Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/epa-outlines-its-strategy-for-43-billion-in-water-infrastructure-funding-through-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-law/

The Time is NOW – Contact Your Local Officials to Ensure Your Community Benefits from Recent Federal Investments in Water

On: January 18, 2022

In: Call to Action, Drinking Water, No Lead in Drinking Water

Contact Your Local Officials to Ensure Your Community Benefits from Recent Federal Investments in Water

With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law last year, there is cause to be excited yet focused and vocal in anticipation of a one-time, 5-year program (2022-2026) that will increase the amount of grants and low-interest loans available to local governments, especially those considered disadvantaged communities, to fund lead service line replacements and other large water storage, treatment, and distribution upgrades.

Applications for these “state revolving funds” (learn more here) are time-consuming, very detailed, and often beyond the scope of a local government’s capacity. And while these loans are low-interest, many communities have not been able to afford taking out loans to pay for aging water infrastructure since this program was created by a 1996 amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act.

We encourage residents to engage NOW with their local officials on this issue because of the upcoming annual deadlines for funding consideration. Many localities have already completed the process, and usually the number of qualified applicants outnumbers the available annual funding. If it is too late this year for your community, it is the perfect time to begin the process for next year to ensure your community has access to safe, affordable drinking water for decades to come.

How can you begin the conversation with your local officials?

Ask if the local government has considered applying or has already applied to the state revolving fund for water infrastructure upgrades
If not, share your concerns over needed water infrastructure upgrades in your community, such as lead line replacement
Not sure if there are problems with your water infrastructure? Talk to your community about their perspective and ask local officials what upgrades are or will be needed in the future.
Emphasize that this is a rare opportunity, time-sensitive, and time-consuming, but can deliver a lot of overdue assistance through both grants and/or loans

Let us know how your conversations go! Contact Kristen at 231-348-8200 x 9 or kristen@freshwaterfuture.org.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/the-time-is-now-contact-your-local-officials-to-ensure-your-community-benefits-from-recent-federal-investments-in-water/

Does Lead in Drinking Water Have You Worried?

On: December 17, 2021

In: Drinking Water, No Lead in Drinking Water, Public Health

A key factor in understanding lead risks for your family from drinking water is knowing whether the pipes that bring water to your home and the pipes and faucets inside your home contain lead.

If you are unsure about your plumbing, you can test your water for lead. Remember this is just a snapshot of the water at that time, and lead levels can fluctuate. Using the first and fifth liter testing methods can help determine if you have lead pipes inside and outside your home.

If you know that you have a lead service line, all water in the home should be treated as a potential risk for high lead. This means using the 4 step approach below.

Until you are able to determine the makeup of your pipes and faucets, you can still protect your family by assuming they are lead. The following will help reduce your exposure to potential lead in drinking water:

Flush water for five minutes after it has not been used for six or more hours.
Install a filter on the kitchen sink to remove lead. (NSF/ANSI Standard 53) Remember to change the filter cartridge regularly.
Only run cold water through your filter. Use cold, filtered water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
Clean your faucet screens or aerators four times a year with an old toothbrush.

For a good overview of what testing results mean, check out this fact sheet.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/does-lead-in-drinking-water-have-you-worried/

Freshwater Future’s 2021 #GivingTuesday – Give the Gift of Clean Water!

On: November 22, 2021

In: Call to Action, News

During the holiday season, we experience a time where gratitude and affection warms the air, leaving us more inclined to give a helping hand. Freshwater Future recognizes #GivingTuesday on November 30th as a method to put that generosity in motion. Serving as an additional opportunity for you to help us as we continue our mission in doing right by clean, safe, and affordable water. Regardless of the amount, be a gift to our water with Freshwater Future by clicking the link here to give a financial gift today. THANK YOU!

Freshwater Future 2021 #GivingTuesday Donate Now! by events@freshwaterfuture.org

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/freshwater-futures-2021-givingtuesday-give-the-gift-of-clean-water/

COP26 and the Great Lakes Region

On: November 19, 2021

In: Call to Action, Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Justice

by Stephanie Smith

I arrived at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland from my home in the Great Lakes region, and was heartened by the global community working to tackle climate change from many different angles. And yet, while there are many positive outcomes from COP26, they do not hit the mark for the accelerated pace of change we need. As I was reminded again and again, the people and countries that have done the least to create climate change issues are the most deeply impacted, with the fewest resources to create adaptive solutions. In my time at the conference, the voices of youth, island dwellers and indigenous people were loud, clear and absolutely urgent – their survival is threatened. But the outcomes of COP26 do not reflect the extent of change needed for the Great Lakes region and the planet as a whole.

While climate change impacts are inequitable, they are felt pretty much everywhere to varying degrees. The Great Lakes and their communities are being impacted by climate change through more severe storms, more extreme higher and lower lake levels, and changing temperatures, which affect the lake ecosystems and also the surrounding communities. Urban centers with aging infrastructure, areas with fewer resources and BIPOC communities are disproportionately impacted.

While some look to the Great Lakes as a climate refuge for those who can no longer live in their own communities due to fire, floods and droughts, this region also needs a more coordinated and accelerated approach to adapt to the changes we are amidst. Climate change is a threat multiplier and exacerbates existing issues, so we must have strategic, intersectional solutions that create, multiply and scale positive change. We’re not there yet, by a longshot, so what do we need to do?

Start with an inclusive vision for where we want to be. The people of the Great Lakes region in their diversity are not represented at our decision-making tables. As we hasten to develop the strategies we actually need for systemic change, the voices of youth and BIPOC leaders must be central to deciding upon, and guiding the journey. Yes, this is about regional preparation and action for the well-being of current Great Lakes residents. More critically, it’s about our future inhabitants – youth growing into adults here, and the incoming people that climate migration will lead here, seeking out the Great Lakes region as home.

Get better connected for bigger impact. With the Great Lakes at the heart of our region, we are already connected through these vital waters. Our current restoration and action agendas give us a strong base to stand on. But we need to embrace new voices – the same thinking and thinkers that have led us to this present moment will not get us to the change needed, in the relatively rapid timeframe needed. It’s imperative that we build stronger relationships and opportunities to share knowledge and solutions with the global water and climate change community

Integrate opportunities for engagement into all levels of our communities and schools. Because our vision should be about everyone, we need everyone engaged at varying levels. For a start, let’s mandate statewide, regional and national climate and water education that centers healthy people and a vibrant planet, with equity and justice for all. Youth leaders were at COP26 calling out for change, with a fantastic contingent from the Great Lakes region among them. But our young adults struggle with eco-anxiety and climate grief – and most of their peers are not adequately taught about climate change issues. This leaves them feeling isolated and frankly, tired. We must do better to support these leaders, who at age 25 have been doing this work for more than a quarter of their lives.

The calls to action at COP26 were crystal clear in their urgency. And while these aspects influenced the decisions made to reflect many global needs, they do not tap into the electric undercurrent of accelerated change truly needed. Let’s work within the Great Lakes region and connect with national and global partners to lead the change that’s needed now.

stephanie-smith-board-chair-freshwater-future-environmental-organization

Stephanie Smith is a Freshwater Future board member and runs Zephyr Mangata, a consultancy accelerating positive change for people and the planet.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/cop26-and-the-great-lakes-region/

Bi-partisan Infrastructure Bill and Build Back Better Act: What does this mean for water funding?

On: November 10, 2021

In: Call to Action, Environmental Justice, No Lead in Drinking Water

Late Friday night on November 5th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bi-partisan $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. It had been lingering in the House as House leadership awaited the Senate’s passage of a package called the Build Back Better (BBB) Act, a $3.5 trillion spending plan. House leadership had wanted to pass both bills in the House together.

Together the Infrastructure and BBB Acts would provide a substantial amount of funding for water projects, including grants to environmental justice and disadvantaged communities. The BBB also includes policy language to develop a permanent Low Income Housing Water Assistance Program in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, while also providing an additional $225 million for the program, ensuring financial assistance for people who are struggling to pay their water utility bill while the nation figures out how to make water rates affordable for everyone. Together these bills may provide the largest amount of water funding in U.S. history, but they fall short of some of the Biden administration’s promises, like $45 billion to replace all the lead lines in the U.S. So what are in the Infrastructure and BBB Acts? See the table below to see some important water programs and their funding levels within the two Acts. Be sure to stay tuned though, BBB is still being negotiated, as you can see from the differences in the Sept and today columns, and hopefully will be passed before the end of November.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/bi-partisan-infrastructure-bill-and-build-back-better-act-what-does-this-mean-for-water-funding/

Actions to Address High Lead Levels in Drinking Water Due to Benton Harbor Residents’ Leadership

On: November 9, 2021

In: Drinking Water, News, No Lead in Drinking Water

Actions to Address High Lead Levels in Drinking Water Due to Benton Harbor Residents’ Leadership

Last week 9,000 cases of water were delivered and distributed to Benton Harbor, Michigan residents by volunteers with the Benton Harbor Community Water Council. The water was provided by the state after Governor Whitmer signed an executive directive on October 14 to “coordinate all available state resources to deliver safe drinking water to residents in Benton Harbor,” where lead levels have been high for over three years. The Benton Harbor Community Water Council (BHCWC) and Freshwater Future believe this all-hands-on-deck approach provides the urgency and resources appropriate to the drinking water emergency occurring in Benton Harbor.

This action comes after years of struggle by Benton Harbor residents to be heard outside of their community in order to secure the resources needed to safeguard public health in the city from lead. Because no level of lead is safe, residents have needed alternative water, filters and educational information. Jill Ryan, Executive Director of Freshwater Future commented “we have been honored to work with residents and the BHCWC to ensure resources continued to be available in Benton Harbor to not only inform residents of the lead issue and how to protect their families, but also to work toward a resolution that returns the water system to providing safe drinking water, which is what every resident wants and should expect.” Freshwater Future supports the BHCWC in providing training, conducting community science, distributing educational information, conducting water testing, securing water filter stations in schools, and hosting community engagement.

Recently a collaboration of more than 20 community and environmental groups, led by the BHCWC, Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, People’s Water Board and National Resources Defense Council petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to step in and help Benton Harbor. This action and the attention it garnered, finally pushed the struggle into national and state focus. We thank all of those groups for their leadership in this effort. Reverend Edward Pinkney, President and CEO of the BHCWC stated, “after years of struggle to raise awareness, I am happy we were able to work together to achieve this declaration. The BHCWC and our allies will be here to ensure that these statements are followed with action to safeguard the health of the people of Benton Harbor.”

After three years of being out of compliance with the water standards set by the state of Michigan at 15 ppb of lead, massive attention from the public and the government is creating new found support for the BHCWC. The group has championed the work the past three years to ensure their neighbors’ safety and their access to clean and safe water. Governor Whitmer’s announcement invokes a sense of urgency to pool resources from the state to provide clean and accessible water.

