GLC Reacts To EPA Inspector General AOC Report

Sep 30: U.S. EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report in mid-September entitled, EPA Needs a Cohesive Plan to Clean Up the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (No. 09-P-0231, September 14, 2009) [See WIMS 9/15/09], evaluating the Agency’s management of contaminated sediment cleanups in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC). The report focuses on the effectiveness of the Great Lakes Legacy Act, established in 2002 to fund the cleanup of contaminated sediment sites in the 31 AOCs in the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes. The report indicated that the U.S. EPA lacks a coordinated approach for managing sediment cleanups and recommends that the agency establish a management plan for remediating contaminated sediments; develop an action plan for each site; and publish comprehensive information on each site annually.

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) issued a reaction to the report and said it has long been concerned about the slow pace of progress in restoring the AOCs, but believes that changes to the Great Lakes Legacy Act, coupled with the proposed Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will address many of the issues raised in the OIG report. The Commission believes that "improved coordination and data collection will strengthen the program, particularly as additional resources become available to implement sediment cleanups."

GLC said that, "President Obama’s proposed $475 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) will accelerate the pace of cleaning up the Great Lakes. Nearly one-third of the funding is proposed for removing contaminated sediments and restoring the AOCs." GLC indicated that, "While improved coordination and better information are always warranted, the key obstacle facing the Great Lakes has been the lack of adequate funding to implement a comprehensive restoration program. . . The program has facilitated productive federal-state-industry partnerships that are yielding real results while minimizing wasteful litigation and bureaucratic delays. Where additional improvements are needed . . .they should be incorporated into cleanups as they are developed and implemented. However, this should occur concurrent with -- and not delay the implementation of -- the GLRI."

Access a release from the GLC (click here).

Great Lakes Conferences' Sessions Webcast Live

Sep 25: Experts will discuss Lake Michigan and Great Lakes issues at three conferences in Milwaukee from September 29 through October 2. Topics at the concurrent State of Lake Michigan and Great Lakes Beach Association conferences September 29 - October 1 include Lake Michigan fisheries; invasive species; nuisance and harmful algal blooms; climate change; lake water levels; sustainability; progress in cleanups on contaminated sediment; rapid testing methods for beach management; and beach restoration. In association with these meetings, the annual Areas of Concern (AOC) conference will be held October 1-2 at the same location.

The events will be held at the Hyatt Regency and many sessions will be webcast live (See link below). The conferences are sponsored by U.S. EPA, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, Great Lakes Beach Association and many other organizations.

Access agendas, sponsors and information at (click here). Access separate information for the Areas of Concern conference (click here). Access the schedule of conference session webcasts (click here).

OIG Says AOC Cleanups May Not Succeed Without Major Changes

Sep 14: U.S. EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report entitled, EPA Needs a Cohesive Plan to Clean Up the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (No. 09-P-0231, September 14, 2009). OIG conducted the evaluation to determine how effectively U.S. EPA has fulfilled its role for managing Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) clean-ups, particularly for remediating contaminated sediments. OIG examined the results of EPA's Great Lakes AOC effort and assessed whether EPA has an effective strategy to meet its goals.


Thirty-one AOCs have been identified around the U.S. border of the Great Lakes. All but one are polluted with contaminated sediments. To provide a funding source for sediment remediation, Congress passed the Great Lakes Legacy Act (Legacy Act) in 2002. EPA, through the Great Lakes National Program Office, is responsible for working with the States, localities, and other stakeholders to remove this contaminated sediment.


The OIG found that since 2004, EPA has completed five Legacy Act-funded contaminated sediment clean-ups and remediated approximately 800,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. However, EPA is challenged by the overall extent of the contaminated sediment problem in the Great Lakes AOCs. EPA is the designated lead Agency for the clean-ups; however, OIG found EPA does not have a regime for coordinating remediation activities across its program offices as well as with States, localities, and other stakeholders. While some results have been achieved in cleaning up individual sediment sites, EPA has not developed or implemented a coordinated approach to manage clean-ups.


EPA does not know the full extent of the contaminated sediment problem. Accurate sediment estimates for more than 30 percent of the remediation sites remain unknown. Potential Great Lakes Legacy Act clean-up sites have an estimated federal cost of $2.25 billion. Local partners will have to come up with a total of $1.21 billion in non-Federal matching funds before Legacy Act assistance is provided. OIG estimated that at the current rate of progress, it may take more than 77 years to complete all of these clean-ups. Moreover, remediation will be conducted in the order that individual local governments and stakeholders can afford, rather than with regard to the risks posed to human health or the environment. OIG concluded that without improved management, coordination, and accountability, EPA will not succeed in achieving the results intended for the AOC program.


