Senate Hearing On Asian Carp Control

Feb 25: The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power, Chaired by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) held a hearing to examine the science and policy behind the Federal framework and non-Federal efforts to prevent introduction of the aquatic invasive Asian carp into the Great Lakes. Witnesses and organizations testifying at the hearing included: Nancy Sutley, White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ); United States Geological Survey (USGS); Ken DeBeaussaert, Michigan Department of Natural Resources & Environment (MDNRE); Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks; Supply Chain Management Programs Wayne State University; Illinois Chamber of Commerce; the National Wildlife Federation & Healing Our Waters (HOW)-Great Lakes Coalition.

 

    In an opening statement, Chairman Stabenow described the seriousness of the threat of the Asian Carp invasion and said, "I have introduced S.2946, the CARP ACT (along with Senators Brown, Schumer, Gillibrand, Franken, and Feingold), that includes many of the same short-term actions included in the framework, with one notable exception: our bill calls for the immediate closure of the Chicago canal locks until a permanent strategy is developed. For thousands of years, the Great Lakes and Mississippi River ecosystems were separated, until the construction of artificial canals and locks connecting them. Continuing threats of invasive species, especially the Asian carp, make it clear that we need to return to a permanent separation of the two ecosystems. This strategy was endorsed Monday by the Great Lakes Commission, a group made up of the eight states and two Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes."

 

    CEQ's Sutley testified that the recently announced Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework (Framework) is "guided by the latest scientific research, encompasses more than 25 short and long-term actions at an estimated cost of $78.5 million to keep Asian carp from becoming self-sustaining in the Great Lakes. The scale of the effort described in the Framework is unprecedented for invasive species control, unifying Federal, State, and local action and introducing a multi-tiered defense of the Great Lakes to immediately prevent Asian carp from developing self-sustaining populations in the Great Lakes while longer term control methods are developed." She concluded saying, "the best scientists have said that we can be successful in this effort and prevent Asian Carp from invading the Great Lakes."

 

    The Illinois Chamber of Commerce submitted 23-pages of testimony and said it "shares the concern of the State of Michigan and others who want this invasive species stopped before it can enter the Great Lakes. We offer recommendations, which have been submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Asian Carp Workgroup, for action to stop the Asian Carp. We believe these suggestions can protect Lake Michigan from an invasion of Asian Carp via Illinois waterways and simultaneously provide for commerce to continue uninterrupted. . . This discussion needs to move from the courtroom to the conference room. The common objective is to stop the carp. However, in the process we do not believe the Solutions should pit Illinois Tow Boat operators like John and Jacque Kindra of Kindra Lake Towing of South Chicago against Michigan fisherman and Charter Boat Captains

like Paul Jensen of Muskegon. . ."

   

    The HOW Coalition called on Congress to declare the Asian carp an imminent threat to the Great Lakes and direct Federal agencies to separate the "carp-infested" Mississippi River system from Lake Michigan. HOW said, "Ecological separation is essential for the Great Lakes -- it is the only way of safeguarding the lakes from Asian carp. Anything short of separation will fail sooner or later."

 

Access the hearing website for links to all testimony and a webcast (click here). Access the opening statement from Senator Stabenow (click here).

2009 Summary Of Great Lakes Ballast Water Management Report

Feb 25: The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that the 2009 Summary of Great Lakes Seaway Ballast Water Management report compiled by the Great Lakes Ballast Water Working Group (BWWG) is now available. The BWWG is comprised of representatives of the Coast Guard, Transport Canada - Marine Safety, the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

    According to a brief announcement, "Preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species into the Great Lakes through stricter ballast water standards and a comprehensive enforcement policy is a top priority for the U. S. Coast Guard. In 2009, 100% of ships bound for the Great Lakes via the Seaway received a ballast tank exam. A total of 5450 ballast tanks onboard 295 different ships were sampled and had a 97.9% compliance rate. Ships that failed to properly manage their ballast tanks were required to either retain the ballast water and residuals on board, treat the ballast water in an environmentally sound and approved manner, or return to sea to conduct a ballast water exchange. The BWWG anticipates continued high ship compliance rates for the 2010 navigation season.

 

    The report indicates that, "Today, ballast water management requirements in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway System are among the most stringent in the world. Mandatory ballast water regulations that include saltwater flushing, detailed documentation requirements, increased inspections, and civil penalties provide a comprehensive regulatory enforcement regime to protect the Great Lakes Seaway System. USCG regulations, and the Seaway no ballast onboard (NOBOB) regulation, require all vessels destined for Seaway and Great Lakes ports from beyond the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to exchange all their ballast tanks at sea. As a result, the risk of a ballast water mediated introduction of aquatic invasive species into the Great Lakes has been mitigated to extremely low levels."