The BHCWC has been working tirelessly to support the community and provide education to its residents. While the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy recently stated there is “in general an improvement overall,” we have seen no evidence of such improvement. We look forward to working with the state to understand where improvements to the lead situation exist and where there are opportunities to improve further.

Reverend Pinkney requested the state, on behalf of the BHCWC, to tell residents directly that the water is unsafe to drink currently, and therefore they should utilize bottled water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Finally, the state under pressure made the announcement that residents should use bottled water on October 21.

Residents working through the BHCWC have been steering the way information, water and filters are distributed in the community by listening to the needs of the community. As the resources provided by the government are certainly positive, the resources they provide will be most effective if they listen to and work with community groups like the BHCWC. Community groups are in the best position to continue to lead the good work from the residents’ perspective. Working together to alleviate water insecurity can be an example of how the government and community collaborate for the most effective outcome for the residents living with unsafe water.

The U.S. EPA is conducting a study starting the week of November 8 on faucet filters designed to remove lead to determine the efficacy for removing lead in Benton Harbor’s water. One-hundred homes will have water samples analyzed before and after filter use.

Benton Harbor residents have continued to be resilient in their efforts to ensure the safety of fellow residents’, and show no signs of giving up. “Benton Harbor residents have created solutions to educate and keep people safe in the community over the past three years, and those efforts should continue to lead this work. What will certainly help are the resources and the expertise the state can bring to bear on this problem,” said Benton Harbor City Commissioner MaryAlice Adams.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/actions-to-address-high-lead-levels-in-drinking-water-due-to-benton-harbor-residents-leadership/

Freshwater Future Canada Program Director Featured in Radio-Canada News Story about the Great Lakes

On: October 27, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Andrea Dube, Freshwater Future’s Canada Program Director discusses warm water tempertaures impacting the Great Lakes ecosystem during an interview with Radio Canada. Access the full story (in French) here.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-future-canada-program-director-featured-in-radio-canada-news-story-about-the-great-lakes/

For Immediate Release: Blue Triton/Nestle Gives up Controversial Permit Seeks backdoor to increase withdrawal

On: October 26, 2021

In: Drinking Water, Grassroots Groups at Work, News

Media Contact:
Board President, Peggy Case
hildaheron@aol.com
(main) 231-275-2244
for texting (cell) 248-736-9703

October 26, 2021 – Blue Triton Brands Inc., formerly Nestle Waters North America, sent a letter to EGLE on September 28, 2021 announcing that they “will not be utilizing the water withdrawal capacity authorized by the permit” for its White Pine Springs well north of Evart (#1701 for 400 gpm). Despite the company’s reduction of pumping in an attempt to avoid a pending review of its operations by the Ingham County Circuit Court, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation who, along with allies, have contested the legality of the White Pine Spring well for the last five years is not willing to stipulate that the case in Circuit Court regarding the contested case is moot. Blue Triton’s notification of its intent to reduce pumping to 288 gpm—416,000 gallons per day, does not resolve the legal issues over the well’s operation by Nestle in the past, and Blue Triton in the future. There are too many unresolved issues.

“It seems that Blue Triton has abandoned the 400-gpm permit to duck the more rigorous comprehensive review of impacts required by Part 327 and the Safe Drinking Water Act for a bottled water well that exceeds 200,000 gallons per day,” Ross Hammersley, environmental attorney for MCWC in the pending legal action, said. “But whether Nestle or now Blue Triton can avoid these requirements is one of the critical questions before the circuit court.

What does all of this mean? While MCWC is pleased that the company has withdrawn the 400-gpm permit, which we’ve said all along was improperly approved, significant impairment of the two blue-water trout streams and habitat has already occurred. It is not in the best interests of Blue Triton, affected landowners, or the public to pump at 400 gpm or even 200 gpm. After all, Nestle lost a similar 8-year court battle in Mecosta County, where the final amended order reduced pumping from 400 gpm to an average 125 gpm in summer months and 218 gpm the rest of the year to prevent further damage and restore the stream, a lake and adjacent wetlands. Given Michigan’s unique glacial geology and annual rainfall patterns, large-volume water wells near headwater creeks and wetlands are not sustainable. The company’s request to continue pumping at its proposed reduced rate cannot be permitted unless there is a full monitoring plan to measure the effects on flows, levels, and impacts, before and during pumping, to Twin and Chippewa Creeks.

MCWC’s analysis and riparian landowners and other members of MCWC who fish and know these creeks have already documented substantial drying up or alteration of the creeks to the point that they are unrecognizable. As a result, if Blue Triton wants to chart a different course and become a good corporate citizen in Michigan, MCWC urges the company to undertake the following actions:

1) implement a true monitoring plan, based on scientific data gathering on site rather than computer models, under the supervision of a neutral hydrogeologist and under the direction of the community impacted as well as state agencies charged with protecting the waters of the state;

2) reduce rather than increase its pumping rate until the monitoring plan is in place and a baseline of data is established, and the effects and impacts at existing levels of pumping, including the proposed level of 288 gpm, are determined;

3) pending implementation of the above and the determinations from a proper monitoring plan,

reduce pumping to 100 gpm or an agreed amount that will minimize impacts until the plan and determinations are made;

4) meet with MCWC and EGLE so that all affected stakeholders can work directly to resolve these issues. If this cannot be done, then MCWC, representing the integrity of our water and water laws, do not and cannot agree that the pending circuit court case is moot or that Blue Triton’s pumping, past or proposed at 288 gpm, is lawful;

5) hold any permit for the 288 gpm in abeyance until the plan is in place and the determinations are made, and provide public notice, a period of public comment and participation as required by Part 327 and the SWDA.

EGLE has prematurely approved Blue Triton’s request to pump at the increased 288 gpm, This was done without notice to the public, and without public comment or input. Moreover, EGLE appears to have abandoned its demand for a monitoring plan that would have verified whether current or the proposed 288 gpm would cause harm or leave adequate water in the streams and wetlands. The monitoring plan should not be abandoned, but should be a condition on any agreement by EGLE, who is responsible for protecting our lakes and streams. EGLE must continue to demand monitoring, provide for public participation, and agree to MCWC’s participation in such a plan.

MCWC looks to EGLE to exercise its legal responsibility as trustee or steward of the lakes, streams, and connected groundwaters of the State. They are public and held in public trust for all citizens. And, as stated above, MCWC looks to Blue Triton to chart a different course in Michigan in full compliance with the rule of law and our constitution’s mandate that the state protect our water and natural resources from impairment or pollution. MCWC and its members stand ready to cooperate in good faith to achieve these above actions to determine what if any amount Blue Triton can pump from the White Pine well and at the same time maintain adequate water in the creeks and wetlands for riparian owners, the health of the ecosystem, and the use and enjoyment of the public. It is MCWC’s hope that Blue Triton officials and investors will work with EGLE and us to establish a new legacy for water protection in Michigan.

Private equity companies will find us not easily fooled by self-serving gestures that are the opposite of what they seem. 288 gallons per minute is not an improvement over 250. We welcome the partial victory of not having to oppose 400 any further but continue the battle for water protection.

We also urge Governor Whitmer and EGLE Director Clark to work with us by insisting that our water laws not be diluted, but are applied to the letter of the law. We ask EGLE to abandon any legal maneuvers that prevent public notice, participation, and compliance with the law’s mandate to protect our water resources. Blue Triton has thanked EGLE for its cooperation in seeking approval of the modified 288 gpm. Regrettably, EGLE has not cooperated with the public or MCWC regarding the continued pumping or the rights of adjacent landowners or the two streams. Despite trying to get “on-the-ground” help from EGLE over the last several years to address the White Pine well and its impact, EGLE did not notify MCWC or its members, or the riparian owners on the streams, of Blue Triton’s desire to abandon the 400 gpm or its proposed new 416,000 gallons per day removal of water from the groundwater and this headwater creek system.

EGLE did not provide notice until after Blue Triton filed its notice to re-register the permit. There must be public participation, comment, and an individual permit review. We need government accountability in the management of our lakes, streams, and the Great Lakes.

We stand ready now to meet with EGLE and Blue Triton to chart this new course, so that companies like Blue Triton who want to take or use the waters of our State understand that it is a privilege.

###

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/for-immediate-release-blue-triton-nestle-gives-up-controversial-permit-seeks-backdoor-to-increase-withdrawal/

Freshwater Future Weekly: September 10, 2021

On: September 10, 2021

September 10, 2021

THIS WEEK: Water Safety and Affordability at the Local Scale: Hope for Chicago Residents + $20 Million to Replace Pipes in Benton Harbor – Is It Fast Enough? + Plastics Are Covering The Great Lakes In Great Volumes + U.S. Congresswomen Urge President to Stop Line 3 Pipeline Replacement + U.S. House Passes PFAS Action Act

Water Safety and Affordability at the Local Scale:

Hope for Chicago Residents through Utility Bill Relief and Water for All

There is a crisis in the city of Chicago that doesn’t make sense as the residents in its most vulnerable areas experience mass shutoffs throughout the communities that have one of the largest bodies of freshwater right in their backyard. The city of Chicago is offering help through their Utility Billing Relief programs, but this still has many falling through the cracks of the program because only homeowners in certain income requirements qualify. There is still hope for Chicago residents as the Water-For-All Ordinance is reintroduced to City Council.

$20 Million to Replace Pipes in Benton Harbor – Is It Fast Enough?

This week Michigan’s Governor Whitmer announced funding to help replace lead lines in Benton Harbor, which has been experiencing high lead levels for three years. This is an important piece of the puzzle of keeping people safe from the harmful effects of lead which can cause learning issues, behavioral problems, kidney issues, increased risk of heart disease and more. However, Freshwater Future believes the five years it will take to replace those pipes is too long for residents to wait for safe water. In an interview with WSBT-22, Jill Ryan discusses that a robust corrosion control study and program are needed to ensure that lead levels can be reduced in the system in the short-term and filters, information and alternative water sources are all needed to keep people safe now.

Plastics Are Covering The Great Lakes In Great Volumes

We all are inundated by plastics these days. From grocery bags to produce containers to everyday items such as pens and computers to disposable and reusable water bottles, plastics are everywhere. As a result of all of this plastic production, plastics, including tiny pieces called microplastics, are also in our fish, our water and unfortunately in our tap water. This recent article by Eric Freedman discusses how these plastics are getting into our Great Lakes, and into our bodies!

U.S. Congresswomen Urge President to Stop Line 3 Pipeline Replacement

Minnesota U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, Michigan’s U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib and others held a news conference this week asking President Biden to stop Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 replacement project. The women expressed concerns about increasing climate change, possible spills into waters as well as violating Native American treaty rights. As with Line 5 that runs under water where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet, pipelines carrying fossil fuels not only present problems with spills such as the one that spilled over a million gallons into the Kalamazoo River, but they also continue our dependence on the very fuels that are causing the region to experience new extreme weather events costing billions.

