May 27: Following the May 15, passage by the Wisconsin State Senate (32-1) and the Wisconsin State Assembly (96-1) [See WIMS 5/16/08]; Governor Jim Doyle who also serves as Council of Great Lakes Governors (CGLG) Chair, officially signed Wisconsin’s legislation ratifying an interstate compact for the Great Lakes--St. Lawrence River Basin. According to a release from CGLG the signing "illustrates the regional and bi-partisan consensus that is growing in support of the compact."
CGLG reports that five of the eight Great Lakes States have now completed enactment of the compact’s protections -- Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Wisconsin. Both legislative chambers in Michigan have passed the compact although final approval is pending further action on related State implementing legislation. One legislative chamber in Ohio and Pennsylvania has passed the compact, and further action is anticipated in coming days and weeks in both States. To become law, the compact must be approved by each of the State legislatures and Congress must give its consent.
Governor Doyle said, "This is an outstanding day for all of Wisconsin. From Lake Superior to the St. Lawrence River, our region is uniting to protect our waters, and I am pleased to lead our state in signing this compact into law. Our Great Lakes waters in many ways define who we are. And now the Great Lakes Compact will ensure that we protect this tremendous resource while responsibly using the water we need to prosper and grow." According to CGLG the five Great Lakes comprise the world’s largest surface freshwater system. The Great Lakes generate $55 billion in tourism for the region and create nearly $377 million in personal income from wages and salaries.
Access a release from CGLG (click here). Access the CGLG status of compact approval and links to the compact and related documents (click here).
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
USGS Great Lakes Consumptive Water Use Report
May 23: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a major 191-page report entitled, Consumptive Water-Use Coefficients for the Great Lakes Basin and Climatically Similar Areas. The report addresses issues of how much of the water is removed from the Great Lakes for use in everyday products such as food, ethanol, household chemicals or paper products; what is not returned; and what type of uses are most likely to cause losses. The new report will be used by water-resource managers and planners in the Great Lakes as they develop policies to encourage efficient and sustainable water use.
Kimberly Shaffer, hydrologist with the USGS and author of the report said, "We found that irrigation and livestock had the largest losses compared with total water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin. Of the total water withdrawn for irrigation, 70-100 percent was lost to the basin." The authors examined seven consumptive water-use categories: domestic and public supply, industrial, electric power, irrigation, livestock, commercial, and mining. Consumptive water use is water that is evaporated, transpired, incorporated into products or crops, consumed by humans or livestock, or otherwise removed from the immediate environment. It is usually reported as a percentage of the amount of water withdrawn.
USGS said the study is relevant to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, between eight states and two Canadian provinces that would prohibit major diversions of water beyond counties bordering the basin. For this report USGS compiled, mapped, graphed, and statistically analyzed consumptive water use numbers from more than 100 sources as a starting point for facility managers, water managers, and scientists in determining the amount of water consumed in seven water-use categories. For comparison purposes, consumptive use information for basins and states that have climates similar to the Great Lakes basin are included in the report. Methods for computing and estimating consumptive use are also presented, as is an extensive bibliography.
Access a release and links to a fact sheet, the complete report and related information (click here).
Kimberly Shaffer, hydrologist with the USGS and author of the report said, "We found that irrigation and livestock had the largest losses compared with total water withdrawn from the Great Lakes basin. Of the total water withdrawn for irrigation, 70-100 percent was lost to the basin." The authors examined seven consumptive water-use categories: domestic and public supply, industrial, electric power, irrigation, livestock, commercial, and mining. Consumptive water use is water that is evaporated, transpired, incorporated into products or crops, consumed by humans or livestock, or otherwise removed from the immediate environment. It is usually reported as a percentage of the amount of water withdrawn.
USGS said the study is relevant to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, between eight states and two Canadian provinces that would prohibit major diversions of water beyond counties bordering the basin. For this report USGS compiled, mapped, graphed, and statistically analyzed consumptive water use numbers from more than 100 sources as a starting point for facility managers, water managers, and scientists in determining the amount of water consumed in seven water-use categories. For comparison purposes, consumptive use information for basins and states that have climates similar to the Great Lakes basin are included in the report. Methods for computing and estimating consumptive use are also presented, as is an extensive bibliography.
