Great Lakes: Climate, Energy & Economy Teleconference

Aug 17: For the past three years from their base in Traverse City, Circle of Blue has reported extensively on the critical water-food-energy "choke points" in the U.S., China and Australia. This month they are exploring the Great Lakes in transition -- climate, energy and economy. The reportage will be published this week. Circle of Blue has scheduled a special MaestroConference call for Tuesday, August 21, 10:00 - 11:00 AM (EDT). An announcement indicates that "this is a participatory event, so bring your questions."

 

    MaestroConference is the leader in Social Conferencing technology that allows people to participate in large-scale, truly interactive virtual events featuring real conversations. Using social conferencing, thousands of people can convene around a topic or cause, engage in small group conversation to learn and share, and inspire one another to action and change.

 

    According to the announcement, "The Great Lakes and Great Lakes states are in the midst of a remarkable and confounding ecological and economic transition related to climate change and the fossil energy sector that industries and scientists are busy trying to anticipate and understand. Be part of the conversation with experts in an interactive Maestro conference call about the Great Lakes and their ecological and economic transition related to climate change and fossil fuel."

 

    The announcement indicates, "Real and swift changes are occurring on waterways carrying less coal, pipelines transporting more corrosive fuels, refineries expanding and modernizing, coal plants shutting down, and natural gas wells supplying more gas-fired power plants. The shift in fuel sources has helped to reduce air emissions, but also increased water pollution events. It's also helped Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan become top generators of new jobs over the past year. Meanwhile, the effects of climate change and erratic weather appear to be eroding infrastructure at big ports and influencing waterborne transport as Great Lakes water levels drop. Sediment levels are increasing. Ships carry lighter loads. Docks and other infrastructure are decaying. A wealth of new science also is revealing disturbing trends about the effects of warming air and water on the intensity of storms, ice cover, erosion, stormwater overflows, sea lamprey reproduction, and other events."

 

    Hosts for the event include: J. Carl Ganter, Managing Director, Circle of Blue; Keith Schneider, Senior Editor; Circle of Blue; Ed Wargin, Photographer, Fresh Coast Project; Deborah Lee, Chief, Water Management Division, Great Lakes and Ohio River

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Michael Murray, Staff Scientist, National Wildlife Federation; Victoria Pebbles, Program Director,

Great Lakes Commission.

 

    Access the announcement with links and registration details (click here). [#Access the Circle of Blue website for more information (click here). Access more information about MaestroConference (click here). [#GLakes]

 

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Instant Text Access To Great Lakes Buoy Data

Aug 8: A new text message service is now available to boaters, fishermen, and others to access the latest weather observations from dozens of buoys and other shoreline stations around the Great Lakes. The text message service accesses the latest observations of wind speed, air temperature, water temperature, and wave height from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and relays it back to the user in a simplified text format. The new service allows for instant access to observations from approximately 40 buoys and 100 shoreline stations from all five Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair from any cell phone with text message capability. The beta service can be accessed by sending a text message to (734) 418-7299 with only the station I.D. in the body of the message. A full list of available stations and a map version are available from the contacts below. Station id's for buoys contain all numbers and shoreline stations begin with a letter. 

    The service is provided free of charge. However, users may be charged a fee by their cell phone provider to send and receive a text message. LimnoTech, an environmental engineering consulting firm located in Ann Arbor, developed the beta service to increase access to marine weather conditions for the Great Lakes boating and fishing community. LimnoTech has been involved with the recent deployment of weather buoys in both St. Joseph and Holland, MI and is working on other projects around the Great Lakes to increase access to real-time observations.

 

    Access a posted release (click here). Access the list of Great Lakes sites (click here). Access the a map version of sites from NDBC (click here).Access the LimnoTech website for more information (click here).

 

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Agencies Partner To Assess Asian Carp In Lake Erie

Aug 1: In a joint release, Michigan and Ohio Departments of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced they are collaborating to assess the current status of bighead and silver carp within western Lake Erie bays and select tributaries. Laboratory results received earlier this month indicated the presence of Asian carp environmental DNA (eDNA) in 6 of the 417 water samples collected in August 2011. Four samples from Sandusky Bay, in Ohio waters, tested positive for bighead carp eDNA, while two samples from north Maumee Bay, in Michigan waters, were positive for silver carp eDNA. The findings indicate the presence of genetic material left behind by the species, such as scales, excrement or mucous, but not the establishment of Asian carp in Lake Erie.

    Initial surveys began this week and are focusing on the collection of water samples for eDNA analysis. Electroshocking and netting survey efforts will also be conducted starting next week. The eDNA surveys will occur in the Sandusky River and Bay, and the Maumee River and Bay. Samples will be collected in the areas where positive eDNA samples were collected in 2011 and at additional locations believed to provide suitable bighead and silver carp habitat. MDNR Research Program Manager Tammy Newcomb said, "Our coordinated sampling efforts with partner agencies are very important in order to revisit areas where positive samples were collected last year, and to expand sampling to areas that may be reproductively favorable for bighead or silver carp. These are the areas where we can be most effective in preventing expansion of these species should they be present."