U.S. House Passes PFAS Action Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the PFAS Action Act this week that would: create a drinking water standard for two types of PFAS—PFOA and PFOS—within two years; require corporate polluters and the U.S. Department of Defense clean up their PFAS contamination by listing PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA or the Superfund Law; protect the Great Lakes, rivers and streams and air from PFAS pollution by limiting discharges of PFOA and PFOS into the environment; and create a voluntary label for PFAS-free cookware. While there is much more to be done to protect human health from this class of thousands of toxic forever chemicals, we applaud the House for this important step and look forward to similar action in the U.S. Senate.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-september-10-2021/

Chicago’s Water-For-All Ordinance: What it could mean for the future of Chicago

On: September 10, 2021

In: Call to Action, Drinking Water, Public Health, Water Equity

by Amy Heldman

With Chicago located right on Lake Michigan’s border, it comes as a shock to many that although we have this tremendous body of water in our backyard, many do not have access to running water. Skyrocketing water prices in Chicago have left many without access to the very thing that we need to keep us healthy and safe especially during the pandemic..

A 2019 investigation by WBEZ and American Public Media found that the cost of water in Chicago has tripled over the last decade, which was the highest rate as compared to six other Great Lakes cities examined in the investigation. Since 2007, Chicago’s water department has also sent more than 150,000 water shutoff notices. About 40 percent of those water shutoffs were located in 5 of Chicago’s poorest zip codes concentrated on the South and West Sides where residents are primarily low-income, black, and Latinx.

One attempt to combat this human rights violation is the “Water-For-All” Ordinance. After failing to pass in 2017, the Water-For-All Ordinance, reintroduced in 2019, offers both homeowners and tenants income-based credits toward their utility bills, regardless of their current citizenship status. It would also ban water shut-offs and tax foreclosures, as well as prohibit any privatization of the city’s water supply. Eligibility would be both homeowners and tenants whose annual household income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. This comprehensive approach is gaining support with 30 percent of Aldermen in favor.

The pandemic exposed the water access inequities happening in Chicago and the urgency to remedy the problems. In an interview conducted by María Inés Zamudio, Vernal Green explains that a fire hydrant is currently his only source of water. He carries his bottle of water back to his apartment where he uses it to bathe, wash dishes, and flush the toilet. Over two years ago water was shut off to repair a burst pipe, but the pipe was never fixed nor water service restored to his apartment. Residents like Mr. Green do not have the option of enrolling in a plan to get their water restored because they have no bills in their name. They count on their landlords to pay the city for water services. When their landlord does not settle an outstanding debt with the city, they are left with no water, in the midst of a pandemic.

A similar provision in Chicago is the Utility Billing Relief (UBR) program, which was launched in April by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration. It offers those qualifying a flat 50 percent discount on their utility bills and also gives bill forgiveness after one completed year of on-time payments. Jeff Whitelow with the Chicago Water Alliance has been assisting residents with UBR program enrollment, but many people are simply not eligible to participate because of income threshold limits and not owning their homes.

The Water-For-All Ordinance would help make Chicago water a public good. Unlike the UBR program, the proposed ordinance encompasses all residents. It would allow all residents to afford and access drinking water that before was not possible. It is time to address water as a fundamental human right, not as a commodity to be sold.

If you would like to show your support for the ordinance, tell your Chicago City Council member to work with their colleagues to swiftly pass the Water-For-All ordinance by submitting your comments through Freshwater Future’s quick and easy online action form HERE.

To learn more about the City of Chicago’s Utility Billing Relief (UBR) program, visit Chicago Water Alliance online HERE. For additional information and resources, contact Jeff Whitelow, Chicago Water Alliance at jeffwhitelow@yahoo.com

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/chicagos-water-for-all-ordinance-what-it-could-mean-for-the-future-of-chicago/

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Benton Harbor Community Water Council and Freshwater Future Call on Governor Whitmer to Fully Protect Benton Harbor Residents’ From Lead

On: September 8, 2021

In: Uncategorized

September 8, 2021, Benton Harbor, MI – Today Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced $20 million over the next five years to remove and replace lead service lines in Benton Harbor.

Over the past 3 years, Benton Harbor residents have been subjected to high lead levels, with the latest samples being as high as 24 parts per billion.

“While we thank Governor Whitmer for the $20 million to replace Benton Harbor’s lead service lines, the lead in water situation in Benton Harbor is and has been for the past 3 years a dire emergency,” said Reverend Edward Pinkney, President and CEO of Benton Harbor Water Council. “We have watched our children, loved ones, and my fellow community members be subjected to high lead in water levels. It has been a struggle to get our water utility to properly test and protect the community from these high levels of lead.”

The American Medical Association and CDC have determined there is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Impacts to children exposed to lead include neurological disorders, decreased cognitive behaviors, lower IQ, ADHD, and kidney disease and failure later in life to name a few. A number of studies have also linked lead poisoning to behavioral issues, such as aggression in children and teens, and criminal behavior as adults.

Over the past three years, Benton Harbor water has consistently exceeded state and federal standards in lead for drinking water.. In 2018, residents, with the support of Freshwater Future, formed the Benton Harbor Water Council to educate community members about the dangers of high lead in residents’ water. Together the Benton Harbor Community Water Council and Freshwater Future has consistently pushed the Berrien County Health Department to provide filters to the Benton Harbor Community Water Council to support residents in properly installing and maintaining water filters to protect themselves from dangerous lead levels in their water. Recently, the Benton Harbor Water Council worked hand-in-hand with the local school system to secure funding for water filter stations and reusable water bottles for students, highlighting the success of solutions driven by the community for the community.

“While the state has announced much needed funding assistance to replace lead pipes, what continues to lag is a robust enforcement program that should have required a thorough corrosion control study much earlier,” said Jill Ryan, Executive Director of Freshwater Future. “Without fixing the corrosion control problem first, residents will still be left with lead in their water until pipes are replaced.”

The groups are calling on the city, county, state, and federal government to do more to protect the residents of Benton Harbor, including:

Providing a bulk supply of filters to the Benton Harbor Community Water Council, a trusted community resource, to ensure residents have filtered tap water;
An immediate emergency supply of safe drinking water to Benton Harbor for residents, including elders and children;
Adequate corrosion control now and until the last private and public lead service line is replaced in Benton Harbor; and
Training and contracts for local residents to replace the lead service lines to support the economy of a community with a poverty rate of 45%.

Governor Whitmer must work expediently with EGLE and MDHHS to ensure these measures get put into place immediately and remain in place until the last private and public lead service line is replaced. No person should have to worry about whether or not their drinking water, a basic necessity for life, is tainted with lead.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/immediate-release-benton-harbor-community-water-council-and-freshwater-future-call-on-governor-whitmer-to-fully-protect-benton-harbor-residents-from-lead/

Water Filtration Stations Installed at Benton Harbor High School

On: September 7, 2021

In: Drinking Water, Public Health

During the late summer months, Freshwater Future has been busy working with the Benton Harbor Community Water Council and Nalgene Water Fund to secure filtered water refill stations for all schools in Benton Harbor, MI where municipal water supplies have experienced elevated lead levels since 2018. “There is nothing more important than having clean water for our children. Lead in the water is poisonous and Benton Harbor right now has had three years of nothing but poison in the water,’ said Reverend Edward Pinkney, President and CEO of Benton Harbor Community Water Council.

The work of the Water Council recently brought the first two of eight filter stations to the schools just as schools opened up for the fall semester. In addition, hundreds of reusable water bottles donated by the Nalgene Water Fund are being distributed to students so they can enjoy the water from the new filtered stations and a local Benton Harbor artist has designed a sticker that’s helping to promote the importance clean water to youth. Within the next few months, a total of 8 filtered water refill stations will be installed across all the district’s schools. Freshwater Future will take monthly samples from the water refill stations and test them for lead at the state-of-the-art Flint Community Lab to determine when filters need changing.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/water-filtration-stations-installed-at-benton-harbor-high-school/

Freshwater Future Weekly: September 3, 2021

On: September 3, 2021

September 3, 2021

This week: Water Filtration Stations Installed at Benton Harbor High School + Invasive Round Goby May be Reducing Muskie Numbers in St. Lawrence + Lake Superior, Once Believed Immune Now Faces HABS + Victory: US District Court Agrees The ‘Dirty Water Rule’ is a Threat to Water

Water Filtration Stations Installed at Benton Harbor High School

Freshwater Future has been working with the Benton Harbor Community Water Council and Nalgene Water Fund, to secure filtered water refill stations for all schools in the City. Benton Harbor, MI has experienced elevated lead levels since 2018. “There is nothing more important than having clean water for our children. Lead in the water is poisonous and Benton Harbor right now has had three years of nothing but poison in the water,’ said Reverend Edward Pinkney, President and CEO of Benton Harbor Community Water Council. The work of the Water Council recently brought the first two of eight filter stations to the schools.

Invasive Round Goby May be Reducing Muskie Numbers in St. Lawrence

Both U.S. and Canadian researchers have found significant signs of the number of muskie (muskellunge), the largest member of the pike family, continuing to drop in the St. Lawrence River. One culprit may be the Round Goby, which some believe could be eating muskie eggs from nests. A steep decline in the number of young muskies has alarmed scientists and points to a need for conservation to maintain this important species in the river.

Lake Superior, Once Believed Immune Now Faces HABS

We used to believe Lake Superior was immune to harmful algal blooms (HABS) due to the water temperatures being so cold, however recently there have been massive blooms surfacing, causing great concern amid climate change. Lake Superior is the fastest warming lake in the world right now, and although to date tests have not shown the level of toxins in the blooms to be high enough to impact human health, there are still concerns for the future.

Victory: US District Court Agrees The ‘Dirty Water Rule’ is a Threat to Water

The last federal administration passed an environmental policy referred to as the ‘Dirty Water Rule’ that eases or eliminates regulation and monitoring for a large number of our waters. Recently, a Federal Judge of the US District Court found the Dirty Water Rule a serious harm to the environment. The Biden Administration should now move quickly to repeal this harmful rule and ensure protections for all of our waters.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-september-3-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: August 27, 2021

On: August 27, 2021

August 27, 2021

This week: Support Freshwater Future by donating to our Walk, Paddle, and Roll Event + Ontario and U.S. residents share why #WeAreLakeErie + Upgrades Require Temporary Change in Flint Water Supply + Water is Life Festival, Saturday September 4th

Support Freshwater Future by donating to our Walk, Paddle, and Roll Event

Freshwater Future’s staff and board are raising an additional $10,000 by walking, paddling, biking, swimming, and other great activities around the Great Lakes to further our work helping people access safe, clean water resources.