Access a release and links to a fact sheet, the complete report and related information (click here).
Groups Warn Of Bias In Canadian Nuclear Repository Proposal
May 23: A coalition of U.S. and Canadian environmental organizations are questioning the independence of an environmental assessment panel review the environmental assessment for a proposed Ontario Power Generation underground radioactive waste depository in Bruce County, Ontario, about a half a mile from the shore of Lake Huron [See WIMS 7/5/07]. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission are now inviting public comment until June 18, on two documents -- the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) guidelines; and the draft Joint Review Panel (JRP) agreement -- related to the proposed Deep Geologic Repository Project to store low and intermediate-level radioactive waste in the municipality of Kincardine, Ontario.
In a release, the groups point out that they fear the assessment panel will be compromised by the presence of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. They said that after pressure from citizen groups and elected officials in both Canada and the United States, the Canadian government has committed to a Full Panel Review, but the presence of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission threatens to bias decision-making in favor of a pro-nuclear position, despite the risks.
Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility said, “The Canadian government wants to build a nuclear waste dump on the shores of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem. There are serious risks involved in doing this and we want to ensure a full and independent assessment of what the consequences will be, free of bias from the nuclear establishment. An independent panel is one that has no conflict of interest because its members are not involved in promoting, defending, or licensing nuclear facilities."
The groups said a nuclear regulator has never had a seat on a panel for environmental assessments, and their role in this one could set a dangerous precedent, downplaying the dump’s radiological risks to health and the environment. Great Lakes United’s Green Energy and Nuclear Free Task Force urges that a completely independent review board be established, without Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission presence. The Task Force also calls on Great Lakes residents on both sides of the border to speak out, given the potential hazards of the proposed dumpsite for the entire Great Lakes watershed.
The proposal involves building a deep repository beneath the Bruce Nuclear plant site near Kincardine, Ontario. The largest nuclear power plant in North America, it is looking to build new reactors which could make it the largest nuclear power plant in the world. The dump site would contain all radioactive wastes, except spent radioactive fuel, from Ontario’s twenty nuclear reactors. Waste to be stored includes transuranic radionuclides, such as plutonium, contaminated filters from irradiated fuel pools; thousands of highly radioactive metallic pipes and other contaminated items.
Last week the Macomb County Water Quality Board and the Macomb County Board of Commissioners in Michigan both passed resolutions opposing any underground radioactive waste dump in the Great Lakes region. Over the past two years, members of Congress have repeatedly spoken out against the proposed dump, including House Energy Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak of northern Michigan, and Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers of Detroit. Kay Cumbow of Citizens Against Chemical Contamination said, “Macomb County is saying very clearly that the actions of its neighbors have a huge impact on the health of its communities and environment. Siting a nuclear waste dump right next to the drinking water supply of over 30 million Canadians and Americans is a disaster waiting to happen.”
Access a release from the environmental organizations (click here). Access the public notice and links to pertinent documents from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (click here).
In a release, the groups point out that they fear the assessment panel will be compromised by the presence of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. They said that after pressure from citizen groups and elected officials in both Canada and the United States, the Canadian government has committed to a Full Panel Review, but the presence of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission threatens to bias decision-making in favor of a pro-nuclear position, despite the risks.
Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility said, “The Canadian government wants to build a nuclear waste dump on the shores of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem. There are serious risks involved in doing this and we want to ensure a full and independent assessment of what the consequences will be, free of bias from the nuclear establishment. An independent panel is one that has no conflict of interest because its members are not involved in promoting, defending, or licensing nuclear facilities."
The groups said a nuclear regulator has never had a seat on a panel for environmental assessments, and their role in this one could set a dangerous precedent, downplaying the dump’s radiological risks to health and the environment. Great Lakes United’s Green Energy and Nuclear Free Task Force urges that a completely independent review board be established, without Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission presence. The Task Force also calls on Great Lakes residents on both sides of the border to speak out, given the potential hazards of the proposed dumpsite for the entire Great Lakes watershed.
