Sep 23: On a "Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass," requiring a 2/3 majority, the U.S. House approved the Great Lakes Compact (S.J. Res. 45), by a vote of 390 - 25. Environmental and conservation groups praised the approval and commended U.S. Representatives John Conyers (D-MI), Vern Ehlers (R-MI), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Steve LaTourette (R-OH) and Jim Oberstar (D-MN); and Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Carl Levin (D-MI), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and George Voinovich (R-OH), where the measure was approved by voice vote in August [See WIMS 8/4/08]. The President has indicated he will sign the approval.
Despite the overwhelming approval, it did not come without controversy and concern. Two Great Lakes Representatives -- Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) both raised concerns regarding loopholes in the Compact [See WIMS 9/8/08]. Of major concern were the exemption of water in a container smaller than 5.7 gallons ("the bottled water loophole"); creating a Federal definition of Great Lakes water as a "product" subject it to international trade law obligations (e.g. NAFTA, GATT, etc.) and related "public trust doctrine" issues.
On Monday, September 22, Representative Stupak urged all 435 members not to approved the Compact until some answers were received from his previous inquiries in July to the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Trade Representative and the IJC (See link below). Kucinich had argued that Congress could close the loopholes without sending the Compact back to the State to be ratified again by passing his bill H.R. 6814 and adding specific language in the Committee Report for the Compact which strengthens the public trust doctrine provisions in the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 in ways that Compact Report language could not.
Various groups indicating their support included: Great Lakes United; National Wildlife Federation; Alliance for the Great Lakes; Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition; Council of Great Lakes Governors; Michigan Environmental Council; Michigan League of Conservation Voters; Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council; and Sierra Club.
Access the roll call vote (click here). Access legislative details for S.J.Res.45 (click here). Access a release from Representative Stupak (click here). Access the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-863 (click here). Access legislative details for H.R. 6577 (click here).
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Canadian Mayors Call For Great Lakes Commitments
Sep 22: According to a release from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, mayors representing over 7 million Canadians in Ontario and Quebec issued a letter calling on the five Federal political leaders in the Canadian election to publicly declare their proposals for protecting the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Thunder Bay Mayor Lynn Peterson, chair of Cities Initiative said, "Canadian municipalities are spending over $4 billion a year on Great Lakes and St. Lawrence protection. Given the national and international importance of this massive fresh water resource, it is time we have a substantial commitment from our federal government."
Canadian members of the Cities Initiative issued the letter a day after presidential candidates in the United States raised the importance of Great Lakes protection in their federal election campaign. Toronto Mayor David Miller said, "We are encouraged that, through the activities of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and other organizations, both U.S. presidential candidates are acknowledging the critical importance of protecting this vital resource. Senator Barack Obama has come forward with his proposal and Senator John McCain has made known his concern for the future of the Great Lakes. It is time our federal party leaders stepped up and made their voices heard."
Access a release from the Cities Initiative (click here). Access the Cities Initiative website (click here).
Canadian members of the Cities Initiative issued the letter a day after presidential candidates in the United States raised the importance of Great Lakes protection in their federal election campaign. Toronto Mayor David Miller said, "We are encouraged that, through the activities of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and other organizations, both U.S. presidential candidates are acknowledging the critical importance of protecting this vital resource. Senator Barack Obama has come forward with his proposal and Senator John McCain has made known his concern for the future of the Great Lakes. It is time our federal party leaders stepped up and made their voices heard."
Access a release from the Cities Initiative (click here). Access the Cities Initiative website (click here).
Monday, September 22, 2008
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).
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).
Friday, September 19, 2008
House Passes Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act
Sep 18: Representative Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) praised the House passage of the Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act (H.R. 6460), which he sponsored. The bill was approved by a vote of 371 to 20 which exceeded the two-thirds required under the suspended rules. Representative Ehlers indicated in a release that the Great Lakes Legacy Act is considered one the most effective Federal water cleanup projects ever. Ehlers introduced the bill along with Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) in July.
Ehlers said, “I am pleased that the House acted so quickly on this important bill. The Great Lakes are our region’s most valuable natural asset, and toxic sediment that is feeding into the lakes could cause irreparable harm. This bill creates a roadmap for funding that will ensure the polluted areas of concern that have been identified around the Great Lakes are cleaned up within the next ten years. Our goal of cleaning up these toxic sites is within reach, and we owe it to future generations to act now on cleaning them up.”
The renewal bill authorizes Congress to direct up to $150 million per year for the next five years to U.S. EPA to continue the Legacy Act cleanup program. The authorization was increased from $50 million per year in the previous bill because of the potentially high cost of cleaning up contaminated sediment once it is spread through the lakes. The new funding authorization would put the program on track to clean up every Area of Concern (AOC) within ten years.
Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition said, "We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives -- especially Reps. James Oberstar and Vern Ehlers -- for passing this important and successful clean-up program. Cleaning up toxic pollution is essential to our public health, economy and way of life. We need the Senate to take quick action like they did with the Compact and reauthorize this critical program.”
Access a release from Representative Ehlers and link to previous releases (click here). Access legislative details for H.R 6460 (click here). Access a release from the HOW Coalition (click here).
Ehlers said, “I am pleased that the House acted so quickly on this important bill. The Great Lakes are our region’s most valuable natural asset, and toxic sediment that is feeding into the lakes could cause irreparable harm. This bill creates a roadmap for funding that will ensure the polluted areas of concern that have been identified around the Great Lakes are cleaned up within the next ten years. Our goal of cleaning up these toxic sites is within reach, and we owe it to future generations to act now on cleaning them up.”