We need your help because everyone deserves safe, clean water resources from source to tap. You can make a difference today by donating to our Freshwater Future’s Walk Paddle and Roll Fundraising Challenge, which can be found here. With YOUR support, Freshwater Future will make sure that community groups across the Great Lakes have the tools and resources they need to help make their water sources safer and cleaner.

Ontario and U.S. residents share why #WeAreLakeErie

August 25th was the 5th annual celebration of #WeAreLakeErie, creating a virtual wave of support to push for actions to reduce phosphorus pollution that feed toxic algae blooms. Hundreds of users from various social media platforms participated through posting wonderful pictures and stories to highlight the importance of Lake Erie and the urgency to restore and protect this Great Lake. Freshwater Future as one of the founders of this movement is grateful for the massive participation of #WeAreLakeErie. To view the stories and photos, you can visit Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and search: #WeAreLakeErie

Water is Life Festival

On September 4th the Water is Life Festival will be back to host the celebration of water and our responsibility to keep it clean, safe, and accessible. The 2021 Water is Life Festival will be in Conkling Park, Mackinac Island, MI. The Festival boasts an amazing lineup of musicians and speakers, as well as a host of other fun activities! Register now for the event for a chance to win exciting door prizes.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-27-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: August 20, 2021

On: August 24, 2021

August 20, 2021

This week: Attention Water Advocates: Apply for Freshwater Future Grants by September 30 + Hope for Chicago Residents through Utility Bill Relief + Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to Speak for Wetland and Stream Protections + State Updates Pellston, MI Community on PFAS Contamination Investigation + Genetic Control Methods Studied to Reduce Invasive Mussels

Attention Water Advocates: Apply for Freshwater Future Grants by September 30

Freshwater Future has been fortunate to provide nearly $5 million in grants to grassroots community organizations over more than 25 years. Community-based and grassroots organizations working on a water issue to encourage permanent change at the corporate, community, or regulatory level may be eligible for funding. You can learn more about our Grants Program by watching this recorded webinar.

Hope for Chicago Residents through Utility Bill Relief

With one of the largest bodies of freshwater in its backyard, it is unbelievable that many Chicagoans don’t have water service or cannot afford their water bill. The city of Chicago is combating this with their Utility Billing Relief program, but this allows many to fall through the cracks of the program because only homeowners in certain income requirements qualify. For assistance applying for the Utility Billing Relief program, you can connect with one of Freshwater Future’s partners, the Chicago Water Alliance.

Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to Speak for Wetland and Stream Protections

The U.S. EPA wants to hear from you! They want to hear if you believe the Dirty Water Rule should be repealed and what waterways should be protected under the Clean Water Act. As a reminder, the Dirty Water Rule would wipe out protections from at least 50% of the remaining wetlands and approximately 18% of stream miles across the country, according to the U.S. EPA. Tell the U.S. EPA to repeal this destructive rule today and restore the protections for small streams and wetlands that help cleanse our drinking water of pollution. You can attend and provide comments at one of the remaining public hearings.

State Updates Pellston, MI Community on PFAS Contamination Investigation

Recently Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) officials gave an update on their investigation to determine the extent of groundwater contaminated by fire retardants containing PFAS chemicals used at the local airport. The village does not have a public water supply and homeowners source their water from private wells. So far 107 homes have received water filters to reduce the contamination and will need to continue to use the filters until a long-term solution is implemented.

Genetic Control Methods Studied to Reduce Invasive Mussels

Zebra mussels have caused angst in the Great Lakes for over 30 years, endangering native species and throwing the aquatic ecosystem out of balance. Scientists are using the DNA blueprint or genome of zebra mussels to identify potential targets to control and reduce populations and impacts. The work is in its infancy but it may provide options to reduce their threat and reproduction throughout our waters without harming other species in the process.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-20-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: August 13, 2021

On: August 24, 2021

This week: Water System Infrastructure Included in $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill + Utility Debt Relief Will Help Keep Water on as COVID Surges + Lake Erie Challenge + New Sail Drones Used to Collect Data on Great Lakes + Grant Webinar on August 18 + Water is Life Festival on September 3

Water System Infrastructure Included in $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

After decades of little investment in our nation’s infrastructure, the Biden administration has passed a much needed $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. The largest share of the funds, $110 billion will go to roads. with $55 billion for improvements to water systems infrastructure. The nation is well overdue for an upgrade in its infrastructure and passing this bill is a big step forward in improving the quality of water and the efficiencies of our water systems.

Utility Debt Relief Could Help Keep Water on as COVID Surges

Millions of people across the country currently do not have access to tap water or are facing their water being shut-off due to the billions of dollars of utility debt that has grown exponentially during the pandemic. As the Delta COVID variant cases ramp up, it is imperative to pass legislation that secures utility debt relief so everyone has the ability to wash their hands and masks. A recently introduced bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would eliminate water, electric, and internet household debt. You can help get this important bill passed.

The Lake Erie Challenge is coming August 28!

Lake Erie is one of the largest bodies of water providing drinking water, places for recreation, and habitat for aquatic life, yet it is still struggling with Harmful Algal Blooms due largely to agricultural runoff. On August 28th, local athletes are taking the Lake Erie Challenge with the Canadian Freshwater Alliance. They will cover 80km via SUPs, canoes, and wing foils to celebrate and protect #LakeErie. Learn more and lend your support at LakeErieChallenge.ca

New Saildrones Used to Collect Data on Great Lakes

Innovative technology called saildrones set sail on the Great Lakes to collect scientific data including meteorological data. The pair of 23-foot tall saildrones are gathering information on fish in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in August and September. The technology is built with solar energy for charging and wind energy for movement. Click here to learn more about the saildrones study in the Great Lakes.

Need Funds for Your Water Work? Join the Grants Webinar on August 18

Freshwater Future has been fortunate to provide Grant Programs for grassroots community organizations for over 25 years. Learn more about our Grants Program, Wednesday, August 18, 2021 – noon (EST). To register online, please click HERE. To register by email or phone, please contact laurie@freshwaterfuture.org (231)348-8200. Also, visit the map on our website to learn more about our Grant Programs funding initiatives and their impact on past projects.

Water is Life Festival

On September 3rd the Water is Life Festival will be back to host the celebration of water in support of protecting waters rights. The 2021 Water is Life Festival will be in Conkling Park, Mackinac Island, MI. The Festival boasts an amazing lineup of musicians as well as a host of other fun activities! Register now for the event for a chance to win exciting door prizes.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-13-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: August 6, 2021

On: August 10, 2021

August 6, 2021

This week: Repairs Require a Change in Flint’s Water Source + August Means Toxic Algal Blooms + Freshwater Future Grant Program Webinar on August 18th + Climate Change in the Great Lakes + Updates on Issues

Repairs Require a Change in Flint’s Water Source

Flint, Michigan’s water source will be changed to its backup source for up to six weeks to repair valves. The Great Lakes Water Authority provides Flint’s water, which is sourced from Lake Huron. The backup source also uses Lake Huron water. Switching water sources in 2014 contributed to the lead contamination in Flint. You can find more information on the repairs and changes on the City of Flint’s website, where you can also connect if you have concerns about any changes in water quality.

August Means Toxic Algal Blooms

This month, at least three of the Great Lakes are facing harmful algal blooms, including Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, and Lake Erie. On Lake Ontario, city officials in Hamilton Harbor are advising the public not to go in the water and have closed a local beach due to toxic blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria. In Lake Superior, specifically along the southern shore, researchers have been trying to identify why the area is facing harmful blooms. As surrounding agricultural fields usually play a large role in algal blooms, scientists have been surprised that Lake Superior has been affected by the blooms. As for Lake Erie, scientists in Toledo are now studying the role that algal blooms will have on ecosystems and the food chain, finding that some species might now be reserving energy from things like reproduction in order to combat the stress of algal blooms, which could impact future population growth in these species.

Freshwater Future Grant Program Webinar on August 18th–Mark Your Calendar

Please join Freshwater Future for an informative Q&A online session to learn more about our Grants Program, Wednesday, August 18, 2021 – noon (EST). This informal webinar will provide a brief overview of our grants programs and how to apply. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers. To register online, please click HERE. To register by email or phone, please contact laurie@freshwaterfuture.org (231)348-8200. Check-out Freshwater Future’s 2021 Grant Opportunities guidelines to see if your organization is eligible.

Climate Change and the Great Lakes

While areas in the Great Lakes such as Detroit and Ohio have been experiencing extreme rain events, the Great Lakes as a whole are also likely to see more intense storms, warmer water, and greater water level fluctuations. Water level fluctuations in the Great Lakes typically happen in a cyclical pattern that spans multiple decades. Due to the complexity of climate change coinciding with these fluctuations, the International Joint Commission (IJC) has been pushing for a binational approach between governments to better collaboration and create new strategies focused on accountability, coordination, and implementation considerations. Part of their climate change adaptation plan will also involve regulating the outflows from Lake Superior and Lake Ontario. The IJC has also created a Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management (GLAM) Committee, which will examine how water fluctuations intersect with socio-economic conditions in the area.

Updates on Issues:

Asphalt Plant Near Flint, Michigan

Last week we shared that an asphalt plant was proposed near Flint and that due to its proximity it may increase exposure of Flint residents to environmental pollutants from the facility. Freshwater Future has prepared a summary with talking points you can use to submit comments to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The deadline to submit is August 16, 2021.

Thank you to the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center for sharing their expertise, research, and recommendations to make impactful comments regarding this permit.

Drinking Water Contamination from PFAS in Pellston, Michigan

Recent drinking water well samples from Pellston, MI exceeded clean-up and drinking water standards for PFAS, with the highest result finding 410 parts per trillion PFOS (drinking water standard is 6 ppt).

A virtual community meeting about the PFAS contamination in Pellston will be held August 11, at 6:00 pm. You can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i3v6fslyTnONKRy1mfVlCw

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-6-2021/

Take Action – Call your Congressional Members today and urge them to pass the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act

On: August 9, 2021

In: Call to Action, Drinking Water

On August 6, 2021, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D- Detroit) introduced the House version of Maintaining Access to Essential Services, which would eliminate water, electric, and internet household debt. The bill, if enacted into law, would provide $13.5 billion for private and public water utilities in the form of low-interest loans that can become grant dollars if the utilities forgive residential water debt. The bill further suspends charging late or restoration of water service fees, prohibits reporting residents with utility debt to credit bureaus or placing liens on their homes, shutting off water to residents due to non-payment, and requires utilities to restore residential services.