OIG recommends that the Great Lakes National Program Manager: (1) establish an AOC management plan that includes written designations of authority and responsibility for each EPA program office with regard to remediating contaminated sediment; (2) assign a lead EPA office to each Sediment Remediation Site and determine the volume of contaminated sediment at each site; and (3) annually measure and publish estimates of Sediment Remediation Site sediment volumes, clean-up costs, and stakeholder progress for each site. EPA concurred with developing a limited management plan (but not designating site-specific leadership authorities), and proposed that this management plan would also be updated to include annual reporting on Sediment Remediation Sites. However, OIG said, "these actions are insufficient and do not meet the intent of the recommendations. The recommendations are unresolved."


Access the complete 21-page report (click here).

EPA Administrator Jackson Greets Great Lakes Commission

Feb 24: U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson addressed the semiannual meeting of the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) as part of Great Lakes Day on February 24, at the Madison Hotel in Washington, DC. She said, "As the Great Lakes go, so goes the national policy as to water.” Jackson noted that President Barack Obama established his commitment to Great Lakes protection early in his campaign and continues to demonstrate that commitment through such legislative vehicles as the American Recovery Act, the recently passed stimulus bill. She said, “We look at the Act as extremely important to restoring infrastructure." She indicated that, “Removal of persistent toxins is really necessary,” she said. “It is expensive and takes a lot of time but we will continue.” The administrator pledged to work to reverse the previous Administration to increase funding to clean up Areas of Concern.

With an underlying theme at the meeting of environmental restoration of the Great Lakes as an economic development strategy, Commission Chair and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn exhorted the Commission member states and Canadian provinces to maximize the potential of the lakes to lure new business and investment. Among actions taken by the Commission were resolutions endorsing reauthorization of the Coastal Zone Management Act, supporting reform of the Harbor Maintenance Tax and Trust Fund, and supporting the American Wind Energy Association’s upcoming Windpower Conference in Chicago.

Access an announcement from GLC (click here). Access an overview and resolutions from the GLC Semiannual Meeting (click here). Access a summary of GLC recommendations to Congress (click here). Access a two-part video of Jackson's presentation to the GLC on the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition website (click here).

ATSDR Report On Chemical Releases In The Great Lakes Region

Jan 27: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), announced the official availability of the report, ATSDR Studies on Chemical Releases in the Great Lakes Region [74 FR 4751]. The report responds to a request from the International Joint Commission (IJC), the binational organization that works to implement the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) between the U.S. and Canada. The GLWQA calls for the two nations to define "the threat to human health from critical pollutants" found in the Great Lakes basin.

The report summarizes previously-published public health assessment products and chemical release information for the 26 U.S. Areas of Concern (AOCs) and 54 counties that are in close geographic proximity to those AOCs. ATSDR says, "It is a descriptive report that does not make associations between health outcomes and chemical exposures." The compilation of environmental data, gathered by ATSDR and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is intended to help decision-makers set future priorities.

The originally controversial report, which had been suppressed for nearly a year was revealed on February 7, 2008, by the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) which announced that a massive 400-page study, originally entitled, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern [AOCs], and completed in July 2007, was being withheld [See WIMS 2/8/08]. The suppression of the study was the subject of an inquiry and investigation from Representatives John Dingell (D-MI), then Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee [See WIMS 3/14/08].

Access the FR announcement (click here). Access links to the final report and extensive background information (click here).

Local Chambers Launch Great Lakes/Midwest Regional Agenda

Oct 15: The Great Lakes Region Coalition (GLRC), a coalition of over 30 chambers of commerce and 94,000 job providers, has launched an initiative promoting an aggressive Federal legislative business agenda for growing the Midwest region’s economy, creating jobs and attracting investment for states in the Great Lakes area. GLRC notes that Great Lakes region, which is an important political battleground in the presidential election, makes up about a third of the nation’s overall economy and represents a third of the country’s population.

