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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]
• 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]
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]
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]
He said, he and his colleagues are currently pushing Senate Resolution 36 urging Congress to end water diversion from the Great Lakes through Chicago to avoid contamination. Closing the Chicago locks would prevent the migration into Lake Michigan of silver and bighead carp, commonly known as Asian carp. According to the report, since Asian carp breed quickly, have no natural predators and can consume as much as 20 percent of their body weight in a day, they can monopolize food sources and push out native species. The Canadian government predicts that if Asian carp get into Lake Michigan, they would spread to Lake Huron within five years.
Sen. Proos said, "An Asian carp infestation would wreak havoc on the ecosystems of the Great Lakes and all its rivers, devastate a $7 billion fishing industry and jeopardize the livelihoods of many Michigan families. This is a battle that we cannot afford to lose, so I again urge the president to immediately close the Chicago locks to prevent an ecological and economic disaster. As families and tourists get out and enjoy Michigan waters, I encourage them to join the fight against Asian carp by learning more about the fish and reporting any suspected sightings."
The report that Senator Proos refers to was released on July 11, by the Canadian nonprofit organization Environmental Defence. The report -- Tipping the Scales: How Canada and Ontario Can Prevent an Asian Carp Invasion of the Great Lakes -- outlines recommendations on what can be done to prevent Asian carp from establishing in the lakes. Nancy Goucher, water programs manager at Environmental Defence said, "Once Asian carp take hold of a lake or river, they wreak havoc on the ecosystem, steal food from other fish species, and are nearly impossible to get rid of. We need to act now to prevent an invasion because the cost of doing nothing is too high." She said, "The good news is that there is still time to prevent these dreaded invaders from establishing in the Great Lakes. This is an issue that affects both sides of the border, and everyone -- government and individuals -- can play a role in protecting the health of the lakes for generations to come."
Access a release from Sen. Proos (click here). Access a release from Environmental Defence and link to the complete 24 page report (click here). Access the MDNR Asian Carp website for additional information (click here). Access the Asian Carp Management website for additional information (click here). Access the U.S. Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee website for more information (click here). [#MIGLakes, #MIWildlife]
Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) commented on the bill saying, "Simply put, this bill makes very difficult choices in an extremely tough budget environment. In order to fund critical 'must-do' priorities, like human health, public safety, and treaty obligations and responsibilities, we've had to reduce and even terminate some programs that are popular with both Members of Congress and the American people. Within challenging budget constraints, we've focused on providing adequate funding to fight and prevent wildfires, making sure our national parks stay open, and meeting our trust responsibilities to American Indians. Paying for these critical priorities comes at a price to many agencies and activities throughout the bill. We are going to continue to see these kinds of dramatic reductions as long as we keep trying to reduce the debt by cutting discretionary spending alone, rather than also tackling mandatory spending, which is the real driver of our debt."
Full Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) said, "The vast majority of the cuts fall on the Environmental Protection Agency, which is reduced by $2.8 billion, a full 34% down from FY13. That is no accident. As the American economy struggles to get up to speed, this Agency has introduced countless regulatory obstacles to growth and job creation, all without approval from Congress. The fruit of this labor has been readily apparent in southeastern Kentucky. In exchange for the use of millions of taxpayer dollars, the EPA helped to put 5,700 Kentucky miners in the unemployment lines between 2011 and 2012. New regulations and the uncertain business environment they create have shuttered coal plants nationwide. One-fifth of this country's coal fleet has been retired under this Administration, with many more to come unless something is done about it. The closure of one of those plants, Big Sandy in my District, will mean a further 120 jobs lost and a rate hike of between eight and a whopping thirty-one percent for customers throughout the region.
"And now the President wants to put the nail in the coffin by regulating greenhouse gases on new and existing power plants, regardless of fuel source. This is a regulatory tilting of the playing field in favor of other energy sectors that will prove disastrous for the American families, businesses, and our energy security. It is no wonder that the White House talking points memo on these regulations explicitly advised staff to avoid discussion of 'net job numbers,' as these New Source Performance Standards have been forecasted to add hundreds of thousands to the unemployment lines. The pain already felt in Appalachia will be known across the country if these regulations are allowed to take effect. I am proud to say that this legislation serves as a check on the EPA, reducing its operations funding and prohibiting this harmful regulatory energy tax and several other proposed rules that would serve only to harm our economic recovery."
Access a summary of the bill and link to the draft text of the bill (click here). Access the Republican markup meeting website for a video including the record vote, Republican statements and the bill text (click here). Access a lengthy release from HOW with additional details (click here). Access a summary of the bill and link to the draft text of the bill (click here). [#All, #GLakes]
GLC Chair Kenneth Johnson, water division administrator at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said, "This legislation will advance programs that are vital to the environmental and economic well-being of the entire region. GLEEPA will ensure that these valuable programs continue to protect and restore our Great Lakes and support our freshwater investment strategy." The bill formally authorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI); reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act; establish an Interagency Task Force to coordinate federal Great Lakes programs and a Great Lakes Advisory Board; and authorizes U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office.
Access a release from GLC on the House bill (click here); and the Senate bill (click here). Access the S.1232 (click here). [GLakes]
Harmful algae blooms were common on western Lake Erie in the 1960s and 1970s. After a lapse of nearly 20 years, they have been steadily increasing over the past decade. As an early warning system, NOAA has issued weekly HABS bulletins for western Lake Erie since 2008 through the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). The weekly bulletins will continue in 2013. Jeff Reutter, Ph.D., director of Ohio State University's Sea Grant program and Stone Laboratory said, "This information is critical for tourists, coastal businesses, water treatment plant operators, state and regional natural resource managers and scientists throughout Ohio, the region, and the country. In Ohio, as part of our Phosphorus Task Force II, we have used information from the NOAA model to help us target reductions in the amount of phosphorus going into the lake that would eliminate, or greatly reduce, the HABs."