    MDNR and ODNR requested assistance from the USFWS to develop and implement this assessment effort. The USFWS is contributing significant technical and logistical expertise, as well as personnel, survey equipment and vessels. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will analyze the collected eDNA water samples.

    Access the joint release with additional details and links to information including videos and images (click here). [#GLakes]

 

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Groups Call For Return Of Nuclear Task Force

Jul 24: Key environmental groups in Canada and the United States, that deal with Great Lakes water quality and environmental issues, are calling on their respective governments and the International Joint Commission (IJC) on Great Lakes Water Quality to bring back a Nuclear Task Force that will report on nuclear contamination and dangers in the Great Lakes. The groups that include, among others, the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, Great Lakes United, Sierra Club, the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, and Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes are pressing the IJC to reinstate a Nuclear Task Force that last reported in 1997.

    John Jackson, interim executive director of Great Lakes United said, "New potentially calamitous threats to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River are now being promoted, including proposals to bury radioactive wastes near the shores of the Great Lakes, and to transport radioactive contaminated materials on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. The International Joint Commission must get involved now to assess existing and potential threats and impacts and to recommend aggressive actions by the Canadian and U.S. Governments."

 

    Lorraine Rekmans, of Serpent River First Nation said, "Even the IJC's earlier reports call for much greater follow up on the many concerns of the first Nuclear Task Force. This still needs to be addressed with the same type of vigor as earlier work by the IJC.  This is no time to be lax about radioactive contamination in the Great Lakes, given the aging nuclear reactors we are dealing with on both sides of the border." Attorney Terry Lodge of the Toledo Safe Energy Coalition said, "The IJC cannot ignore chronic harms of radio-nuclides from 33 reactors on the shores of the Great Lakes or potentially catastrophic radiological risks such as currently posed by the Lake Erie David-Besse reactor's severely cracked and degraded shield building and the Lake Michigan Palisades plant's irradiated water leak."

 

    According to a release, currently, the IJC receives reporting from the national agencies governing nuclear industries, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the US, and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Gordon Edwards, President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility said the "oversight is too cursory" and is calling for a more comprehensive overview of radioactive threats to water quality. He said, "The existing nuclear regulatory agencies (NRC and CNSC) cannot be expected to provide the kind of comprehensive and detailed information specific to the Great Lakes. As national agencies, their mandates are much too broad for this type of focus. Risks to water quality are downplayed or overlooked. We have professionals who are currently focused intently on monitoring radioactive releases and assessing risks and impacts that nuclear facilities are having on our water supply. These professionals must be allowed to contribute to IJCs work."

 

    The groups said they, ". . .have contacted IJC and requested a re-instatement of the Nuclear Task Force. However, IJC, has said that its terms of reference established jointly by the US and Canadian governments."

 

    Access a release from the organizations with contact information (click here). [#GLakes, #Haz/Nuclear, #Energy/Nuclear]

 

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Farm Bill Essential For Great Lakes Restoration

Jul 17: Environmental organizations are saying that the 2012 Farm Bill conservation programs are essential for Great Lakes Restoration. As WIMS has reported the House Agriculture Committee has approved the House version of the Farm Bill, H.R.6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012 (FARRM) [See WIMS 6/17/12], and the full Senate has approved its version, S.3240 [See WIMS 6/21/12]. The current law expires on September 30, 2012.

 

    In a release, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition (HOW) reports that the primary agriculture and food policy tool of the Federal government, the Farm Bill awards more than $500 million per year to farmers in the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Jeff Skelding, HOW director said, "Farm conservation programs are essential for Great Lakes restoration. Farm conservation programs are producing results, but there is more work to do. We thank Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R- KS) and House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Colin Peterson (D-MN) for their leadership to work collaboratively to revise the Farm Bill. We are excited to work with the Great Lakes congressional delegation to pass a strong 2012 Farm Bill that is good for people, the Great Lakes and the economy."

 

    HOW indicates that, U.S. House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill contain about $58 billion for rural conservation programs -- a cut of roughly 10 percent from the 2008 Farm Bill. The bills also contain a new regional partnership program that targets conservation funding to as many as eight priority conservation regions, including the Great Lakes region. The new program could provide approximately $7.8 million per year in additional Farm Bill funds for conservation work. HOW also reports that the Senate-passed version also contains strong conservation policies, including conservation compliance, which is a covenant between farmers and taxpayers: To receive federal financial assistance, farmers must embrace simple conservation practices, refraining from farming highly erodible soils or draining wetlands on their property. These steps are critical for reducing soil erosion, protecting wetlands, reducing downstream flooding risk and decreasing nutrients into rivers, lakes and streams.

 

    Access a release from HOW with more comments from environmental organizations and additional details (click here).