The coalition agenda includes the following business priorities: Improving the Midwest’s transportation infrastructure; Creating a more open and secure border with Canada; Adopting a comprehensive immigration policy; Diversifying the region’s economy by boosting innovation and entrepreneurship; and Harnessing the Great Lakes’ economic potential. Richard Blouse Jr., president and CEO for the Detroit Regional Chamber said, “In the global economy, regions are competing for business and jobs. The Midwest states are working together to aggressively grow jobs and attract investment.”

GLRC members said, "What is good for the Midwest is good for the United States. . .As the presidential candidates vigorously campaign for votes in these swing states, they need to hear from the employers creating jobs and growing businesses on how best to strengthen the region’s economy. . . Midwestern states are leading exporters for the U.S. and improving the region’s economic standing will strengthen the nation’s role in the global economy.”

The agenda further calls for renewing and leveraging the "Great Lakes and our natural attributes to transform the economic region by supporting business development and research opportunities compatible with fresh water technology, and water-based development, while protecting and improving both the supply and the quality of water for use in our region without diversion." The group is advocating the completion of the proposed Great Lakes Restoration plan now pending before Congress.

GLRC has defined a new Great Lakes/Midwest Region including all or parts of twelve states -- New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The initiative evolved from the Summit of Metropolitan Chambers of Commerce in the Great Lakes states, held in February, 2008. The Summit was the first of its kind in the region and was motivated by the desire of leaders of business communities in the Great Lakes region to develop a shared economic policy and advocacy agenda that reflects the common economic interests of the Great Lakes/Midwest region and addresses the opportunities that lie ahead. More than 45 CEOs and staff from 30 chambers and other business groups attended the summit, as did key staff from the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.

The agenda says that the Federal government should seek to partner with public and private research organizations in the Great Lakes and calls for increased Federal support of research and development in the Great Lakes states focusing on: Clean energy; Sustainable transportation; Clean and abundant fresh water; High quality environmental conditions; and Forward-looking life sciences and health care. Further, the agenda states: "The recent ratification of the Great Lakes Compact and passage of the Great Lakes Legacy Act are major milestones in the life of the lakes and recognition of the vital role they will play in the region’s future. However, there is more to do."

Specifically the agenda calls for implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Strategy; providing funding of $13.75 billion of the estimated $26 billion to address Great Lakes needs including:Aquatic invasive species, Habitats and conservation, Coastal health, Areas of concern, Non-point sources, Toxic pollutants, Sustainable development,cr Indicators and information. Additionally, the Federal government should establish programs to control untreated ballast water from ocean-going vessels; to rebuild the region’s water and sewer infrastructure; provide adequate matching resources to eliminate combined sewer overflows and storm water runoff; provide resources to meet federal air quality standards; legal support for the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR); and increased funding for the Diesel Emission Reduction Act.

Access a release from the Detroit Regional Chamber (click here). Access the 9-page business agenda and list of participating chambers (click here).

Groups Seek Signatures For Toxics-Free Great Lakes Pledge

Oct 2: Environmental groups are asking the leaders of the Canadian Federal parties to put their name to a pledge to make toxic pollution in the Great Lakes region a top priority. They said the Pledge for a Toxics-Free Great Lakes establishes the first steps for cleaning up the Great Lakes. The groups include: Canadian Environmental Law Association; Great Lakes United; and Ecojustice.

Specifically, the pledge asks leaders to: (1) Support the vision of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, signed by Canada and the United States, to work toward the elimination of persistent toxic substances in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. (2) Support the call for zero discharge of persistent toxic chemicals and other toxic substances in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River ecosystem by: Establishing a phase out and elimination strategy for toxic substances; applying a reverse onus that will require chemical users, manufacturers, importers and sellers to demonstrate safety of chemicals before use; assessing and implementing safe alternatives; and applying the precautionary principle. (3) By 2012, complete all actions need for delisting 10 Areas of Concern, and all actions completed for the remaining Areas of Concerns in Canada by 2015. (4) Create a Great Lakes Clean Water Infrastructure fund to upgrade and 'green' municipal wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Access a release (click here). Access links to background information, the pledge and find out who signs it (click here).

IOM Says CDC Great Lakes Reports Have Shortcomings

Sep 5: According to a release and a review by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (IOM), two drafts of a yet-to-be-finalized report [See WIMS 3/14/08] looking at health and pollution data from the Great Lakes region have problems that diminish the documents' scientific quality. These shortcomings limit the usefulness of the drafts -- prepared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- in determining whether health risks might be associated with living near the lakes.

