLOS. The Data Portal is the means by which GLOS makes real-time and archived information available to a broad range of stakeholders. As outlined in the Enterprise Plan, the availability of data allows stakeholders to make smarter decisions about how to use, manage and restore the resources of the Great Lakes.

    The first screen that appears provides users with an overview of the tool and explains the layout. The information included addresses: Point Observations, Satellite Observations, Model Forecasts, Search and Help. Perusing the topics will assist in quickly understanding the Data Portal. GLOS is dedicated to developing a fully integrated, bi-national observing system that provides products and services to decision-makers, resource managers and other data users. In partnership with federal, state and local government agencies, research institutions, industries, private corporations, bi-national organizations, and not for profit organizations, GLOS connects data users with data providers in ways that are supportive of policy and decision-making.

 

    Access a release from GLOS and link to the Data Portal and a video tour (click here). Access the GLOS website for more information (click here). [#GLakes]

Legislators Comment On Asian Carp In Flatfoot Lake Near Chicago

Sep 17: U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), author of the Stop Invasive Species Act [See WIMS 7/2/12] that was signed into law by President Obama in July 2012, issued a statement after the discovery of an Asian carp in Flatfoot Lake, which is extremely close to Lake Michigan. She said, "There are thousands of Michigan jobs that rely on the Great Lakes, and we need more than temporary fixes. If Asian carp are not stopped before they enter the Great Lakes, they could destroy the ecosystem, as well as the boating and fishing industries, and hundreds of thousands of jobs. We passed bipartisan legislation to require the Corps to finally make stopping Asian carp a top priority, and the Army Corps needs to follow the law and complete its work."

    A 53-inch, 82-pound carp was caught in Flatfoot Lake near Chicago. Flatfoot Lake is located next to Calumet River, which feeds directly into Lake Michigan. Recent research found that as few as 10 Asian carp are needed to establish a breeding population, which illustrates the potentially devastating effects Asian carp could have on the Great Lakes' ecosystem. Sen. Stabenow indicated that this discovery further underscores the Army Corps of Engineers' responsibility to find a solution for keeping Asian carp, and other invasive species, from entering the Great Lakes. The Stop Invasive Species Act, written by Senator Stabenow and Representative Dave Camp (R-MI), requires the Army Corps to deliver concrete options, including full hydrological separation of the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River basin, to stop Asian carp. The bill passed Congress and was signed by President Obama last year.

    Rep. Camp also issued a statement saying, "News that a live Asian carp was found dangerously close to Lake Michigan, in Flatfoot Lake, is another reminder that we must find a permanent solution to protect the Great Lakes.  Incidents like this underscore the fact that hydrological separation is the only real way to keep Asian carp from destroying the Great Lakes." According to a release from Rep. Camp, last week, Wisconsin Public Radio reported that White House Council on Environmental Quality Asian carp director John Goss recently told a group in Milwaukee that a 53 inch, 82 pound Asian carp had been found in Flatfoot Lake, Illinois in August.

    Access a release from Sen. Stabenow (click here). Access a release from Rep. Camp and link to the radio report (click here). Access the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee website for more information (click here). Access the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study website (click here). [#GLakes]

EPA & DOJ Strengthen S.S. Badger Consent Decree

Sep 16: U.S. EPA announced the filing of a motion by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to enter a revised consent decree that requires Lake Michigan Carferry Service, Inc. (LMC) of Ludington, MI to cease the discharge of coal ash from the S.S. Badger at the end of the 2014 sailing season. The revised consent decree was strengthened in response to almost 8,000 public comments on a proposed consent decree that was lodged earlier this year. Copies of the public comments and EPA's response to those comments were also filed with the court today. EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman said, "The revised consent decree has been strengthened based on public comments on the proposed consent decree that was lodged in March. These revisions increase certainty that the S.S. Badger will stop discharging coal ash to Lake Michigan at the end of the 2014 sailing season."

    The proposed consent decree has been revised to double stipulated penalties for non-compliance with the deadline for ceasing coal ash discharges; to limit the mercury and coal ash content of coal used by the S.S. Badger during the 2014 sailing season; and to require LMC to report information on the quantity of coal ash discharged by the S.S. Badger. The proposed consent decree also requires LMC to pay a $25,000 civil penalty for violating mercury water quality standards in 2012. The S.S. Badger is the last coal-fired ship operating on the Great Lakes.