The proposal involves building a deep repository beneath the Bruce Nuclear plant site near Kincardine, Ontario. The largest nuclear power plant in North America, it is looking to build new reactors which could make it the largest nuclear power plant in the world. The dump site would contain all radioactive wastes, except spent radioactive fuel, from Ontario’s twenty nuclear reactors. Waste to be stored includes transuranic radionuclides, such as plutonium, contaminated filters from irradiated fuel pools; thousands of highly radioactive metallic pipes and other contaminated items.
Last week the Macomb County Water Quality Board and the Macomb County Board of Commissioners in Michigan both passed resolutions opposing any underground radioactive waste dump in the Great Lakes region. Over the past two years, members of Congress have repeatedly spoken out against the proposed dump, including House Energy Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak of northern Michigan, and Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers of Detroit. Kay Cumbow of Citizens Against Chemical Contamination said, “Macomb County is saying very clearly that the actions of its neighbors have a huge impact on the health of its communities and environment. Siting a nuclear waste dump right next to the drinking water supply of over 30 million Canadians and Americans is a disaster waiting to happen.”
Access a release from the environmental organizations (click here). Access the public notice and links to pertinent documents from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (click here).
Great Lakes & Mississippi River Panels To Meet
May 22: The Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species will be meeting jointly with the Mississippi River Basin Panel in Milwaukee, WI on June 17-19, 2008. An important goal of this meeting is to provide a forum that will facilitate further communication and coordination among members of both Panels given the shared issues of concern existing within these interconnected watersheds. The meeting will focus on common priority issues, such as the transfer of species between basins, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, (VHS or VHSv) and ballast water. Detailed meeting information, including a preliminary agenda, registration information and other meeting materials are available.
Access the Great Lakes Panel meeting website for details (click here). Access the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species for more information (click here).
Access the Great Lakes Panel meeting website for details (click here). Access the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species for more information (click here).
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
House Hearing On Great Lakes Legacy Act
May 21: The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, Chaired by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), held a hearing on the reauthorization of the Great Lakes Legacy Act (S. 2994). Witnesses testifying at the hearing included: U.S. EPA's Benjamin Grumbles; Michigan Lt. Governor and Chairman of the Great Lakes Commission, John Cherry; the Alliance for the Great Lakes; Great Lakes Programs Sierra Club; and the Council of Great Lakes Industries.
In an opening statement full committee Chairman, Representative James Oberstar (D-MN) said, "When I worked with Congressman Ehlers [R-MI] on this legislation in 2002, we -- along with many members of this body -- had high hopes for its success. And we have seen some successes; sites have been cleaned up. But, truth be told, results from this program have been underwhelming. . . My hope is that today’s hearing will provide the Subcommittee with information whereby positive and constructive changes can be made in reauthorizing this legislation. The framework remains sound, but it must be fine-tuned to increase the pace at which these many contaminated sites in the basin are addressed and ultimately delisted."
Representative Johnson said, "Of the 31 Areas of Concern [AOCs], one -- Oswego River in New York -- has been delisted. Cleanup has been completed at four sites. I want to highlight, however, that this is cleanup of only four sites -- not four Areas of Concern. Many of the sites targeted by the original Legacy Act remain as they were in 2002 -- untouched and continuing to leach their toxic legacy into the Lakes. . . To be blunt, that so many hazardous waste sites remain unaddressed is a public health risk of the first order. . . we would be remiss if we did not find a way to clean these toxic hotspots at a far faster pace than we have over the past five years. We cannot shirk from our responsibility on that front."
Access the hearing website for links to a background document, all testimony, a webcast and opening statements (click here). Access the opening statement from Representative Oberstar (click here). Access legislative details for S. 2994 (click here).