Questions about the scientific quality of the drafts and concern following the unauthorized publication of one of the interim drafts on a public website [See WIMS 2/8/08] led CDC to ask the IOM for an independent review of the documents. The drafts originated with an international commission's request for CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to evaluate the public health implications of hazardous materials present in certain areas within U.S. states in the Great Lakes basin. The IOM committee focused on a 2007 draft and a 2008 version that was prepared after directors within ATSDR expressed apprehension about the 2007 draft's methodology and conclusions and postponed its public release. No final report has been released.

"We found problems in how each draft was developed, which data were used, and what conclusions the authors drew," said Robert Wallace, Irene Ensminger Stecher Professor of Epidemiology and Internal Medicine, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, and chair of the committee that wrote the report. "Our task was to focus solely on the scientific quality of the drafts and not to assess whether pollution around the Great Lakes poses health concerns," he added. "The problems we found in the drafts would limit the ability of officials and others to draw conclusions from them about whether any health risks are associated with living in or near certain places around the Great Lakes."

Most of the concerns about the 2007 draft raised by CDC's peer reviewers and ATSDR directors -- particularly how data were selected and used -- are valid, the committee concluded. Pollution and health data were lumped together despite differences in where and when the information was collected and despite lack of supporting evidence or explanation of how particular contaminants could lead to any of the identified health problems. The release indicates that, "This juxtaposition of data without explanation or support could lead readers to assume links between contamination and health problems regardless of whether they actually exist. Furthermore, some data that might have provided useful evidence apparently were not considered, and the drafts contained little explanation for why the data used were chosen."

The Committee concluded, "The 2008 draft provides only a summary of selected data on chemical releases and contamination and does not add substantially to the understanding of pollution around the Great Lakes. Though the authors' decision to leave out the health data in the 2008 draft is understandable given its incompatibilities with the available contamination data, it significantly changed the nature of the resulting draft and scope of response to the original request to CDC." The committee also noted problems with using the selected contaminant data as indicators of actual exposures. Moreover, the draft lacks information on other potential sources of contaminants or ways that people could be exposed.

Access a release from the IOM and link to the complete 50-page report (click here). Access the ATSDR website for the Great Lakes report which contains extensive links to background information, the Statement of Concern, the 2004 & 2007 & 2008 drafts, and more (click here).

Annual Meeting For The U.S. Areas of Concern

Aug 5: U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office; the Great Lakes Commission; and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have announced the annual meeting for the U.S. Areas of Concern (AOCs). The meeting will be held September 24-25, 2008, at Kensington Court, Ann Arbor, Michigan and will convene participants from the 30 U.S. AOCs to review recent developments affecting the sites of contamination.

The meeting will feature more than 40 presentations on activities underway in the U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern on the following major topics: Current status and future direction for the U.S. AOC program; Great Lakes Legacy Act and contaminated sediment cleanups in the AOCs; Progress in establishing restoration targets and delisting the AOCs; Fish and wildlife restoration efforts in the AOCs; Capacity building and sustainability for local RAP groups; and Communications and advocacy.

Access complete meeting details and registration information (click here).

Senators Introduce Great Lakes Legacy Act

May 8: Senator Carl Levin, (D-MI) and Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), co-chairmen of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, introduced the bipartisan Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 (S. 2994), to expand on legislation passed six years ago. The bill aims to clean up contaminated expanses in the Great Lakes known as “Areas of Concern” (AOCs) within 10 years. The bill focuses on the forty-three AOCs that have been identified in the Great Lakes, 13 of which are in Michigan and four in Ohio. The bill would authorize $150 million annually for clean up of the AOCs. The cosponsors of the bill are Senators Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, Sherrod Brown, D-OH, Hillary Clinton, D-NY, Norm Coleman, R-MN, Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, Barack Obama, D-IL, and Charles Schumer, D-NY.

Senator Levin said, “The Great Lakes are an indispensable natural, economic and recreation resource for Michigan and many other states. We must continue the progress we’ve made on cleaning up the contaminated sites in the lakes. This legislation builds on the existing Legacy program in several crucial ways and will help protect and restore this unique treasure for the benefit of citizens throughout the Midwest and across the nation.”

Senator Voinovich said, “Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes has been a top priority of mine throughout my political career. As co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, I am focused on working with the Great Lakes delegation to advance restoration efforts in this critical region. This bill will provide EPA with the tools and resources to remove contaminated sediment and clean up Areas of Concern and is a vital piece of a comprehensive strategy that is absolutely necessary to protect the Great Lakes for generations to come.”