Unfortunately, the over $1 trillion Bi-partisan Infrastructure Bill moving through the Senate does not include a prohibition on utility shut-offs or utility debt relief. Access to clean, safe, and affordable water is a basic human right and need. Congress has a role in ensuring all Americans have access to this life giving resource. Call your Congressional members today and urge them to pass the Maintaining Access to Essential Services Act.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/take-action-call-your-congressional-members-today-and-urge-them-to-pass-the-maintaining-access-to-essential-services-act/

Freshwater Future Weekly: July 30, 2021

On: July 30, 2021

July 30, 2021

This week: Indigenous Activists Journey with A Totem Pole Across the US Calling Attention to Environmental Issues + Public Comments Requested on Asphalt Plant Proposed Near Flint, Michigan + Drought in Minnesota Drying Up Creeks and Wells + Federal Bill to Regulate Forever Chemicals Passes the U.S. House + Training Builds Skills to Promote Water Testing Program

Indigenous Activists Journey With A Totem Pole Across the US Calling Attention to Environmental Issues

Members of the Lummi Nation have spent the month of July on a journey with a 25-foot totem pole, traveling from Washington State to Washington DC, with eight stops along the way, including Mackinaw City on July 27th. At each stop along the Red Road to DC, they are hosting ceremonies and events to raise awareness and protect sacred land from threats such as industrial development and the over extraction of resources. During their stop in Mackinaw City, they joined the Bay Mills Indian Community and other tribal nations in the area to draw attention to the threat to water from the 68-year old oil and gas pipeline on the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. The totem pole will finish its journey across the country with an exhibition in the Smithsonian from July 29th-31st.

Public Comments Requested on Asphalt Plant Proposed Near Flint, Michigan

Asphalt plants emit toxic pollutants that can cause health problems such as respiratory illnesses and heart disease. A new plant is proposed near Flint, that due to its proximity may increase exposure of Flint residents to environmental pollutants from the facility. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is hosting an informational session and a virtual public hearing on August 3, 2021 at 6 p.m. In addition, in-person comments can be shared from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 11, 2021, at the Genesee Township Hall. Written comments about the proposal will be accepted until August 16, 2021. Stay tuned for an action alert with Freshwater Future concerns about this proposed asphalt plant.

Federal Bill to Regulate Forever Chemicals Passes the U.S. House

Under a new bill that recently passed the U.S. House, national drinking water standards would be required for two of the forever chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, which are the two most common forms of PFAS. If the bill passes in the U.S. Senate, the Environmental Protection Agency will be required to set the drinking water standards within two years and the forever chemicals will be classified as hazardous substances through the Federal Superfund law. Also included in the bill, $200 million per year would be administered to treat wastewater and the chemicals would be considered air pollutants, requiring limits on discharges.

In related news, Illinois issued a health advisory for a fifth form of PFAS and they are testing community water supplies for PFAS.

Drought in Minnesota Drying Up Creeks and Wells

While areas of the Great Lakes region have been dealing with extreme rain events and flooding, Minnesota is in a moderate to extreme drought. The lack of precipitation has dried up wells and greatly reduced inland lake levels impacting recreation, even reducing waterfalls to trickles. Along the North Shore of Lake Superior creeks and rivers with decreased flow are harming trout and salmon populations.

Training Builds Skills to Promote Water Testing Program

freshwater-future-trains-flint-community-lab-interns

Freshwater Future staff joined the staff at the Flint Community Lab this week to provide training to build confidence and communications in promoting the water testing service to Flint residents. Together they visited several neighborhoods and distributed water test kits that will be collected and analyzed for lead, providing information to help residents rebuild trust in their tap water.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-july-30-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: July 23, 2021

On: July 23, 2021

THIS WEEK: PolyMet Mine in Minnesota Again Facing Permit Issues + In Erie, Pennsylvania Toxic Algae is Causing Warnings for Dogs + Ontario Awards 44 Grants Through Great Lakes Local Action Fund + Maine Becomes the New Leader After Banning PFAS + Action Needed: Comments on National Lead and Copper Rule + Waterspouts on Lake Michigan

PolyMet Mine in Minnesota Again Facing Permit Issues

On July 19, 2021 the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the air emissions permit back to regulators at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for the proposed PolyMet mine, due to information that the company may be planning a mine larger than proposed. For years, Freshwater Future has been supporting groups working on this issue such as Water Legacy, which has worked diligently on other permits for the mine such as the water pollution permit and wetlands fill permit. Mining in this special area adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness could not only harm this amazing wilderness area, but also set precedent for further mining.

In Erie, Pennsylvania Toxic Algae is Causing Warnings for Dogs

Nine locations in Erie County, along the shoreline of Lake Erie, have been posted to keep dogs from swimming as the current toxin levels from algae are above safe levels for dogs, although they are not yet high enough to cause human warnings. While we have traditionally seen harmful algal blooms cause human warnings in the western end of the Lake, this reminds us that nutrient runoff can cause harmful effects across Lake Erie as well as most other lakes.

Ontario Awards 44 Grants Through Great Lakes Local Action Fund

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks recently awarded $1.9 million in 44 grants to help protect and restore the Great Lakes in the province. A wide range of projects were funded, including reduction of agricultural runoff into Lake Erie, shoreline remediation and cleanups, plastics removal from Georgian Bay, habitat protection on Lake Ontario, and improving public access to Lake Huron.

Maine Becomes the New Leader After Banning PFAS

The state of Maine makes history becoming the first state and first world government to enact a ban on the water repellent and stain resistant chemical, PFAS and its 9,000+ variants from all products by 2030. This puts immense pressure on industry to make their products more consumer safe and hopefully blazes the trail for other states and eventually federal legislation to remove these human toxins called forever chemicals. Starting in 2023, manufacturers of products sold in Maine with PFAS intentionally added must report the use of PFAS to the state.

Action Needed: Comments on National Lead and Copper Rule

The federal administration is seeking additional public comments on changes to the federal Lead and Copper Rule, which regulates lead in drinking water. The deadline for comments is July 30, 2021. We are asking that you take a few minutes and use the talking points on our website to craft and submit your individual comments by clicking here.

Waterspouts on Lake Michigan

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines waterspouts as a whirling column of air and water mist. While that description doesn’t sound too exciting, you might be interested in this cool video of waterspouts on Lake Michigan!

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-july-23-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: July 16, 2021

On: July 16, 2021

THIS WEEK: EPA Employees Accuse Supervisors of Changing Scientific Reports to Downplay Chemical Risks + Action Needed: Comments on National Lead and Copper Rule + Maumee Dumps Unsanitary Sewer Water in the Maumee River + Research Suggests Grazing Relationship Between Zebra Mussels and Toxic Algae

EPA Employees Accuse Supervisors of Changing Scientific Reports to Downplay Chemical Risks

Employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allege their superiors were changing reports, in one case increasing the amount that would be a safe dose of a substance by 10,000 times. Integrity of science and communication of scientific information is critical to keeping residents safe. While a spokesperson for EPA said the allegations are being investigated, one can’t help but wonder how such actions could be affecting the safety of our children.

Action Needed: Comments on National Lead and Copper Rule

Maumee Dumps Unsanitary Sewer Water in the Maumee River

The city of Maumee, Ohio is permitted to dump up to 25 million gallons of sanitary sewer water into the Maumee river annually and notify the EPA every time. However, the city of Maumee has been estimated to be dumping as much as 150 million gallons annually of unsanitary sewage into the Maumee river without informing the EPA. The city’s mayor had recently been notified and sees this problem costing $100 million over a 30-year period, and those costs will be rolled into the residents’ water bill, increasing their rates beginning next month. Some analysts are projecting an increase of 60% or more. In addition to the pressure on residents’ water and sewer costs, dumping into the Maumee River was also adding to the toxic algal blooms occurring in Lake Erie.

Research Suggests Grazing Relationship Between Zebra Mussels and Toxic Algae

Microcystis, a cyanobacteria, produces the harmful toxin, Microcystin, which is associated with Harmful Algal Blooms in places like Lake Erie. Stephen Hamilton, a professor from Michigan State University, has been studying the zebra mussel’s relationship with the harmful algal blooms (HABS) for over ten years. Hamilton believes the zebra mussels selectively eat other algae, but not the cyanobacteria Microcystin, which can then grow aggressively because its competition has been removed.

Bay View, Michigan Scarrow Friday Forum Lecture Series – Freshwater Future’s Executive Director, Jill M. Ryan spoke to an attentive crowd of over 100 on July 9th. The lively discussion focused on Great Lakes water resource topics ranging from contaminants, water withdrawals, climate change and lake levels to Mackinac Straights Line 5.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-july-16-2021/

U.S.EPA Seeks Public Comments for Lead and Copper Rule Revisions

On: July 15, 2021

In: Call to Action, Drinking Water, No Lead in Drinking Water, Public Health

In June, the Biden administration delayed the implementation of the Trump Administration’s federal lead and copper rule (LCR) until December 2021 to seek additional public comments and potentially revise the Trump Administration’s LCR. Along with the delay, the U.S. EPA launched a public commenting period, holding roundtable discussions in 10 locations across the U.S. They are also seeking public comments until July 30, 2021.

While sign-on letters and action alerts are great, individual comments are more impactful and decision-makers look at these comments more than an action alert and sometimes a sign-on letter. Due to this and that the U.S. EPA is asking individuals to submit comments through a specific online portal, we are asking you to take a few minutes and use the talking points below to craft and submit your individual comments by going to https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OW-2021-0255-0001.

If you have any questions on LCR or the comment period, please email Jill Ryan, Executive Director at jill@freshwaterfuture.org. If you do submit comments, please let us know by emailing alana@freshwaterfuture.org so we may track how many people comment. Thank you.

TALKING POINTS

The American Medical Association and CDC have determined there is no safe level of lead in humans. Any standard put into place must be a health-based standard, which would be 0 ug/l.

The proposed rule requires Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) to tell customers how much lead is in the drinking water system servicing their house and where they can find the lead service line inventory. The CCR should also include information for customers about how to protect themselves from lead-in water if lead is above 0 ug/l, as well as an explanation of the proposed action level of 10 ug/l and exceedance level of 15 ug/l, particularly that these are not health-based levels, but for system corrosion control. This allows customers to make informed decisions about how they want to protect themselves from lead-in water.

The proposed rule does not go far enough to protect students’ drinking water. For schools connected to public water systems, the proposed rule only requires elementary schools and daycares to test once every 5 years and secondary schools are only by request. Schools are informed about how to protect students through flushing and other mechanisms, but there is no requirement for the schools to do flushing, etc. For schools that own and operate their water system, the proposed rule requires the school to sample more frequently, but these schools are not necessarily equipped to interpret the results or address the changes necessary to protect students. Given that our next generation spends so much time at school, there should be stronger requirements for sampling and monitoring of all schools and daycares. If a school does have an exceedance, the school or daycare should be required to use filter stations, and those schools in impoverished communities should be given filter stations at no cost to the school or residents. Filters should be used until all fixtures and service lines are replaced and the water has been resampled and deemed to have no lead in the water.

All lead service lines should be replaced, including public and private lead service lines, as well as those private and public lines servicing schools within 10 years.