In an opening statement full committee Chairman, Representative James Oberstar (D-MN) said, "When I worked with Congressman Ehlers [R-MI] on this legislation in 2002, we -- along with many members of this body -- had high hopes for its success. And we have seen some successes; sites have been cleaned up. But, truth be told, results from this program have been underwhelming. . . My hope is that today’s hearing will provide the Subcommittee with information whereby positive and constructive changes can be made in reauthorizing this legislation. The framework remains sound, but it must be fine-tuned to increase the pace at which these many contaminated sites in the basin are addressed and ultimately delisted."
Representative Johnson said, "Of the 31 Areas of Concern [AOCs], one -- Oswego River in New York -- has been delisted. Cleanup has been completed at four sites. I want to highlight, however, that this is cleanup of only four sites -- not four Areas of Concern. Many of the sites targeted by the original Legacy Act remain as they were in 2002 -- untouched and continuing to leach their toxic legacy into the Lakes. . . To be blunt, that so many hazardous waste sites remain unaddressed is a public health risk of the first order. . . we would be remiss if we did not find a way to clean these toxic hotspots at a far faster pace than we have over the past five years. We cannot shirk from our responsibility on that front."
Access the hearing website for links to a background document, all testimony, a webcast and opening statements (click here). Access the opening statement from Representative Oberstar (click here). Access legislative details for S. 2994 (click here).
Monday, May 19, 2008
Legislators Take Aim On Reducing Phosphorous
May 15: Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and George Voinovich (R-OH introduced legislation to limit the use of phosphates in automatic dish detergents, which would help to reduce phosphates that wreak havoc on aquatic plants and fish in the Great Lakes and other waters. The Levin-Voinovich bill (S. 3022) would limit the use of phosphates in residential dish detergent by requiring the EPA, beginning in 2010, to ban the sale of residential dish washing detergent that has more than 0.5% phosphorous nationally.
Levin said, “We have known for years that excessive phosphates can cause great harm to aquatic life. When I was on the Detroit City Council, I worked to ban phosphates in laundry detergent to protect our water. It is important that we follow suit and place similar limits on phosphates in dishwashing detergent.” Voinovich said, “Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes has been a top priority of mine throughout my political career. This mandated nationwide change to a household product Americans use everyday will make a difference in the health of nation’s most important natural resources from this day forward. By limiting phosphates that enter Lake Erie, we will reduce harmful algal blooms and the Dead Zone that emerges every summer in the lake, helping to protect the Great Lakes and its ecosystems for generations to come.”
A Minnesota study published in 2005 estimated that dishwashing detergent accounts for nearly 19 percent of the total amount of phosphorus entering municipal wastewater systems each year. According to a release from the two Senators, advances in detergent formulation in recent decades have allowed many companies to produce phosphate-free automatic dish detergents that work as effectively as those containing phosphates. Thirteen states plus the District of Columbia, including Michigan and Ohio, have either passed legislation or have legislation pending that would ban phosphates in automatic dish detergent in 2010. A few states, including Washington, Massachusetts, and Maryland, have already adopted a restriction on phosphates in residential dish detergents.
Phosphorus is a nutrient essential to both plant and animal life, but aquatic plants require far less phosphorus than land-based organisms. Excess amounts of phosphorus in water-bodies accelerate a process known as eutrophication, or the rapid growth of algae, which causes dense algal blooms to occur. Algal blooms can become so dense that they block submerged aquatic vegetation’s access to light, which restricts their ability to photosynthesize and survive. As algae blooms and takes over the remaining light and kills submerged aquatic vegetation, bacteria consume the dead vegetation, which deprives the water-body of its remaining oxygen. Algal blooms also cause severe environmental damage by killing fish and other aquatic organisms and result in “dead zones” that favor the survival of invasive species such as carp over native species. Algal blooms also cause human health problems with the formation of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, which can produce neurotoxins and hepatotoxins, which affect the liver. These toxins are deadly when ingested by humans.
On May 12, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Chaired by Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) held a field hearing in Port Huron, MI on The Impacts of Nutrients on Water Quality in the Great Lakes.