The AOCs do not meet the water quality goals established by the United States and Canada in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, mainly because of contaminated sediments from historic industrial activity. This contamination results in several detrimental consequences including fish advisories, degradation of fish and wildlife populations, taste and odor problems with drinking water, beach closures, and bird and animal deformities or reproductive problems.

The legislation would give EPA greater flexibility to manage funds by allowing the EPA to distribute funds directly to contractors and would provide relief to states from burdensome requirements. Under this bill, eligible projects would be expanded to include habitat restoration. Many Areas of Concern cannot be delisted until habitat restoration work is done. Also, the bill would give the EPA the discretion to provide Legacy Act monies to demonstration and pilot projects.

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes (HOW) Coalition consisting of more than 90 zoos, aquariums, museums, and hunting, fishing, and environmental organizations representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes issued a statement saying, "Cleaning up toxic pollution in the Great Lakes is essential to our public health, economy and way of life. We urge the U.S. Congress to pass and fund this important, efficient and successful clean-up program. . . The pace of clean-up has been inadequate. We can do better and need to do better. We know that healthy lakes go hand-in-hand with healthy communities and a healthy economy. The time to act is now.”

Access a release from Senators Levin and Voinovich including a brief summary of key provisions (click here). Access a release from the HOW Coalition (click here). Access legislative details for S. 2994 (click here). Access complete information on AOCs (click here).

Controversial AOC Health Report Released For Comments

Apr 30: Dr. Henry Falk, Director, Coordinating Center for Environmental Health and Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) had issued a revised report for public comment on what is known about environmental contaminants and human health in 26 Great Lakes “Areas of Concern” (AOCs). The controversial report which had been suppressed for nearly a year responds to a request from the International Joint Commission (IJC) to define the threat to human health from critical pollutants found in the Great Lakes basin. The report analyzes many sources of data on environmental exposures and on human health in the Great Lakes basin. The report is open for public comment for 60 days.

On February 7, the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) announced that a massive 400-page study, originally entitled, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern [AOCs], completed in July 2007, was being withheld [See WIMS 2/8/08]. Subsequently, an inquiry and investigation from Representatives John Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI) caused the study to be publicly released [See WIMS 3/14/08]. The latest 2008 draft report released for comment is now entitled, Selected Information on Chemical Releases Within Great Lakes Counties Containing Areas of Concern (AOC).

According to a CDC announcement, the key conclusions of the revised report include: 1) available environmental health data provide a useful but only a partial picture of the burden of chemical exposures people in the region face; 2) current health and environmental data collection cannot define the threat to human health from critical pollutants in the Great Lakes region; and 3) need for additional data collection and analysis to permit scientists, decision makers, and members of the public to define the threat to human health from pollutants in the Great Lakes basin. CDC indicates that comments should be submitted by email to: greatlakes@cdc.gov.

Access the CDC announcement (click here). Access the ATSDR website for the Great Lakes report which contains extensive links to background information, the Statement of Concern, the 2004 & 2007 & 2008 drafts, and more (click here). Access the 2008 draft report (click here).

CDC/ATSDR Release Great Lakes AOC Health Report

Mar 14: Following an inquiry and investigation from Representatives John Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has publicly released a study that reportedly demonstrates a correlation between pollution in the Great Lakes and health issues such as cancer mortality and higher infant mortality rates [See WIMS 2/29/08].

On February 7, the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) announced that the massive 400-page study, officially entitled, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern [AOCs], completed in July 2007, was being withheld [See WIMS 2/8/08]. The report follows several years of work and extensive scientific peer review. CPI released an unofficial redacted copy of the report and said it had been withheld for 7 months because it contained potentially “alarming information” as evidence of elevated infant mortality and cancer rates."

Representative John Dingell issued a statement on the decision to release the report and said, “The good news is that the CDC finally decided to make the report public. The bad news is that it took the urging of this Committee to make them do it. What we still do not know is why this agency, given its historically credible reputation, has kept this report under wraps for almost a year. The Committee will continue its investigation into who made the decision to withhold the publication of the report, the basis for doing so, and how the CDC and ATSDR treated the scientists involved in conducting the study and writing the report.”