 

    Sierra Club Illinois Chapter Director Jack Darin released a statement saying, "Lake Michigan is one of our nation's greatest natural resources, and DOJ's actions will help preserve the quality and safety of the drinking water source for millions of people in the Midwest. We applaud EPA for its efforts to strengthen the proposed consent decree, and for listening to concerns raised by thousands of residents around Lake Michigan who want the SS Badger's dumping stopped. The fact remains that there is no safe way to burn coal, and even if coal ash is stored on board the S.S. Badger, it will eventually be dumped in another location. It is time to retire the outdated, polluting coal-fired S.S Badger and focus Great Lakes transportation dollars on developing high speed rail and other clean, safe travel options for families in the Midwest."

 

    Access a release from EPA (click here). Access additional extensive information about the S.S. Badger including comments, the amended consent decree and much more (click here). Access a release from Sierra Club (click here). [#GLakes]

$1.5 Million For Milwaukee Estuary & Great Lakes Projects

Sep 11: U.S. EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe announced a new 2013 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant at Great Lakes Week in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will receive more than $1.5 million for several Milwaukee Estuary and Great Lakes projects. Perciasepe said, "The Great Lakes are critical to our economy and support millions of American jobs. These investments build upon the progress we've already made to clean up the Great Lakes and all of our country's cherished waters." The grant announced will be used to:

• Inventory fish and wildlife populations in the Milwaukee area.
• Locate uncontrolled sources of sewage and evaluate their impacts on water quality.
• Restore and expand grassland habitat in the area and increase breeding opportunities for threatened grassland species.
• Assess the health of microscopic aquatic communities and of bottom-dwelling organisms in four Wisconsin AOCs, including the Milwaukee Estuary.

    Perciasepe also announced the Great Lakes Federal Interagency Task Force (IATF) priorities for fiscal year 2015 to help states, municipalities, tribes, business interests, environmental groups, the academic community and other partners plan their activities. On behalf of the Federal agencies that met in Milwaukee, he announced:

• Progress in developing the next GLRI Action Plan, covering fiscal years 2015-2019. The IATF has spent the past several months seeking input to inform the development of a draft FY15-19 Action Plan, which will be released for public comment in early 2014.
• In fiscal year 2015, the GLRI will likely continue with an emphasis on five focus areas (Toxics, Habitat, Nearshore Health, Invasive Species and Accountability) and within these three priorities: (1) Accelerating the cleanup of AOCs such as Milwaukee Estuary; (2) Preventing invasive species, such as Asian carp, from becoming established in the Great Lakes; Reducing runoff that causes harmful algal blooms in three priority watersheds – Wisconsin's Lower Fox River/Green Bay, Ohio's Maumee River and Michigan's Saginaw River.
• The next Action Plan will also emphasize the need to ensure that GLRI projects are not undermined because of changing weather patterns, in addition to many other needs raised by the Great Lakes community.

    Access a release from EPA (click here). Access the GLRI website for more information (click here).[#GLakes]

GLC Annual Meeting Resolutions

Sep 9: The Annual Meeting of the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), which kicked off Great Lakes Week 2013, in Milwaukee, featured spirited dialogue on water levels, the growing dredging backlog on the Great Lakes, which is impeding commercial and recreational navigation, and an action item to tackle the potential benefits and risks of oil transportation in the region. The GLC passed resolutions concerning:

• Priorities for the Great Lakes navigation system in the federal Water Resources Development Act to ensure new WRDA legislation includes provisions that restore, maintain and strengthen the economic vitality of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Navigation System for commercial and recreational transportation
• Support for Great Lakes offshore wind demonstration (pilot) projects, recognizing that small-scale demonstration (pilot) projects are the most direct means of assessing potential environmental impacts, and evaluating economic viability and opportunities for job creation involving offshore wind projects
• Preventing pollution from persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes ecosystem, which urges the U.S. Congress to adopt comprehensive national legislation aimed at minimizing human and ecosystem exposure to PBTs through reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act
• Recognizing rivermouths: Places vital to the Great Lakes basin that deserve focused restoration and conservation, which urges the U.S. Congress and U.S and Canadian federal agencies to explicitly recognize the ecological importance of rivermouths

    Access a release with additional details (click here). Access the GLC meetings archive where additional details will be posted soon (click here). [GLakes]

NOAA Online Mapping Tool For The Great Lakes

Sep 9: NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration has launched a new online mapping tool for the Great Lakes that will give decision makers, resource managers, and environmental responders better information as they clean up hazardous materials and restore the coastal and estuarine environments. The new Great Lakes Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA®) tool features the most comprehensive collection of environmental contaminant data in the region, as well as information on natural resources, habitats, weather, water levels, and currents.