 

    Access the announcement (click here). Access the 13-page summary report (click here).

Meetings & Comment On St. Clair River Water Level Study

Feb 22: The International Joint Commission (IJC) announced that it will hold public consultations from March 22-31, 2010 to invite comment on the report of its International Upper Great Lakes Study Board (IUGLSB) entitled Impacts on Upper Great Lakes Water Levels: St. Clair River, which was release on December 15, 2009 [See WIMS 12/16/09]. IJC indicates that the report concludes the first phase of the International Upper Great Lakes Study and examines the physical changes in the St. Clair River since 1962. It recommends that measures to remediate the increased conveyance, or water-carrying capacity, of the river not be undertaken at this time. It also recommends that mitigation measures in the St. Clair River be examined as part of the comprehensive assessment of the future effects of climate change in the second phase of the study.

    The Study Board concluded that: The difference in water levels between Lake Michigan-Huron and Lake Erie has declined by about 23 centimetres (cm) (9 inches) between 1963 (following the last major navigational channel dredging in the St. Clair River) and 2006. They also concluded that Three key factors contributed to this 23 cm (9 inches) change including: (1) A change in the conveyance (water-carrying capacity) of the St. Clair River accounts for an estimated 7 to 14 cm (2.8 to 5.5 inches) of the decline. (2) Glacial isostatic adjustment (the uneven shifts of the earth's crust since the last period of continental glaciations ended) accounts for about 4 to 5 cm (1.6 to 2.0 inches) of the fall. (3) Changes in climatic patterns account for 9 to 17 cm (3.5 to 6.7 inches); this factor has become even more important in recent years, accounting for an estimated 58 to 76 percent of the decline between 1996 and 2005.

    The organization Georgian Bay Forever (GBF), a Canadian environmental charity which has been the leading voice in raising concerns about the impact of low water levels on the unique ecology of Georgian Bay said the IUGLSB "missed a historic opportunity to recommend environmentally sound solutions to the serious water levels situation facing the middle Great Lakes." The group is now calling on IJC Commissioners to reconsider and overrule the "do nothing' recommendations" of the IUGLSB.

    Access a release from IJC with details on the meeting locations, two teleconferences and commenting procedures (click here). Access a 28-page summary report (click here). Access more background and additional information on the report and study (click here). Access a release from GBF (click here). Access the GBF website for links to a critique of the report and extensive background information (click here).

GLC Calls For Ecological Separation To Stop Asian Carp

Feb 23: The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) has called on Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to embrace a clear goal of ecological separation of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds as the key, permanent strategy in the war against Asian carp and their threatened invasion of the Great Lakes. The resolution, approved by the Commission, asks Congress to provide the Corps with authority and substantial resources to complete the study of ecological separation -- defined as prevention of the movement of invasive species between the watersheds -- and to accelerate completion of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal portion of the study to September 2011.

    The resolution also calls for accelerating the timetable for full operation of the Asian carp barrier system on the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal and to establish structural measures to prevent the inadvertent introduction of Asian carp from floodwaters of the Des Plaines River into the canal, and ultimately the Great Lakes. The action took place at the Commission's 2010 Semiannual Meeting in Washington, DC where the eight member states of the Commission, along with associate Canadian member provinces of Ontario and Québec, voiced consensus on the need to inhibit further movement of Asian carp northward to the Great Lakes.

    In other Commission business, implementation and ongoing support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) were key focal points of the Great Lakes Commission's federal legislative priorities for FY 2011, formally released at the meeting. The Commission's federal priorities, outlined in the publication "Fulfilling the Promise for the Great Lakes: Advancing Great Lakes Restoration and Economic Revitalization," are largely driven by the GLRI's five focus areas: aquatic invasive species, contaminated sediments, nonpoint source pollution, degraded wetlands and threatened fish and wildlife resources. Enacted by Congress with full funding of $475 million for FY 2010, the GLRI is planned as a five-year program to restore and protect the Great Lakes. The Administration has proposed funding at a level of $300 million for FY 2011. The complete GLC 2011 legislation program is available from the Commission's website indicated below.

 

    Access a release from GLC (click here). Access links to the Resolution details (click here, to be posted soon). Access the GLC FY11 Legislative Priorities (click here).

Great Lakes Advocates In DC For Funding & Carp Action

Feb 23: According to a release from the Healing Our Waters (HOW) Coalition, more than 100 citizens from the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are traveling to Washington, DC on February 23-24, to ask U.S. Senators and Representatives to support three priorities: (1) Fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $475 million; (2) Take aggressive action to prevent the Asian carp from taking hold in the Great Lakes, while working toward the permanent separation of  the Mississippi and Great Lakes basins; and, (3) Pass Great Lakes restoration legislation that propels restoration forward by establishing a restoration framework to ensure transparent priority-setting, accountability, and most importantly action. The groups action comes immediately following U.S. EPA release of its 5-year, $2.2 billion Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan on February 21 [See WIMS 2/22/10].