In releasing the report, ATSDR also issued what it called a 9-page, "Statement of Scientific Concerns About the Draft Report." According to the Statement Summary, "Understanding environmental conditions in the Great Lakes region and protecting residents from possible health effects is a priority for CDC and ATSDR. Community members in the Great Lakes region deserve accurate information provided in a timely manner. The decision to take additional time to improve the draft report in order to ensure its scientific quality was difficult, but it was necessary. The delay in issuing the draft report has not deprived the public of critical environmental health information because the health assessments and other environmental data on which the draft report was based already are publicly available elsewhere.

"CDC and ATSDR consistently have provided the people living in the Great Lakes states with up-to-date information to help protect them from exposures to toxic chemicals. Between January 2001 and February 2008 in the 8 Great Lakes states, ATSDR has developed and supported 756 documents pertaining to 528 sites and both ATSDR and CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health have many ongoing scientific and programmatic activities in those states. CDC and ATSDR are committed to providing useful, scientifically sound information that will help decisionmakers protect public health and the environment."

ATSDR indicates further that the intent of the draft report was to help decision-makers set future priorities for research and public health action. Accordingly, "ATSDR staff identified and assembled certain existing data related to both environmental pollutants and health, and they distributed a draft report for peer review in 2004. Between April 2004 and July 2007, the draft report underwent revision. When the draft report was reviewed by ATSDR leadership in June 2007, significant scientific shortcomings were identified. Similar concerns also were expressed by multiple levels of scientific leadership within CDC, ATSDR, and among various partners and stakeholders. The report is being rewritten to address those scientific concerns.

"The draft reports from 2004 and 2007 were provided to the Institute of Medicine -- an independent, unbiased, authoritative source of science-based health information -- to conduct an independent review of the science presented in the draft report and the decision to improve its scientific content and communication prior to release. Those drafts are made available here. When the 2008 revised draft is complete, it will also be made available here."

Access the ATSDR website for the Great Lakes report which contains extensive links to background information, the Statement of Concern, the 2004 & 2007 drafts, and more (click here). Access a statement from Representative Dingell (click here).

House Investigates CDC Suppressed Great Lakes Report

Feb 28: Representatives John Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, announced an investigation into the withholding of a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) that reportedly demonstrates a correlation between pollution in the Great Lakes and health issues such as cancer mortality and higher infant mortality rates. On February 7, the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) announced that, "For more than seven months, the nation’s top public health agency has blocked the publication of an exhaustive federal study of environmental hazards in the eight Great Lakes states, reportedly because it contains such potentially “alarming information” as evidence of elevated infant mortality and cancer rates." [See WIMS 2/8/08].

Dingell said, “Pollution in our Great Lakes can have very real health consequences for the millions of Americans who live in and around the Great Lakes basin. If the Administration has willfully withheld a report from the public, it raises questions about whether they are putting the public health at risk and about the scientific integrity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Stupak said, “With a mission to promote health and prevent disease, CDC has an obligation to share the results of this report with the American public. Instead it appears CDC has made a concerted effort to conceal this information. The health challenges facing these Great Lakes communities will not go away by ignoring the scientific facts. This report could be a valuable tool as federal, state and local governments allocate resources for Great Lakes clean-up efforts. We intend to determine through our investigation who at CDC made the decision to withhold the report and whether the author was penalized for advocating for its publication.”

The massive 400-page study, officially entitled, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern, was completed in July 2007, following several years of work and extensive scientific peer review. According to a recent article by the Center for Public Integrity, officials at ATSDR, blocked the study’s publication. In a letter sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dingell and Stupak asked that the Great Lakes Report be published so that the validity of its findings can be fairly evaluated. The letter also requests information on events surrounding the suppression of the study. According to the article by the Center for Public Integrity, the Great Lakes Report’s chief author, Dr. Christopher De Rosa, was demoted after working to see the Great Lakes Report released to the public.

Access a release from Dingell and Stupak with links to the letter to CDC and the draft report (click here).

Great Lakes Commission Recommendations On Legacy Act

Feb 15: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act in order to continue progress in remediating contaminated sediments in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs). First passed in 2002, the Great Lakes Legacy Act authorizes funding to remediate contaminated sediments in the U.S. and binational Great Lakes Areas of Concern designated under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Commission Chair and Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry Jr., in a letter to Congressional leaders and members of the House and Senate Great Lakes Task Forces said, “The Legacy Act program has been highly successful in cleaning up toxic hot spots in Great Lakes rivers and harbors and has become a cornerstone of Great Lakes restoration efforts. It’s critical that Congress reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act and maintain this vital program for restoring the Great Lakes.” Cherry noted that the Commission’s recommendations are consistent with the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration and that the Legacy Act enjoys strong support from the Great Lakes states, the business community, regional environmental organizations and local Area of Concern advisory councils.