    Great Lakes ERMA adds to ERMA coverage in other regions around the nation, and focuses on coastal areas in the Great Lakes Basin from Minnesota to New York and from Ontario to Quebec in Canada. It integrates both static and real-time data from NOAA and other partners into a centralized, easy-to-use format. By combining environmental contaminant data from NOAA's Great Lakes Query Manager database with ecological, recreational, cultural, and commercial information, resource managers can compare environmental conditions over time and between locations.

    ERMA helps to illustrate progress in cleaning up contaminated sediment and restoring the health of the Great Lakes, both across the basin and in Areas of Concern -- the areas identified by the U.S. and Canada as polluted and in need of cleanup and restoration. As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, NOAA developed Great Lakes ERMA,  in collaboration with EPA, U.S. Coast Guard, and University of New Hampshire. In addition to addressing environmental cleanup and restoration under the initiative, Great Lakes ERMA also improves planning, communication, and coordination for emergency responses to pollution incidents, such as oil and chemical spills. It integrates information from a variety of sources into a common picture, which can provide the response team with a quick visualization of the situation.

    Access a release from NOAA with multiple links to referenced information (click here). Access an overview and link to ERMA (click here). [#GLakes]

Comments Wanted On Great Lakes Accountability System

Sep 6: U.S. EPA has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Great Lakes Accountability System (Reinstatement). Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (78 FR 21937,4/12/13) and during a 60-day comment period, no comments were received. EPA is extending the comment period by an additional 30 days until October 7, 2013.

 

    EPA explains that 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. As part of this process, Federal and non-Federal entities receiving GLRI funds are required to submit detailed information on GLRI projects into the Great Lakes Accountability System (GLAS). The information is necessary to provide an accurate depiction of activities, progress, and results. Information is updated on a quarterly basis.

 

    Access the FR announcement with additional information (click here). Access the EPA docket for additional information to submit and review comments (click here, updated soon). [#GLakes]

IJC Report On Lake Erie Nutrient & Algal Issues

Aug 29: The International Joint Commission (IJC) released for public comment the draft report -- Lake Erie Ecosystem Priority:  Scientific Findings and Policy Recommendations to Reduce Nutrient Loadings and Harmful Algal Blooms. The draft report reflects more than a year of work that brought together scientists from Canada and the United States to examine lake-wide changes related to phosphorous enrichment from both urban and rural sources, compounded by climate change and aquatic invasive species. The public is invited to comment online and also at a series of open houses and public meetings.

    Joe Comuzzi, Canadian chair of the IJC said, "The United States and Canada worked together to restore Lake Erie in the 1970s and 80s and their success was an historic binational achievement..Our goal is for this report to help governments address the new challenges facing Lake Erie and make history again." Lana Pollack, U.S. chair of the IJC said, "Common farming practices and also old sewer systems and climate are contributing to Lake Erie's current problems. Our advice to governments pulls no punches because the science indicates that without major changes, especially in farming practices, we won't see any substantial improvement in Lake Erie's health."

    In a release IJC indicates that following the record algal bloom on Lake Erie of nearly 2,000 square miles (more than 5000 square kilometers) in 2011, the Commission launched the Lake Erie Ecosystem Priority, setting as a goal the measurable reduction of phosphorous loads and harmful algal blooms. To address the challenge, dozens of scientists from both countries were brought together to examine scientific, socio-economic and regulatory themes as part of a comprehensive approach. In addition, the public was engaged throughout the process to solicit their views and ideas.

   The Commission is now receiving public comments  through October 5, 2013. The report will be highlighted at a panel discussion on September 10 at the Commission's Great Lakes Triennial Meeting in Milwaukee as part of Great Lakes Week. Following a 45 day public comment period, the draft report will be revised and submitted to the governments later this year. A hearing on the report will be held at Wayne County Community College on September 16. Six other hearings are planned for the Great Lakes and Ontario.

    Access a release from IJC including key highlights a summary of 15 specific recommendations with links to online commenting procedures and more information about public meeting locations and times (click here). Access the complete 86-page report (click here). Access details on the meetings (click here). [#GLakes]