According to the AASA, The School Superintendents Association, if lead service line replacement is done correctly for all schools and daycares, special education costs associated with addressing the effects of lead on childhood development would be reduced and national student achievement would improve.

The rule should require any community, regardless of size, to replace their lead service lines and if that community is impoverished, grants be provided to replace the lead services lines. The proposed revisions allow small water systems serving less than 10,000 people, too much flexibility. The proposed rule allows these small systems to either install or adjust corrosion control treatment, install and maintain point-of-use services like filters, replace all lead bearing plumbing, or replace lead service lines in 15 years, and once the system starts they cannot stop replacing the lines. Rather than giving this much flexibility, the end goal should be to replace all the lead service lines.

Standardize language used by utilities to inform customers of the health impacts to children, pregnant women, and adults when lead in water reaches the action level of 10 ug/l or 15 ug/l exceedance level should be included in the CCR, even if below the action or exceedance level to allow customers to make informed decisions about how they may want to protect themselves if there is lead in their water.

If the utilities are going to invest in inventorying service lines, utilities should make note of the materials of all the water service lines.

The USEPA should collect data from the water utilities annually and make this publicly available in a centralized database. At least, the following data should be collected:

How many lead service lines, both private and public. The first annual report to the USEPA should include material makeup of the rest of the water service lines, but would not be required unless the line is replaced with a different material in subsequent years;
How many public and private lead lines were replaced, the address of the replacement, and the material of the line replaced with;
How many public and private lead service lines are left to replace;
Details about rates are rising as a result of the lead service line replacement; and
Number of customers that have gone into arrears due to the replacement of the line.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/public-comment-period-for-lead-and-copper-rule-revisions/

Freshwater Future Weekly: July 9, 2021

On: July 9, 2021

THIS WEEK: Bringing Water Filter Stations to Benton Harbor Schools + Legislation Would Force Air Force Bases to Swiftly Cleanup Toxic Pollution + U.S. EPA Administrator, Michael Regan Tours the Flint Community Lab + UPDATE: Community Actions Helped–Saginaw Delays Water Shutoffs + Freshwater Future Featured in Water Justice Publication

Bringing Water Filter Stations to Benton Harbor Schools

Freshwater Future is happy to be working with the Benton Harbor Water Council, Benton Harbor Schools and the Nalgene Water Fund to ensure youth have clean water. Benton Harbor, Michigan has been out of compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule for nearly 3 years, meaning residents may have high levels of lead in their tap water. In addition to working with the water council on monitoring, pushing for solutions, and education, we also want to ensure students have safe water at school. This project will bring filtered water bottle filling stations to the high school in time for fall return to classes.

Legislation Would Force Air Force Bases to Swiftly Cleanup Toxic Pollution

The toxic chemical PFAS used in firefighting foam among other products continues to be found in water sources near Air Force Bases. Legislation was recently introduced that would require PFAS remediation and cleanup of the worst Air Force Sites known as the ‘Filthy Fifty’. The bill also requires testing at all U.S. Department of Defense sites within two years and the requirement of providing clean drinking water within 60 days of detection of PFAS in the source drinking water. Freshwater Future sees these requirements as critical to the safety of families living near bases.

U.S. EPA Administrator, Michael Regan Tours the Flint Community Lab

Michael Regan, the new Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is touring several cities to promote the President’s infrastructure package that will invest billions in replacing lead piping in water systems and to rebuild trust with communities. On Wednesday, he toured the Flint Community Lab, a partner project of Flint Development Center and Freshwater Future. The lab provides Flint residents with a trusted source of water testing and education as well as job and skill development for Flint youth exposing them to science, technology, engineering and math careers.

UPDATE: Community Actions Help–Saginaw Delays Water Shutoffs

Last week, we shared that Saginaw, Michigan planned to shut off water to 750 customers. Fortunately, the City of Saginaw announced a delay of water shutoffs until July 15, in response to the outcry from people about the water shutoffs and harsh penalties. The delay is helpful, but does not go far enough to help residents. We urge the City and other municipalities to develop an affordability plan that ensures access to water service for all Saginaw residents.

Freshwater Future Featured in Water Justice Publication

A case study of Freshwater Future’s work in Toledo, Ohio and Flint, Michigan on lead in drinking water is featured in a new publication aimed to help frontline communities with water justice issues. The “Water Justice Toolkit: A Guide to Address Environmental Inequities in Frontline Communities” produced by American Rivers provides a basic overview of federal laws and policies, legal avenues and case studies that highlight how communities have addressed a variety of water justice issues.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-july-9-2021/

Freshwater Future Weekly: July 1, 2021

On: July 1, 2021

THIS WEEK: Freshwater Future Awards Water Protection Grants + Federal Infrastructure Funds Targeted for Water Systems in Michigan + 750 Homes Losing Water After Water Shutoff Moratorium Expired + Campaign Targets Boaters to Prevent Spread of Invasive Species

Freshwater Future Awards Water Protection Grants

This spring, Freshwater Future has awarded five groups with Project Grants to provide financial assistance for projects that promote water protection. These grants range from $500 to $5,000 and were awarded to community groups working to promote river, lake, shoreline, wetland, groundwater, and drinking water protection within the Great Lakes Basin. Learn more about these important projects.

Federal Infrastructure Funds Targeted for Water Systems in Michigan

Michigan proposed that Federal infrastructure funds will be targeted for the following improvements to water systems:

$700 million to upgrade local drinking water and wastewater facilities
$600 million for the replacement of lead pipes across the state through a matching grant program
$85 million to install filtered water stations inside schools
$100 million in grants to cleanup pollution sites without current owners
$290 million in bonds to assist communities with upgrading and replacing water treatment infrastructure
$680 million for dam repairs

Contact your Michigan legislators today to ask them to spend more on drinking water to keep Michigan’s residents safe.

In other states, let us know if you hear specifics about water infrastructure spending, and contact your legislators to let them know your priorities.

750 Homes Losing Water After Water Shutoff Moratorium Expired

After the Michigan statewide moratorium on water shutoffs expired June 15th, the City of Saginaw water department underwent mass water shutoffs, cutting off water to as many as 750 homes. These efforts are inexplicable given that funding for water arrearages is coming from the federal government, and COVID has already proven the need to always permit running water in homes. Water affordability programs are the proven way for municipalities to recoup revenue for water service and water shutoffs are proven to be more costly.

Campaign Targets Boaters to Prevent Spread of Invasive Species

Over 185 aquatic invasive species like the zebra mussel and Eurasian water milfoil have been introduced to the Great Lakes. Invasive species harm our natural water ecosystems by disrupting the food web, negatively impacting recreation and economy requiring billions on control measures. Before the summer holiday weekend, Canada and the eight Great Lakes states joined forces on the Landing Blitz campaign that enforces and encourages boaters to clean their boats from any debris that may have tagged along for the ride.

Summer Community Events

Freshwater Future’s Own Jill Ryan Speaks at Bay View

Freshwater Future’s Executive Director, Jill Ryan, will be a special guest speaker for Bay View Association ‘Scarrow Friday Forum’ on July 9th . The discussion will talk about the special qualities of the Great Lakes that make them so important, as well as highlighting issues of concern in the region and the solutions Freshwater Future brings to those concerns. Topics will include: rebuilding trust in water in Flint and beyond; pushing for faster notification of residents when water contamination is found; ensuring protections are enforced to protect our rivers, lakes and wetlands from acid mine drainage; and more. If you are in northern Michigan, please join us!

Water Celebration – Menominee River

Water Celebration on July 16th, 2021 is a gathering in Stephenson Island, Wisconsin to support protection from mining contamination of the Menominee River. Great speeches and fun activities are featured at this outdoor event. Learn more here.

Water is Life Festival September 4, 2021

The Water is Life Festival is an annual event that celebrates our connection to the water and builds power through community so we can work towards living in a holistic way with water and protect it from those who seek to exploit or endanger it. The festival is held Saturday, September 4th before Labor Day in Mackinaw City, Michigan.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-july-1-2021/

Freshwater Future Announces Project Grant Recipients – Spring 2021 Cycle

On: June 30, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Protect Niagara Escarpment & Headwaters of Pretty River

Blue Mountain Watershed Trust Foundation received $2,000 to join in the fight to keep a summer-only road from becoming a year-round road in Ontario, Canada. To represent the Watershed Trust at the Niagara Escarpment Hearing Office, they are hiring environmental, fisheries, and engineering consultants, as well as organizing a publicity campaign to highlight the threat to the wetlands in the road corridor and the threat to the fisheries in the Pretty River.

Saving Rare Lake Michigan Dunes and Wetlands from a Golf Course Development

The Friends of the Black River Forest was awarded $3,000 to support their ongoing legal action to protect both the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Black River from the development of a private golf course which would be located in Wilson, Wisconsin.

Protecting Groundwater & Communities: The Grassroots Push for an Aggregate Moratorium

$3,000 was awarded to the Wellington Water Watchers, who are located in Guelph, Ontario. The Wellington Water Watchers are collaborating with five grassroots groups, focusing on the impacts of aggregate to the rivers and aquifers that supply drinking water. To create both municipal and provincial pressure for a moratorium to be placed on the distribution of new permits taking water for aggregate operations, they are coordinating a public awareness campaign. This moratorium would allow for current regulations to be reviewed and improved to better protect drinking water.

Reverse the PolyMet Water Permit

To WaterLegacy, Freshwater Future awarded $4,500 to help with securing a reversal of the PolyMet water pollution permit in the Minnesota Court of Appeals. This permit was issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in 2018 and Freshwater Future has been pleased to support WaterLegacy in their advocacy, investigation, and litigation along the way.

Grassroots Citizen Advocacy at Michigan Hydropower Projects

To assist in advocacy efforts driven by the Michigan Hydro Relicensing Coalition, Freshwater Future has awarded $4,500 to Grassroots Citizen Advocacy. With three additional hydropower projects seeking re-licensing, one pursuing license surrender, the enforcement of a settlement agreement, and emerging hydropower issues related to water quality, license termination, and dam safety, this advocacy will help to ensure that citizen conservationists’ interests are given full consideration by resource agencies and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-future-project-grant-recipients-spring-2021-cycle/

Freshwater Future: June 25, 2021

On: June 25, 2021

THIS WEEK: Toledo Water Council and Junction Coalition Collaborative Successes + Freshwater Future’s Own Jill Ryan Speaks at Bay View + Federal Review of Line 5 Pipeline Will Be In-Depth Environmental Analysis + Judge Blocks Golf Course Permit, Preserving Wetlands and Dunes on Lake Michigan + Benton Harbor and Highland Park Speak to USEPA to Get Lead Out of Drinking Water + Harmful Algal Blooms Impact Air and Water

Toledo Water Council and Junction Coalition Collaborative Successes

Two powerful community advocacy groups in Toledo, the Junction Coalition and the Toledo Water Council, have managed to make great headway to press for policies in the best interest of their residents. Together, these groups have moved the City to pass a water debt forgiveness ordinance, water protections for tenants ordinance, a contract with a premier consultant for a water affordability study, and so much more. Click HERE to learn more about the slew of accomplishments these local groups have accomplished.