The Commission recommended several amendments to benefit the Great Lakes states and improve the Legacy Act’s effectiveness and efficiency. Two major recommendations included, one, reauthorizing the Legacy Act through 2013 and increasing authorized appropriations to $150 million annually, consistent with the recommendations of the Great Lake Regional Collaboration and to better match the projected long-term costs of remediating contaminated sediments. Second, the GLC recommended that the current 35 percent nonfederal cost-share requirement be reduced to 25 percent for orphan sites where no responsible party is available to support the nonfederal cost share, to lessen the burden on states and local communities. The complete list of recommendations and additional information is available fro the contacts below.

To date, five cleanup projects and seven projects to monitor and evaluate contaminated sediments have been implemented under the Legacy Act, with eight additional projects now under review. The original Great Lakes Legacy Act enacted in 2002 authorized $270 million over five years to remediate contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern.

Access a release from the GLC (click here). Access the complete recommendations and background (click here).

ATSDR Great Lakes AOCs Report Held Up 7 Months

Feb 7: According to the Center for Public Integrity (CPI), "For more than seven months, the nation’s top public health agency has blocked the publication of an exhaustive federal study of environmental hazards in the eight Great Lakes states, reportedly because it contains such potentially “alarming information” as evidence of elevated infant mortality and cancer rates."

CPI says the 400-plus-page study, Public Health Implications of Hazardous Substances in the Twenty-Six U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern, was undertaken by a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the request of the International Joint Commission (IJC), an independent bilateral organization that advises the U.S. and Canadian governments on the use and quality of boundary waters between the two countries. The study was originally scheduled for release in July 2007 by the IJC and the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

CPI has obtained the study, which it says "warns that more than nine million people who live in the more than two dozen 'areas of concern' [AOCs] -- including such major metropolitan areas as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee -- may face elevated health risks from being exposed to dioxin, PCBs, pesticides, lead, mercury, or six other hazardous pollutants."

Access a brief article on the report and link to the report which is marked throughout "do not quote or cite" (click here). Access links to various Internet citations to the report (click here). Access various Blog posts regarding the report (click here). Access various news media reports (click here). Access complete information on Great Lakes AOCs (click here).

Presque Isle Bay AOC Air Deposition Study

Jan 15: Presque Isle Bay near Erie, Pennsylvania, is one of 43 locations around the Great Lakes region to have been designated an “Area of Concern” by the International Joint Commission (IJC), indicating that past use and contamination of the bay has led to impairments on the ability to fully use the bay for beneficial purposes. Presque Isle Bay has become the first of these 43 areas to be re-designated as an “Area of Recovery,” indicating that the bay’s management committee has determined that allowing a natural recovery -- rather than an active remediation project -- is the best course for bringing the bay back to full health. Local, state and national officials are therefore working hard to eliminate remaining sources of pollution to the bay and determine how long a wait is needed until the bay will return to health on its own.

Although historical pollution of the bay was largely through industrial discharges directly into the bay’s waters, the great majority of such releases have now been eliminated. However, large amounts of some toxic substances may be entering the bay -- and Lake Erie to which it connects -- by depositing from the atmosphere. If chemicals are entering from the atmosphere at a significant level, it could significantly affect the time it will take for the bay to recover and for pollution levels in the bay’s sediment to decrease.

Among the primary contaminants causing concern in Presque Isle Bay are a group known as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Unlike some persistent chemicals that can be transported across the globe in the atmosphere, PAHs are degraded quickly enough in the atmosphere that most deposition of these chemicals is likely to come from relatively local (within a few hundred miles) sources.

To determine the amount of these chemicals entering the bay, a study has been undertaken by a research team at Gannon University, led by Dr. Michelle Homan and Dr. Weslene Tallmadge, sponsored by the Great Lakes Commission’s Great Lakes Air Deposition (GLAD) Program. The results of the study allowed the research team to make some preliminary assessments of the relative importance of various sources to the PAH concentrations and deposition to the bay. Activities are now underway to collect additional sampling data, which is needed to improve the results of the source identification work.

Access a posted announcement of the project with links to additional information (click here). Access details on the project including a summary report and the complete final report (click here).