 

    Jeff Skelding, campaign director for HOW Coalition said, "Congress and the Obama Administration have demonstrated that the Great Lakes are a priority for the nation. What's most needed now is an all-out effort to beat back the Asian carp and a commitment by Congress to restore funding for successful restoration programs that create jobs, while laying the foundation for long-term
prosperity. It's time for the nation to roll up its sleeves and get to work, before the problems get worse and more costly."

    While the Obama Administration has proposed only $300 million for GLRI in its FY 2011 budget -- down $175 million from FY 10 -- the Coalition is pushing for continuing the $475 million funding level. The Administration explained the reduced funding in budget documents indicating that, "In 2009, the President announced a new Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, committing the Federal government to significantly advance Great Lakes protection and restoration. In FY 2011, EPA is increasing the relative funding for the Invasive Species focus area in recognition of anticipated new demands such as fighting incursion of Asian Carp. FY 2011 funding has been reduced to reflect ramp up period, allowing time for the program to absorb the initial influx of FY 2010 $475 million in resources." [See WIMS 2/1/10].

 

    However, the Coalition points out that U.S. EPA recently requested proposals for approximately $120 million in restoration projects as part of the GLRI. The Agency received more than 1,050 proposals totaling more than $940 million -- a level of demand more than 7 times the supply of available funds. They said many projects will not be funded. Skelding said, "After decades of assault and abuse, the Great Lakes will not be healed over night. The backlog of work is enormous. It's going to take a sustained, multi-year effort to nurse the Lakes back to health, which is why we need Congress' support now. This is good to do for the environment and the economy."

 

    Access a release from the HOW Coalition (click here).

Administration Releases Great Lakes Restoration Plan

Feb 21: As previously announced U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson unveiled the Obama Administration's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan at a press conference on Sunday, February 21, at 10:30 AM in Washington, DC. The Plan developed in collaboration with 15 other Federal agencies describes how the Initiative will be executed from 2010 through 2014. In February 2009, President Obama proposed $475 million for the Initiative's FY 2010 funding and recently announced $300 million for the FY 2011 budget.

    According to an announcement of the Plan, the Initiative is not intended to be "another grand statement about the Great Lakes; it is intended to operationalize those statements. It builds on countless hours by elected, agency, business, public interest and other leaders, which resulted in the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (GLRC Strategy). The GLRC Strategy provides a framework for the Action Plan, and the Action Plan is just that: an action driver. It articulates the most significant ecosystem problems and efforts to address them in five major focus areas."

    The five areas of major focus include: (1) Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern, including pollution prevention and cleanup of the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes; (2) Invasive Species, including efforts to institute a "zero tolerance policy" toward new invasions, including the establishment of self-sustaining populations of invasive species; (3) Nearshore Health and Nonpoint Source Pollution, including a targeted geographic focus on high priority watersheds and reducing polluted runoff from urban, suburban and, agricultural sources; (4) Habitat and Wildlife Protection and Restoration, including bringing wetlands and other habitat back to life, and the first-ever comprehensive assessment of the entire 530,000 acres of Great Lakes coastal wetlands for the purpose of strategically targeting restoration and protection efforts in a science-based manner; and (5) Accountability, Education, Monitoring, Evaluation, Communication and Partnerships, including the implementation of goal- and results-based accountability measures, learning initiatives, outreach and strategic partnerships.

    The Action Plan identifies goals, objectives, measurable ecological targets, and specific actions for each of the five focus areas identified above. The announcement indicates that, "The Action Plan will be used by federal agencies in the development of the federal budget for Great Lakes restoration in fiscal years 2011 and beyond. As such, it will serve as guidance for collaborative restoration work with participants to advance restoration. The Action Plan will also help advance the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement with Canada."

    Access the announcement (click here). Access the 41-page Action Plan (click here). Access the GLRI website for complete information (click here).

Officials To Announce Great Lakes Action Plan Sunday

Feb 19: According to an announcement from U.S. EPA, Administrator Lisa Jackson will unveil the Obama Administration's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan at a press conference on Sunday, February 21, at 10:30 AM in Washington, DC. She will be joined by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, co-chairs of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. In February 2009, President Obama proposed $475 million for a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The Action Plan, which covers the years 2010 through 2014, will outline the goals and key actions the administration believes are necessary to restore and protect this natural and economic treasure.

 

    Access an announcement from EPA (click here).