Freshwater Future’s Own Jill Ryan Speaks at Bay View

Freshwater Future’s Executive Director, Jill Ryan, will be a special guest speaker for Bay View Association ‘Scarrow Friday Forum’ on July 9th. The discussion will talk about the special qualities of the Great Lakes that make them so important, as well as highlighting issues of concern in the region and the solutions Freshwater Future brings to those concerns. Topics will include: rebuilding trust in water in Flint and beyond; pushing for faster notification of residents when water contamination is found; ensuring protections are enforced to protect our rivers, lakes and wetlands from acid mine drainage; and more. If you are in northern Michigan, please join us!

Federal Review of Line 5 Pipeline Will Be In-Depth Environmental Analysis

Tens of thousands have weighed in on the proposal to develop a new utility tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan meets Lake Huron. The tunnel would house, among other utilities, a replacement of the existing controversial 63-year old oil transportation pipelines currently running in the same area. Tighter scrutiny is needed because the Canadian company that operates the pipelines and wishes to build the tunnel has not provided sufficient information in permit applications about the project, including risks to water and people, design gaps and consideration of tribal cultural resources. Freshwater Future applauds the efforts of countless residents, organizations and tribes who have pushed for this tighter scrutiny.

Judge Blocks Golf Course Permit, Preserving Wetlands and Dunes on Lake Michigan

A Sheboygan County Judge dismissed Kohler Co.’s lawsuit regarding a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) permit that allowed for the filling of wetlands near the Lake Michigan coast. This decision affirmed a previous judge’s decision that the “WDNR should not rely on vague promises” from development projects when it comes to the protection of groundwater and wetlands. Freshwater Future has awarded multiple grants to Friends of Black River Forest to assist in their legal battle to help preserve coastal wetlands in Wisconsin.

Benton Harbor and Highland Park Speak to USEPA on Changes to the Lead and Copper Rule

The Michigan cities came together during a call with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and highlighted key points that are affecting their communities as well as communities across the country. The lead pipes within our infrastructure are beyond their useful lifespans and protecting residents from harm is paramount. Freshwater Future staff member Brandon Tyus was able to support residents’ voices on the call, Follow us on Facebook to see more.

Harmful Algal Blooms Impact Air and Water

Your typical morning jog alongside the lake or Saturday fun day at the lake can possibly make you ill. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are currently studying the impacts of toxins that are released from algae blooms when algae is disturbed. To avoid exposure, reduce contact with algae blooms when enjoying the lake and consider another outdoor location when waves are rough.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-june-25-2021/

Toledo Water Council Makes Progress on Water Affordability

On: June 25, 2021

In: Drinking Water, Grassroots Groups at Work

By Alexis Smith, Community Database and Tech Coordinator

In 2018, the City of Toledo pushed through a plan to regionalize governance of the Toledo water utility that sells water to suburbs at wholesale prices and substantially increases water rates for residents living in the City. Toledo rates are expected to increase by about 60% over the next five years. Even prior to this regionalization, Junction Coalition, a community-based organization in a low-income neighborhood, had been tackling environmental and social justice issues for years. This community organization partnered with a number of local and national environmental organizations to focus on green infrastructure projects which led to the installations of bioswales and rain gardens, urban gardening to combat food deserts, and the transformation of vacant lots in their community to green, usable spaces.

In response to the decision to regionalize water and the rising rates in Toledo, Junction Coalition partnered with Freshwater Future to form the Toledo Community Water Council. While the Junction community stands to be among the hardest hit communities impacted by the rising water rates, the Toledo Community Water Council serves as a platform where concerned citizens all over Toledo can voice their concerns and create opportunities to influence the decisions made around drinking water.

As a result of this collaborative partnership, amazing progress has been made, such that, the advocacy of these residents has now moved the City to accomplish the following:

Debt Forgiveness Ordinance passed that community members were able to help draft.
Tenant Landlord Ordinance passed, also with community members helping to draft.
Hired a premier consultant to conduct a Water Affordability Study upon urging from the community, the Toledo Water Council and Freshwater Future.

Freshwater Future partnered with the City of Toledo and Blue Conduit to submit a grant to use an innovative tool to inventory the city’s water distribution lines for lead and educate residents on how to protect themselves from lead-in water. By utilizing these cutting edge tools, the project should help reduce costs of removing lead pipes, thereby reducing further price increases. (See adjacent box.)

In addition to ensuring residents have access to safe and affordable drinking water, members of the Water Council are also focusing on educating their neighbors on other environmental justice issues that impact the quality of and access to water such as harmful algal blooms and the public health risks of lead in water.

This collaborative work to help bring the wisdom and strength of residents’ voices to the decision-making processes around drinking water has shown that community involvement improves the results by ensuring the needs of residents are at the forefront.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/toledo-water-council-makes-progress-on-water-affordability/

Judge blocks golf course permit, preserving rare ecosystems in Wisconsin

On: June 25, 2021

In: Grassroots Groups at Work, News

On May 28th, 2021, a Wisconsin judge denied the Kohler Co.’s request to reinstate a development permit for a golf course, previously granted to them from Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in 2017.

The Friends of Black River Forest challenged the permit decision claiming that the environmental impact statement was incomplete and had some factual inconsistencies when it came to assessing secondary impacts of the golf course. An administrative law judge threw out the original permit, after finding that the WDNR lacked sufficient information to grant the permit. The company sought to have the permit reinstated in court and another administrative law judge threw out the permit request again.

According to Mary Faydash, a spokesperson of Friends of Black River Forest, “this decision affirms the ALJ’s conclusion that the DNR should not rely on vague promises to protect groundwater and wetlands from golf course development and operation”. Freshwater Future assisted Friends of Black River Forest by providing them a grant in 2018 to help the organization provide the expert testimony and legal review for the preservation of these unique wetlands. They were also recently awarded another grant from Freshwater Future to help continue their legal efforts in preserving wetlands and holding water regulatory agencies accountable.

The proposed golf course planned to fill in nearly 4 acres of wetlands and eliminate nearly 250 acres of habitats that are rare and unique to the region and the world. The property contains interdunal wetlands that provide habitat, resting areas, and nesting places for many uncommon plant species and migratory birds. Wetlands help filter water before entering underground water reservoirs, which are used for drinking water. By filling in these wetlands, the groundwater becomes more susceptible to contamination from the additional pollution and chemicals that the golf course would be producing as runoff. Wetlands also help to reduce stormwater runoff and control flooding. The increase of extreme rain events, due to climate change, are making the need for wetlands even more essential.These were some of the factors that failed to be considered when the permit was granted, which were also presented during the court hearing.

Faydash states that the next step for the Friends of Black River Forest is to take an educational path to help inform the community about why these habitats need to be preserved. Knowledge is power, and the best way to help preserve the environment is to stay informed.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/grassroots-work/judge-blocks-golf-course-permit-preserving-rare-ecosystems-in-wisconsin/

Freshwater Future Weekly: June 18, 2021

On: June 18, 2021

THIS WEEK: Juneteenth — How Freedom Has Evolved + Chemical Companies Hid Health Dangers of Forever Chemicals + Sturgeon For Tomorrow Black Lake Chapter Receives Grant for Sturgeon Restoration in Saginaw Bay + Community Summer Events

Juneteenth — How Freedom Has Evolved

By Brandon Tyus

As an African American team member of Freshwater Future, I’d like to comment on recent progress to address inequities and justice. We’ve gone from being brought to American soils on someone else’s accord, to increasing our number of people now sitting at the table to make decisions to better our community, to the adoption this week of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. We fight so hard every day to rectify the disparity in equity, so let us use Juneteenth to recognize how far we’ve come. To relish in our wins in water and freedom.

Chemical Companies Hid Health Dangers of Forever Chemicals

Industry research indicates that severe health risks from newer PFAS used in food packaging was hidden by chemical companies from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The reporting revealed that these newer chemicals, sometimes called “short-chain” PFAS, accumulate and are toxic, similar to the longer chain chemicals. As a result, our pizza boxes, take out containers, and other food packaging are exposing us to these damaging chemicals.

Sturgeon For Tomorrow Black Lake Chapter Receives Grant for Sturgeon Restoration in Saginaw Bay

The Black Lake Chapter was awarded $8,000 to help increase the lake sturgeon population in Saginaw Bay through the Conservation Fund and the Bay Area Community Foundation. The Black Lake Chapter will use these funds to stock 1,500 fall fingerling lake sturgeon over three years in the Saginaw Bay watershed, helping to restore these long-lived fish.

Summer Community Events

Water Celebration – Menominee River

Water is Life Festival September 4, 2021

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-june-18-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: June 11, 2021

On: June 11, 2021

June 11, 2021

THIS WEEK: Bills Will Allow Sand and Gravel Mining Near Residential Areas + Scientists are Awarded $1 million to Fight Microplastics + Low Precipitation Contributes to Loss of 25 Trillion Gallons in Great Lakes + Federal Ban on PFAS in Food Packaging Introduced

Bills Will Allow Sand and Gravel Mining Near Residential Areas

Michigan Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, announced he has introduced new bills that would permit gravel companies to operate closer to residential areas and move the approval process of mining permits away from local governments to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). We fear the proposed legislation lacks strong language that would allow EGLE to deny a permit based on impact to water quality and other community concerns. Michigan residents please contact your representative to encourage them to vote no and allow communities the few protections they currently have around sand and gravel mining.

Scientists are Awarded $1 Million to Fight Microplastics

Where microplastics originate and how they travel will be the focus of a $1 million study by a group of Canadian universities. One component of the study is to identify microplastic’s fingerprints, allowing them to determine where they came from and more about how this pervasive pollution migrates.

Low Precipitation Contributes to Loss of 25 Trillion Gallons in Great Lakes

After staggering high lake levels last year, there is a noticeable drop in lake water levels. Mainly due to below-average rain and snow, the Great Lakes lost 25 trillion gallons of water in one-year. Rivers connecting one Great Lake to another continue to have average flows whereas tributaries to the Great Lakes have greatly reduced flows. For example, the Detroit River has an average flow of 111% and the Grand River in Grand Rapids, a tributary to Lake Michigan, is at 48% flow. These wild swings are another symptom of climate change.