The renewal bill authorizes Congress to direct up to $150 million per year for the next five years to U.S. EPA to continue the Legacy Act cleanup program. The authorization was increased from $50 million per year in the previous bill because of the potentially high cost of cleaning up contaminated sediment once it is spread through the lakes. The new funding authorization would put the program on track to clean up every Area of Concern (AOC) within ten years.
Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition said, "We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives -- especially Reps. James Oberstar and Vern Ehlers -- for passing this important and successful clean-up program. Cleaning up toxic pollution is essential to our public health, economy and way of life. We need the Senate to take quick action like they did with the Compact and reauthorize this critical program.”
Access a release from Representative Ehlers and link to previous releases (click here). Access legislative details for H.R 6460 (click here). Access a release from the HOW Coalition (click here).
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Obama-Biden Propose $5 Billion For Great Lakes
Sep 16: The Obama-Biden campaign have issued a policy paper saying they are committed to Great Lakes restoration. According to the policy paper, the Obama-Biden vision for the future of the Great Lakes will: Provide New Federal Funding of $5 Billion to Jumpstart Great Lakes Restoration; Designate a Great Lakes Coordinator to Prioritize Coordination of Federal, State and Local Agencies; and Ratify and Fully Implement the Great Lakes Compact to Conserve Water and Protect Against Water Diversions. The paper indicates that, "In contrast, Senator John McCain has repeatedly failed to support critical legislation and even opposed measures to preserve the Great Lakes, including cleanup initiatives and projects to prevent sediment pollution. He also opposed funding to complete the Asian Carp Barrier Project to prevent invasive species from reaching the Great Lakes."
The paper says, Barack Obama has a plan to restore the Great Lakes ecosystem and to revive this engine of economic prosperity. His five-point plan for restoring the Great Lakes includes: $5 billion in new federal funds to jumpstart the restoration; an aggressive toxics plan; a Great Lakes Coordinator within U.S. EPA; Zero tolerance policy for invasive species; and, A "no water diversions compact policy that works for the Great Lakes." The $5 billion to establish the trust fund will be generated from rolling back tax breaks and loopholes for big oil and gas companies.
Access the Obama-Biden Great Lakes Policy Paper (click here).
The paper says, Barack Obama has a plan to restore the Great Lakes ecosystem and to revive this engine of economic prosperity. His five-point plan for restoring the Great Lakes includes: $5 billion in new federal funds to jumpstart the restoration; an aggressive toxics plan; a Great Lakes Coordinator within U.S. EPA; Zero tolerance policy for invasive species; and, A "no water diversions compact policy that works for the Great Lakes." The $5 billion to establish the trust fund will be generated from rolling back tax breaks and loopholes for big oil and gas companies.
Access the Obama-Biden Great Lakes Policy Paper (click here).
Friday, September 12, 2008
Beach Sand Often More Contaminated Than Water
Sep 12: According to a release from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recent research has revealed that beach sand contains high concentrations of E. coli and other fecal indicator bacteria, often greatly exceeding the concentration in beach water. Further, there is evidence that beach closings due to elevated fecal indicator bacteria may be linked to these sand populations. Contaminated beach sand, and the complications that it causes for monitoring, are among the leading topics that a group of national experts will discuss in Porter, Indiana at the Great Lakes Beach Association conference on September 16-17.
Richard Whitman, Chief of the Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, USGS said, "Over the last few years, we've identified an important source of indicator bacteria and how these bacteria may negatively influence recreation, but this is the first time experts have actually met to discuss this issue collectively. Whitman was one of the first to describe these high concentrations of E. coli in sands and to link them to high bacteria counts in water.
Beach water is routinely analyzed for E. coli and other fecal indicator bacteria to determine whether human sewage is present. When bacteria concentrations in water exceed a certain threshold, beaches are typically closed to swimming or swimming advisories are posted. A potential reason for many of these beach closings, and a complication for monitoring efforts is high concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria in beach sand. Bacteria are often present in high concentrations independent of any recent contamination events. Further, bacteria are often re-suspended into the beach water during onshore winds and high waves. The health risk associated with these bacteria is as yet unknown, but preliminary studies are being conducted.
Access a release from USGS (click here).
Richard Whitman, Chief of the Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station, USGS said, "Over the last few years, we've identified an important source of indicator bacteria and how these bacteria may negatively influence recreation, but this is the first time experts have actually met to discuss this issue collectively. Whitman was one of the first to describe these high concentrations of E. coli in sands and to link them to high bacteria counts in water.
Beach water is routinely analyzed for E. coli and other fecal indicator bacteria to determine whether human sewage is present. When bacteria concentrations in water exceed a certain threshold, beaches are typically closed to swimming or swimming advisories are posted. A potential reason for many of these beach closings, and a complication for monitoring efforts is high concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria in beach sand. Bacteria are often present in high concentrations independent of any recent contamination events. Further, bacteria are often re-suspended into the beach water during onshore winds and high waves. The health risk associated with these bacteria is as yet unknown, but preliminary studies are being conducted.
Access a release from USGS (click here).
Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Public Call
Sep 12: The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC) Executive Subcommittee invites the public to participate in a discussion on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM CDT regarding ongoing and planned activities of the GLRC and to share news about actions to implement the GLRC Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes. Topics for discussion include: Update on GLRC Initiatives; Future actions on GLRC Initiatives; and Updates by Stakeholders. Persons wishing to participate should RSVP as indicated in the details on the public call (See link below). Updates of the updates on the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Initiatives including: Toxics, Wetlands, Beaches, and Aquatic Invasives are also available on the website.
Access details on the Public Call (click here). Access the GLRC website for links to updates on initiatives and additional information (click here).
Access details on the Public Call (click here). Access the GLRC website for links to updates on initiatives and additional information (click here).
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