Friday, April 29, 2016

Great Lakes climate factsheets

<> Great Lakes climate factsheets - The Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan created a series of Great Lakes climate factsheets regarding the challenges municipalities face when dealing with climate change, and lessons learned from interacting with several major cities in the region.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Banned PCBs still haunt Great Lakes

<> Banned PCBs still haunt Great Lakes - "Uncontrolled sources are now the worst," referring to ongoing sources such as paint, landfills and sludge beds that continue to release PCBs into the air.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

2016 Asian Carp Action Plan Released

<> 2016 Asian Carp Action Plan Released - The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC) announced the release of the 2016 Asian Carp Control Action Plan -- formerly called the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework, the document outlines the strategic and coordinated actions federal, provincial, state and local partners are taking to stop the introduction, spread and establishment of Asian carp into the Great Lakes -- more than $386 million invested in research, control and monitoring efforts.

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Dairy farms taking a toll on Great Lakes, waterways

<> Dairy farms taking a toll on Great Lakes, waterways - With blue-green algae blooms becoming a part of summer in Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, concern is growing that nutrients — including those from cow manure and from large operations with more than 700 milk-producing animals — could be a long-term problem as farmers look for places to put cow waste -- dairy cows defecate more than 80 pounds per day

Monday, April 25, 2016

Great Lakes officials scale-back Waukesha water diversion plan

<> Great Lakes officials scale-back Waukesha water diversion plan - The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Regional Body came up with a tentative plan that would reduce the number of communities in a future water service area -- but, nothing is final -- further meeting May 2

Friday, April 22, 2016

Great Lakes leaders to scrutinize Waukesha water diversion bid

<> Great Lakes leaders to scrutinize Waukesha water diversion bid - If the Great Lakes officials meeting in Chicago cannot agree by Friday (Apr 22) to support each of the DNR's findings, or whether to place additional restrictions on the diversion plan, they will reconvene May 10 and 11 to complete their work -- the compact requires a unanimous affirmative vote of the eight states to succeed.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Mayors Urge Governors and Premiers to Reject Waukesha Application

<> Mayors Urge Governors and Premiers to Reject Waukesha Application - Mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative call on the Governors and Premiers of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence basin to reject the Waukesha Water Diversion Application and uphold the Great Lakes Compact and Agreement.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

COMMENTARY: On Straits pipeline, take the right steps to protect lakes

<> COMMENTARY: On Straits pipeline, take the right steps to protect lakes - This pipeline in our Great Lakes hasn't been independently verified to be safe -- until the owners, Enbridge, agree to operate in our Great Lakes 100% transparently and safely, they forfeit the right to use our waters – and this pipeline at the Straits should be shut down immediately. [by Lon Johnson, former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, now running the U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan's 1st District.]

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Higher Lake Michigan water level means less beach

<> Higher Lake Michigan water level means less beach - Lake Michigan's water level is nearly an inch above where it was this time last year. For boats and those in the shipping industry, higher levels mean easier access for all.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Western Lake Erie Report Update

<> Western Lake Erie Report Update - In response to questions of interpretation related to results in the report, Informing Lake Erie Agriculture Nutrient Management via Scenario Evaluation, communications improvements have been made in an April 2016 update.

Friday, April 15, 2016

COMMENTARY: What if Enbridge is wrong about its 63-year-old pipeline?

<> COMMENTARY: What if Enbridge is wrong about its 63-year-old pipeline? - Although the pipes lying beneath the Straits of Mackinac were meant to last only 50 years, the Enbridge people say that, with proper maintenance, they could serve their purpose much longer than that. 

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Great Lakes Protection is Critical, Canadian and American Residents Tell International Joint Commission

<> Great Lakes Protection is Critical, Canadian and American Residents Tell International Joint Commission - Eighty-five percent of respondents believe protecting the Great Lakes is highly important, according to one of the largest surveys ever conducted on public perception of the world's largest freshwater system -- the IJC sponsored the survey is summarized in a new report

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

St. Lawrence listed among endangered waterways

<> St. Lawrence listed among endangered waterways - The impact of outdated dam operations has placed the St. Lawrence River among the most endangered watercourses in the United States, according to an American environmental group -- No. 9 on a list of 10 rivers named Tuesday as the most endangered rivers in the United States by American Rivers

Monday, April 11, 2016

Move over Polar Vortex, "Omega Block" to bring warmer, dry weather to Great Lakes

<> Move over Polar Vortex, "Omega Block" to bring warmer, dry weather to Great Lakes - A weather pattern called an "omega block" will be forming over the U.S. this week -- the Great Lakes and Michigan will be centered under the warm and dry part of the omega block.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Public invited to forum focused on Lake Erie issues

<> Public invited to forum focused on Lake Erie issues - Pennsylvania Sea Grant and the state Department of Environmental Protection are inviting community members to the first meeting of the new Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Waukesha Great Lakes water diversion proposal strongly opposed

<> Waukesha Great Lakes water diversion proposal strongly opposed - The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center and Wayne State's Transnational Environmental Law Clinic filed a comment letter authored by Charlotte Johnson, and this is her guest post.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Great Lakes issues key in campaign

<> Great Lakes issues key in campaign - Concern over the twin pipeline Line 5 at the Straits has increased since the state's Michigan Petroleum Pipeline Taskforce published its recommendations.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Waterway From Lake Michigan To Wisconsin Being Challenged

<> Waterway From Lake Michigan To Wisconsin Being Challenged – Michigan State Attorney General Bill Schuette has sent a letter to Great Lakes governors challenging a proposal to allow the Wisconsin city of Waukesha to withdraw water from Lake Michigan.

Friday, April 1, 2016

MI AG Asks for Further Review of Wisconsin City's Plan to Divert 10 Million Gallons of Water Per Day from Lake Michigan

<> MI AG Asks for Further Review of Wisconsin City's Plan to Divert 10 Million Gallons of Water Per Day from Lake Michigan - Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has issued formal notice to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors' and Premiers' Regional Body and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Resources Council to voice his concerns regarding the city of Waukesha, Wisconsin's request to divert 10.1 million gallons of water per day from the Great Lakes basin.