 

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Asian Carp eDNA Found In 6 Western Lake Erie Samples

Jul 13: Federal and state wildlife officials working in conjunction with academic researchers announced six water samples taken from Sandusky and north Maumee bays tested positive for the presence of Asian carp environmental DNA in Michigan and Ohio waters. The positive samples were among 417 taken from Lake Erie in August 2011, and more than 2,000 samples taken from the Great Lakes Basin since 2010. The Lake Erie batch was recently analyzed and test results were confirmed by eDNA researchers. The six positive samples represent less than 1.5 percent of the Lake Erie samples. Four samples from Sandusky Bay, in Ohio waters, tested positive for bighead carp eDNA, while two samples from north Maumee Bay, in Michigan waters, were positive for silver carp eDNA.

    In response to these findings, electro-shocking and netting began on July 13, in Sandusky Bay with no evidence of Asian carp found. However, additional testing and monitoring are planned by the Ohio and Michigan Departments of Natural Resources in conjunction with partner agencies. The findings indicate the presence of genetic material left behind by the species, such as scales, excrement or mucous, but not the establishment of Asian carp in Lake Erie. Positive eDNA tests are regarded by the scientific community as an indicator of the species' recent presence, however, positive results can occur whether the organism was alive or dead.

    While the eDNA findings suggest the possible presence of the invasive species, officials have no physical evidence the fish have migrated to the Great Lakes. Prior to 2003, three individual bighead carp were collected in Lake Erie. No additional observations have been reported during the past decade.

    MDNR Fisheries Division Chief Jim Dexter said, "The results from these water samples are certainly concerning, as this marks the first time Asian carp eDNA has been detected in water samples from Lake Erie, or any of the Michigan waters intensively surveyed for the presence of invasive carp. Protecting the Great Lakes from the threat of Asian carp is critical to the health of our sport and commercial fisheries and to the quality of life in Michigan. We are actively engaged in Asian carp surveillance programs throughout the Great Lakes, including Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, and the Department stands ready to take the necessary and appropriate actions to investigate and respond to these test results."

    In response to the positive test results, officials from the Michigan and Ohio DNRs, MDEQ, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) are developing a plan of action in collaboration with the eDNA research team to obtain follow-up samples and test results as quickly as possible. Test results from future water samples will dictate the nature of further response methods.

    Since 2010, the MDNR, Ohio DNR, USFWS, University of Notre Dame, Central Michigan University and the Nature Conservancy have partnered to collect water samples from Great Lakes basin waters, including the Chicago Area Waterway System, southern Lake Michigan, western Lake Erie and tributary streams of lakes Michigan and Erie. The collaborative early-detection Asian carp surveillance program is funded by the USFWS with a federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant, administered under the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework.

    The Lake Erie announcement follows rapid response action by the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee's (ACRCC) Monitoring and Rapid Response Work Group (MRRWG) announced July 9, which triggered intensive monitoring action in Lake Calumet and surrounding areas after three consecutive rounds of Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling yielded positive results for Asian carp eDNA [See WIMS 7/11/12]. The actions also follow the release of a July 12, bi-national Canadian and United States risk assessment released indicating that Asian carp pose substantial environmental risk to the Great Lakes if they become established there. Bighead and silver carps -- two species of Asian carp -- pose an environmental risk to the Great Lakes within 20 years, with the risk increasing over time [See WIMS 7/12/12].

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), author of the Stop Invasive Species Act signed by President Obama last week [See WIMS 7/2/12], issued a statement saying, "This alarming discovery underscores the need for action now to stop Asian carp and other invasive species from devastating our Great Lakes and the hundreds of thousands of Michigan jobs that depend on them.  Temporary fixes have proven inadequate and evidence of this dangerous invasive species is now being detected for the first time in the Great Lakes. The new law I authored with Congressman Camp [R-MI] requires the Army Corps of Engineers to act quickly to prevent the destruction of the Great Lakes ecosystem, which is critical to our Michigan way of life."

    Access a release from MDNR with links to more information and a map (click here). Access the Michigan Asian Carp website (click here). Access the ACRCC website for more information (click here). Access the statement from Senator Stabenow (click here).

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RFA Great Lakes Long-Term Biological Monitoring Program

Jul 13: EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office has announced a Request for Applications (RFA) under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI or Initiative) for FY 2012. The RFA solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to support a Great Lakes Long-Term Biological Monitoring Program pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan.

 

    Applications must be submitted to EPA electronically (or through any alternate authorized submission method) for RFA Number EPA-R5-GL2012-2, entitled, "Great Lakes Long-Term Biological Monitoring of Zooplankton, Benthos and Chlorophyll" by
August 13, 2012, 11:59 AM, Eastern Daylight Time. EPA will notify finalist on September 3, 2012 (tentative); and will make an official award on September 24, 2012 (tentative).

    Access the 38-page RFA (click here). Access an application website for information relating to the RFA process, applicant mailing list, and link to frequently asked questions (FAQs) (click here). Access the grants.gov website (click here). Access the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan (click here). [#GLakes]

 

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