Full Committee Chairman, James Oberstar (D-MN) issued a statement saying, "While the focus of this hearing is on the impacts of nutrient contamination in the Great Lakes, the issue of widespread nutrient contamination is a national issue, and one that deserves continued attention." He cited two leading examples of widespread nutrient pollution are in the Chesapeake Bay and in the Mississippi River system. He also cited, "widespread outbreaks of harmful algal blooms have occurred throughout the Lakes, but most notably at Bear Lake, Michigan; Muskegon Lake, Michigan, Saginaw Bay, Michigan; and in Western Lake Erie." He said, "Today’s hearing should start the debate on how best to take on the national problem of nutrient pollution in the Great Lakes and elsewhere."
Representative Candice Miller (R-MI), a member of the committee also issued a statement. She is a cosponsor of H.R. 6017, introduced by Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) on May 9, to ameliorate the effects of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes by reducing phosphorus inputs. Additional legislation, by Representative Brian Higgins (D - NY), H.R. 3331 to prohibit, as a banned hazardous substance, certain household dishwashing detergent containing phosphorus was introduced in August last year.
Access a release from the Senators (click here). Access the Minnesota study referenced above (click here). Access legislative details for S. 3022 (click here). Access a background paper on the Port Huron field hearing (click here). Access a statement from Representative Oberstar (click here). Access a release from Representative Miller (click here). Access legislative details for H.R. 3331(click here). Access legislative details for H.R. 6017 (click here).
Levin said, “We have known for years that excessive phosphates can cause great harm to aquatic life. When I was on the Detroit City Council, I worked to ban phosphates in laundry detergent to protect our water. It is important that we follow suit and place similar limits on phosphates in dishwashing detergent.” Voinovich said, “Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes has been a top priority of mine throughout my political career. This mandated nationwide change to a household product Americans use everyday will make a difference in the health of nation’s most important natural resources from this day forward. By limiting phosphates that enter Lake Erie, we will reduce harmful algal blooms and the Dead Zone that emerges every summer in the lake, helping to protect the Great Lakes and its ecosystems for generations to come.”
A Minnesota study published in 2005 estimated that dishwashing detergent accounts for nearly 19 percent of the total amount of phosphorus entering municipal wastewater systems each year. According to a release from the two Senators, advances in detergent formulation in recent decades have allowed many companies to produce phosphate-free automatic dish detergents that work as effectively as those containing phosphates. Thirteen states plus the District of Columbia, including Michigan and Ohio, have either passed legislation or have legislation pending that would ban phosphates in automatic dish detergent in 2010. A few states, including Washington, Massachusetts, and Maryland, have already adopted a restriction on phosphates in residential dish detergents.
Phosphorus is a nutrient essential to both plant and animal life, but aquatic plants require far less phosphorus than land-based organisms. Excess amounts of phosphorus in water-bodies accelerate a process known as eutrophication, or the rapid growth of algae, which causes dense algal blooms to occur. Algal blooms can become so dense that they block submerged aquatic vegetation’s access to light, which restricts their ability to photosynthesize and survive. As algae blooms and takes over the remaining light and kills submerged aquatic vegetation, bacteria consume the dead vegetation, which deprives the water-body of its remaining oxygen. Algal blooms also cause severe environmental damage by killing fish and other aquatic organisms and result in “dead zones” that favor the survival of invasive species such as carp over native species. Algal blooms also cause human health problems with the formation of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, which can produce neurotoxins and hepatotoxins, which affect the liver. These toxins are deadly when ingested by humans.
On May 12, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, Chaired by Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) held a field hearing in Port Huron, MI on The Impacts of Nutrients on Water Quality in the Great Lakes.
Full Committee Chairman, James Oberstar (D-MN) issued a statement saying, "While the focus of this hearing is on the impacts of nutrient contamination in the Great Lakes, the issue of widespread nutrient contamination is a national issue, and one that deserves continued attention." He cited two leading examples of widespread nutrient pollution are in the Chesapeake Bay and in the Mississippi River system. He also cited, "widespread outbreaks of harmful algal blooms have occurred throughout the Lakes, but most notably at Bear Lake, Michigan; Muskegon Lake, Michigan, Saginaw Bay, Michigan; and in Western Lake Erie." He said, "Today’s hearing should start the debate on how best to take on the national problem of nutrient pollution in the Great Lakes and elsewhere."
