Call for Preproposals - Green Infrastructure Competition FAQs

<> Call for Preproposals – Green Infrastructure Competition FAQs - Great Lakes Protection Fund is seeking a team that can design – and potentially run – the competition -- a number of people have contacted the Fund on this topic and some Frequently Asked Questions have emerged. Performance-based Green Infrastructure Competition

SAB Report: Early Advice on an Ensemble Modeling Approach for Developing Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives

<> SAB Report: Early Advice on an Ensemble Modeling Approach for Developing Lake Erie Phosphorus Objectives - The SAB was asked to comment on the eutrophication response indicators, the models chosen to evaluate the eutrophication response in Lake Erie, the ensemble modeling approach and the efficacy of setting phosphorus loads and concentration targets. Background, meetings & documents

City of Waukesha Water Diversion application

<> City of Waukesha Water Diversion application - The Wisconsin DNR has released a draft Technical Review and draft Environmental Impact Statement on the City of Waukesha's Diversion Application and is seeking public comments on those documents Compact Implementation Coalition (CIC) reaffirms its opposition to the City of Waukesha's application Waukesha says Lake Michigan is our only reasonable water supply option

Canadian Senate passes Lake Superior conservation bill

<> Canadian Senate passes Lake Superior conservation bill - After eight years since its announcement, the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area has now become a reality -- known as Bill C-61, the Senate officially passed the bill unanimously on Tuesday creating a conservation area comprising more than 10,000 square kilometres of lake and includes lakebeds, islands and north shorelands -- the largest protected freshwater marine area in the world. Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area

Water Data to Answer Urgent Water Policy Questions

<> Water Data to Answer Urgent Water Policy Questions - This report from the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey summarizes one case study -- an investigation of water-quality data relating to nutrient enrichment in the Lake Erie drainage basin.

Enviros Urge Shift Focus To Prevention To Keep Toxics Out of the Great Lakes

<> Enviros Urge Shift Focus To Prevention To Keep Toxics Out of the Great Lakes - The environmental community on both sides of the lakes is calling on the Canadian and U.S. governments to speed up their actions to address toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes Basin. Report: Advancing Prevention of Toxic Chemicals in the Great Lakes Basin: An ENGO perspective on current binational efforts [environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs)]

Great Lakes Compact and Agreement - Water in Its Place

<> Great Lakes Compact and Agreement – Water in Its Place - A short film commemorating the ten-year anniversary of the Great Lakes Compact and Agreement.

Study Finds Inadequate Water Data in the Lake Erie Drainage Basin

<> Study Finds Inadequate Water Data in the Lake Erie Drainage Basin - A new study released by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey found that current water quality monitoring in the Lake Erie drainage basin is inadequate for evaluating agricultural management practices for improving the health of Lake Erie. Lake Erie Nutrient Case Study Report Files

Interim Lake Erie nutrient reduction plan released

<> Interim Lake Erie nutrient reduction plan released - Following months of work through the Great Lakes Commission, the Lake Erie Nutrient Targets (LENT) Working Group, comprised of the four states bordering the lake (Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York) and the province of Ontario released a nine-step interim Joint Action Plan for nutrient reduction -- the interim Joint Action Plan complements and provides additional detail to the Collaborative Agreement signed by the western basin governors of Michigan and Ohio and the premier of Ontario on June 13. LENT Working Group website – link to the draft plan and related information

2015 RFA for Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program

<> 2015 RFA for Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program - The RFA from U.S. EPA solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to support a project to continue monitoring and assessment of Great Lakes coastal wetlands pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan II -- deadline July 31

States Agree to Cut Pollutants Behind Lake Erie Algae

<> States Agree to Cut Pollutants Behind Lake Erie Algae - Ohio and Michigan, along with Ontario, Canada, said Friday that they will work to cut the amount of phosphorus flowing into western Lake Erie by 40 percent within the next 10 years. MI Gov. Rick Snyder leading Great Lakes summit in Quebec City Leaders pledge water quality improvements for Lake Erie Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorus Reduction Agreement - Through an adaptive management process, work to achieve a recommended 40 percent total load reduction in the amount of total and dissolved reactive phosphorus entering Lake Erie's Western Basin by the year 2025 with an aspirational interim goal of a 20 percent reduction by 2020

Mayors Call on US and Canada to Protect Drinking Water

<> Mayors Call on US and Canada to Protect Drinking Water - Mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) are calling on the Governors of Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, along with the Premier of Ontario to move forward to get major reductions in Nutrient loadings to Lake Erie -- the Mayors are calling for at least a 40% reduction in nutrient loadings from agriculture, cities, and industry.

Lac des Illes contamination could eventually reach Lake Superior

<> Lac des Illes contamination could eventually reach Lake Superior - The spread of contaminated water from a spill at the Lac des Iles mine, Ont. (90 km northwest of Thunder Bay), could eventually reach Lake Superior.

Decision on Lake Huron nuclear waste facility delayed until after election

<> Decision on Lake Huron nuclear waste facility delayed until after election - Canadian Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq has delayed until after the fall election a controversial decision on whether to approve a proposed nuclear-waste facility on the shores of Lake Huron – an issue that has bitterly divided communities in the region -- the general election is set for late October. Detroit News Editorial: Burial is the best option for nuclear waste

Officials warn against swimming at four Lake Erie beaches due to high E. coli levels

<> Officials warn against swimming at four Lake Erie beaches due to high E. coli levels - Officials in Oakland County on Wednesday also advised against swimming and recreational activities in parts of another body of water, the Clinton River, where an apparent oil spill was reported last Monday.

International Joint Commission seeks air quality comments

<> International Joint Commission seeks air quality comments - The International Joint Commission seeks public comments by July 31 on its newest air quality progress report, which champions recent efforts to meet emissions targets in the United States and Canada. Air Quality Agreement Progress Report 2014

New Michigan panel to explore commercial net-pen aquaculture in Great Lakes

<> New Michigan panel to explore commercial net-pen aquaculture in Great Lakes - State natural resource, agriculture and environment leaders  announced the appointment of a scientific advisory panel to evaluate proposals to allow commercial net-pen aquaculture in Michigan's Great Lakes waters -- "Net-pen aquaculture" is named for the offshore floating enclosures (usually located off coastlines) capable of raising large numbers of fish.

Twenty five causes of excess soluble phosphorus in Lake Erie

<> Twenty five causes of excess soluble phosphorus in Lake Erie - Soluble phosphorus has been identified as one of the major contributors to the harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. Unfortunately, there is not one simple solution.