The 2013 seasonal forecast, made possible using NOAA models developed by NCCOS scientists, uses an 11-year data set of nutrients flowing into Lake Erie, collected by the Heidelberg University's National Center for Water Quality Research, and analysis of satellite data from the European Space Agency's Envisat. In addition to the satellite monitoring of the lake, NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Ohio State University's Sea Grant Program and Stone Laboratory, Heidelberg University, the University of Toledo, and Ohio EPA will be collecting key measurements from the lake as the summer progresses. Those results will provide valuable information to regional managers and assist NCCOS scientists in further refining the accuracy of this forecast's models.
Access a release from NOAA with multiple links to related information (click here). [#GLakes]
"The GLRI is an action-oriented, results-driven initiative targeting the most significant problems in the Great Lakes, including aquatic invasive species, toxics and contaminated sediment, nonpoint source pollution, and habitat and wildlife protection and restoration. While broadly authorized under the Clean Water Act, the GLRI should be specifically authorized in law to clarify its purpose and objectives and to demonstrate support from Congress. Since the GLRI was launched in fiscal year 2010 with $475 million in funding, real progress has been made to restore the health of the Great Lakes: More than a million cubic yards of contaminated sediments have been cleaned up. More than 20,000 acres of wetland, coastal, upland and island habitat have been restored or enhanced. New technologies are being developed to combat the sea lamprey. Asian carp have been prevented from establishing a sustaining population in the Great Lakes. Hundreds of river miles have been restored to enable free fish passage from the Great Lakes to their spawning grounds. Reduction of nutrient loading from agriculture runoff has lessened occurrences of harmful algal blooms.
"In addition to authorization of the GLRI, this legislation would reauthorize two existing programs: (1) the Great Lakes Legacy program, which supports the removal of contaminated sediments at more than thirty Areas of Concern (AOCs) across the Great Lakes; and (2) the Great Lakes National Program Office, which handles Great Lakes matters for the EPA. . . We hope the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will promptly act on this important legislation, as it did in 2010 when it approved similar legislation."
The Healing Our Waters Great Lakes (HOW) Coalition issued a release supporting the new bill which they said would help bolster Federal efforts to restore the Great Lakes. Chad Lord, policy director for the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition, said, "This bill will strengthen federal Great Lakes restoration efforts. Programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative are producing results in communities across the region, but more needs to be done. We commend Sens. Carl Levin, Mark Kirk and other supporters of the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act of 2013 for putting forward a bill that will help keep federal restoration efforts on track. We urge the full U.S. Senate to support and pass this bill."
Access the complete Floor statement (click here). Access a release from HOW (click here). Access legislative details for S.1232 (click here). [GLakes]
IJC indicates in a release that the United States and Canada are extraordinarily fortunate to share the Great Lakes, a world-class resource containing one-fifth of all the fresh surface water on earth. The importance of this international treasure was recognized over 40 years ago when the United States and Canada first signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, committing our two countries to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. An updated Agreement was signed in 2012 and went into force earlier this year and provides a new set of goals that will guide future actions to protect and restore this vital asset.
The plan has formally been in the works since 2007, when Representative Sander Levin (D-MI) and Senator Levin (D-MI) wrote a provision into the 2007 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that called for the Corps of Engineers to lead a partnership of Lake St. Clair stakeholders in developing a Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) to come up with specific projects to implement the more than 100 individual recommendations contained in the 2005 Management Plan. The SIP and the process that created it are significant because they took the very general recommendations and goals contained in the 2005 Management Plan and provided a structure for Lake St. Clair stakeholders to move forward with specific restoration projects. The SIP includes scores of specific restoration project recommendations in areas such as conserving and restoring habitat; managing storm water; and using technology to preserve and protect the Lake St. Clair.
Approval of the SIP also gives Lake St. Clair restoration projects a leg up when it comes to Federal funding. The 2007 legislation that set the SIP process in motion contained a $20 million authorization to carry out projects developed by the implementation plan. Many Lake St. Clair restoration projects are also eligible for funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) program, which was started three years ago by President Obama. The actual amount of money available for restoration projects depends greatly on how much funding Congress provides to the Corps of Engineers and the GLRI in their annual appropriations bills.
Rep. Levin said, "Today we take the next big step toward the full restoration of Lake St. Clair. Lake St. Clair and its watershed are worth protecting, and this implementation gives us a new tool to move forward with this effort." Sen. Levin said, "I commend the Army Corps of Engineers and the numerous partners in this effort as their work will help ensure that projects are implemented in a coordinated manner and prioritized to reflect shared goals. The St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair are resources we all celebrate, and their restoration and protection will enable future generations to enjoy this cherished resource." Lt. Col. Robert Ells, district engineer for the USACE Detroit District said, "We are especially pleased to enter into the next phase of developing ecosystem restoration and protection plans for the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair. The Corps is working with an incredibly energetic, diverse and enthusiastic partnership committed to protecting this precious resource that people who live and play in this region enjoy."
Access a release from Sen. Levin and link to the USACE approval memo (click here). Access the near final draft SIP (click here). Access USACE planning document website where the final SIP will be posted soon (click here). [GLakes/St.Clair]