Representative Candice Miller (R-MI), a member of the committee also issued a statement. She is a cosponsor of H.R. 6017, introduced by Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) on May 9, to ameliorate the effects of harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes by reducing phosphorus inputs. Additional legislation, by Representative Brian Higgins (D - NY), H.R. 3331 to prohibit, as a banned hazardous substance, certain household dishwashing detergent containing phosphorus was introduced in August last year.
Access a release from the Senators (click here). Access the Minnesota study referenced above (click here). Access legislative details for S. 3022 (click here). Access a background paper on the Port Huron field hearing (click here). Access a statement from Representative Oberstar (click here). Access a release from Representative Miller (click here). Access legislative details for H.R. 3331(click here). Access legislative details for H.R. 6017 (click here).
USGS Announces Major Beach Managers Information Program
May 19: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced a new Great Lakes collaborative project aimed at improving information for beach managers when they are faced with deciding whether to close beaches to protect public health. The collaborative effort will draw on the expertise of USGS and other Federal, state and local agencies. The project has been funded through interagency implementation of the President's Ocean Action Plan for $700,000 in fiscal year 2008, and is expected to increase to over $1 million per year for each of the following 4 years. This research represents a broad commitment by USGS to the Plan.
John Haines, USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program Coordinator said, "The strong existing partnerships and scientific expertise needed to address Great Lakes recreational water quality issues made this Great Lakes partnership a perfect candidate to address the Ocean Action Plan and its near term research priorities. This partnership will significantly improve our understanding of the factors related to beach closures, and will provide important new tools and information Great Lakes beach managers need for effective decision making."
Scientists will focus on improving water-quality forecasting by enhancing and expanding models that help beach managers decide if beach advisories or closures are necessary. They will continue work to identify processes that influence the occurrence and abundance of pathogens; identify and evaluate rapid methods of monitoring pathogens at beaches; and improve communication with beach managers. Dr. Shannon Briggs, Toxicologist at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality said, "Beach monitoring has raised significant and complex questions. Local beach managers are looking to scientists with expertise in diverse fields to gain a better understanding of their beaches. This effort will enhance our knowledge and improve communication between scientists and beach managers."
To strengthen the partnership, the Beach Health Initiative Steering Committee was formed consisting of key partners that will provide input and guidance on research direction for this project. This committee will continue the communication that began at the joint 2005 EPA, NOAA, USGS and Great Lakes Beach Association Beach Health Research Needs Workshop where beach managers provided input and feedback on the information and decision making tools they needed to assist them in protecting public health at their beaches.
Access a release from USGS (click here). Access more information on USGS Great Lakes Beaches research projects (click here).
John Haines, USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program Coordinator said, "The strong existing partnerships and scientific expertise needed to address Great Lakes recreational water quality issues made this Great Lakes partnership a perfect candidate to address the Ocean Action Plan and its near term research priorities. This partnership will significantly improve our understanding of the factors related to beach closures, and will provide important new tools and information Great Lakes beach managers need for effective decision making."
Scientists will focus on improving water-quality forecasting by enhancing and expanding models that help beach managers decide if beach advisories or closures are necessary. They will continue work to identify processes that influence the occurrence and abundance of pathogens; identify and evaluate rapid methods of monitoring pathogens at beaches; and improve communication with beach managers. Dr. Shannon Briggs, Toxicologist at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality said, "Beach monitoring has raised significant and complex questions. Local beach managers are looking to scientists with expertise in diverse fields to gain a better understanding of their beaches. This effort will enhance our knowledge and improve communication between scientists and beach managers."
To strengthen the partnership, the Beach Health Initiative Steering Committee was formed consisting of key partners that will provide input and guidance on research direction for this project. This committee will continue the communication that began at the joint 2005 EPA, NOAA, USGS and Great Lakes Beach Association Beach Health Research Needs Workshop where beach managers provided input and feedback on the information and decision making tools they needed to assist them in protecting public health at their beaches.
Access a release from USGS (click here). Access more information on USGS Great Lakes Beaches research projects (click here).
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