Federal Ban on PFAS in Food Packaging Introduced

One of the most direct ways people are exposed to the toxic chemicals called PFAS is in food packaging and water. Exposure to these chemicals builds in our body and can lead to a variety of health problems. A federal ban on the use of PFAS in food packaging may soon be introduced by Michigan Congresswoman, Debbie Dingell.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-june-11-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: June 4, 2021

On: June 4, 2021

June 4, 2021

THIS WEEK: Push For Historic Investments In Water & Sewer Infrastructure + Permit Requests Sand and Acid Rock Dam for Waste Storage + Administration Hopes to Replace Our Nation’s Lead Lines + PFAS Found in Home Garden Fertilizers

Push for Historic Investments in Water & Sewer Infrastructure

A press event on Monday in Toledo, Ohio focused on the need for massive investment in infrastructure that focuses on water and sewer. Ohio is second in the nation for the number of lead lines that continue to threaten public health (check Table 5 in the link). Freshwater Future’s team member Alexis Smith spoke at the event to highlight the need to remove lead service lines to protect public health.

Permit Requests Sand and Acid Rock Dam for Waste Storage

Aquila Resources Inc. has applied for a permit to build a crushed waste rock and sandy soil dam design to hold mine tailings from the Back Forty mining project, a large metallic sulfide mine. The dam that would hold the mine’s tailings would be on the Wisconsin-Michigan border, 150 feet from the Menominee River, which feeds into Lake Michigan, a source of drinking water for 6.6 million people. The Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin are seeking support and asking people to urge Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to deny the dam safety permit for the Back Forty Project. To send a letter, visit here.

Administration Hopes to Replace Our Nation’s Lead Lines

Stories of young children with high-lead levels in blood continue to be reported in many low-income, minority communities in the Northeast and Midwest. The historic small town of Newburg, NY, is another example of a community struggling to pay for replacement of aging lead water pipes to improve public health and trust in their local water system. The Biden Administration hopes to alleviate this widespread environmental injustice by proposing $45 billion through grants and low-interest loans to replace the estimated 6-million lead-pipe service lines across the U.S.

PFAS Found in Home Garden Fertilizers

For many people, using bagged fertilizer is an easy and convenient way to nourish your garden. However, you may want to consider alternative fertilizer sources since recent research has found bagged fertilizer made from biosolids, even those labeled organic and natural, are contaminated with PFAS. Biosolids are sludge from water treatment plants and used in both home and agricultural application. More needs to be done to regulate PFAS contamination such as requiring wastewater treatment plants to monitor and remove PFAS from sewage.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-june-4-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: May 28, 2021

On: May 28, 2021

In: COVID-19, Drinking Water, Freshwater Weekly, News

May 28, 2021

THIS WEEK: Board Spotlight – Melanie Welch + Freshwater Future Spearheads Billion Dollar Ask to Ohio Legislature and Governor + Maryland Takes Positive Step with ‘Safe School Drinking Water Act’ + Studies Find PFAS in Breast Milk + COVID-19 Pandemic Shines a Light on Need for Safe, Clean, and Affordable Water

Board Spotlight – Melanie Welch

Time spent at Indiana Dunes as a youth sparked the interest in biology and the environment for Freshwater Future board member, Melanie Welch. Melanie is Deputy Director of the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office, where she develops national informal education programs and professional development opportunities for librarians and libraries of all types throughout the United States. Melanie is a veteran non-profit professional, with additional experience in outcomes-based work at museums and environmental organizations, including several years on staff with Freshwater Future. Click here to read more about Melanie.

Freshwater Future Spearheads Billion Dollar Ask to Ohio Legislature and Governor

Freshwater Future and local partner Junction Coalition are spearheading a bold idea to ask the state of Ohio to utilize federal funds to remove toxic lead pipes in the state – a billion dollars worth. As a result, we are working with a diverse group of Ohio, Regional, and National organizations, representing medical, environmental, housing, and community interests, to request $1 billion of the proposed more than $5 billion the state of Ohio will receive in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be dedicated to residential full lead service line replacements. These funds would supplement H2Ohio funding that is being used to replace lead service lines and fixtures in daycares and schools as well as other water infrastructure needs. Ohio is second in the nation for lead service lines at an estimated 650,000 lines. Read the full request here.

Maryland Takes Positive Step with ‘Safe School Drinking Water Act’

The efforts of many Maryland citizen action groups helped to move Governor Hogan to sign the ‘Safe School Drinking Water Act’. The legislation will require schools in Maryland to reduce allowable lead levels to 5ppb beginning June 1^st. While zero lead in drinking water is the only safe level, this new regulation may be a step in the right direction in protecting children from the harmful effects of lead, as long as it doesn’t make people believe that 5ppb is safe – it is not.“EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead in drinking water at zero because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels.”

Study Finds Toxic PFAS in Breast Milk

Recent research published in Environmental Science and Technology has found traces of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the breast milk of all 50 women studied in the Seattle area. Researchers found 16 different PFAS chemicals, ranging from 52 to more than 500 parts per trillion, in samples of breast milk tested. Evidence suggests that these women ingested PFAS through diet and indoor exposure. This research is further evidence among a growing body of studies that PFAS chemicals accumulate in our bodies and are toxic.

COVID-19 Pandemic Continues to Shine a Light on Need for Safe, Clean, and Affordable Water

During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions and closures meant most people were spending more time at home, shining a light on the essential need for clean, safe running water in every home. Since the height of the pandemic, congress has put more time and investment into the country’s dire need for water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades. An action long overdue, the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act S.914, recently passing the Senate, is now waiting for House approval. This legislation will provide $35 billion in federal funding for local projects to upgrade our water infrastructure over five years. Although not nearly enough to fix the myriad problems with our water infrastructure and pricing across the country, we hope this is a first step in the federal government returning to a focus on helping to ensure basic human rights such as clean, safe and affordable water.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/freshwater-weekly-may-28-2021/

Board Spotlight – Melanie Welch

On: May 27, 2021

In: News

Melanie Welch is currently a Board Member of Freshwater Future and the Deputy Director of the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office, where she develops national informal education programs and professional development opportunities for libraries, and librarians, of all types throughout the United States. Melanie is a veteran non-profit professional, with additional experience in outcomes-based work at museums and environmental organizations, including several years on staff with Freshwater Future. She has expertise in informal education, public programs and community engagement and outreach. She received a BS degree in environmental biology from Bradley University and a MS degree in biology from Northern Illinois University, and is a member of the Second Nature class of Catto Fellows at the Aspen Institute. She lives in Chicago with her family.

I grew up in a south suburb of Chicago, not too far from the Indiana border. My parents always made time in the summers to take us to the Indiana Dunes. I loved to swim, but I would always spend some time hiking the dunes and exploring the area. I was always fascinated by what I saw: oak forests growing in the sand dunes, cactus growing in Indiana. I also remember dead alewives on the beach, and a display about sea lamprey that scared me half to death. Those experiences, plus a love of PBS nature programming and being inspired by trailblazing women scientists like Jane Goodall sparked a deep curiosity about the natural world and science.

In 1990, during the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, a lightbulb went off: I wanted to help our environment. I majored in environmental biology, and I immediately went on to pursue a master’s degree in biology. I started my career in environmental education in museums and eventually founded the Great Lakes conservation program at Shedd Aquarium. While engaged in Great Lakes work at the aquarium, I got to know other organizations working in the space, like Freshwater Future. I enjoyed getting to know the staff, the mission of the organization and was delighted to serve on an ad hoc committee to help with their strategic planning.

Eventually, I accepted an opportunity to join the staff of Freshwater Future. For nearly four years, I got to know many amazing people doing critical work on the ground in communities large and small all across the Great Lakes region. One of the groups I started helping very early on while on staff at Freshwater Future is Sturgeon for Tomorrow – Black Lake Chapter. I still follow them on Facebook and keep up with their activities to restore and protect lake sturgeon, one of my favorite Great Lakes fish.

Now that I work at the American Library Association, I’m proud to maintain my connection to the work of Freshwater Future and its many grassroots advocates and members as a board member. I like that I’m still connected to ensuring the healthy future of our waters in the Great Lakes region in this governance role. The health of the environment and specifically, the Great Lakes region where I live and raise my family, is a personal passion of mine and I still learn so much from the work of this organization. As I get involved locally in organizing efforts around issues such as replacing lead service lines (Illinois has the most lead pipes in the United States), I draw upon the knowledge and resources Freshwater Future offers.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/news/board-spotlight-melanie-welch/

Freshwater Weekly: May 21, 2021

On: May 21, 2021

THIS WEEK: Feasibility Study Started for a Spaceport on Lake Superior Shores + Open Public Comment Period on Pollution Status of the Ashtabula River + First Nation Request for Herbicide Ban Gets Support from Green Party in Canada + Dr. Al Gredicks Calls for Greater Dam Safety and More Inspections + Plastics Found in Great Lakes, Our Food, and Us

Feasibility Study Started for a Spaceport on Lake Superior Shores

A proposed rocket launching site on the shores of Lake Superior has raised many questions. A community group, Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior, recently organized to address the potential impact on the environment and community. Not only is the project site on the shores of Lake Superior, it is home to the Granot Loma Lodge which is on the National Register of Historic places.

Open Public Comment Period on Pollution Status of the Ashtabula River

The Ashtabula River, once a very polluted river, is recovering due to years of restoration efforts. State and federal agencies are now requesting input on whether to remove the polluted status of the River, also called delisting. Freshwater Future recognizes the work of the Ashtabula River Advisory Council for their progress on restoring the habitat. The public comment period regarding the status of the Ashtabula River is open until June 6th.

Dr. Al Gredicks Calls for Greater Dam Safety and More Inspections

Dam safety is a major concern in the Great Lakes Region. Please take a moment and watch this 5-minute video that discusses dam safety in Wisconsin and Michigan and why state and federal funding for dam safety and infrastructure needs to be a priority.

First Nation Request for Herbicide Ban Gets Support from Green Party in Canada

First Nation leaders and environmental advocates in Canada are pushing for provincial and local governments to ban the herbicide glyphosate used widely in agriculture and forestry. Fredericton Green MP Jenica Atwin is now proposing legislation that would make it illegal to manufacture, possess, distribute, or use this herbicide.

Micro-Plastics Found in Great Lakes, Our Food, and Us

Great Lakes beach cleanup volunteers have estimated that nearly 85% of the trash collected is plastic and researchers believe a staggering 22 million pounds of plastic debris winds up in the Great Lakes each year. Much of this plastic is ground into microscopic particles that are ingested by fish, and in turn, consumed by humans. Micro-plastics are also showing up in our tap water and beverages such as beer, highlighting the urgent need for alternatives to single-use plastics. Listen to the full podcast here on All Things Considered, Morning Edition.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-may-21-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: May 14, 2021

On: May 14, 2021

This week: New York Extends Moratorium that Prevents Utility Companies From Disconnecting Utilities + Urge the U.S. EPA to Keep PFAS Out of Our Water + Hundreds Protest Pipeline Operation + $9M in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Available for Stormwater Projects + UIC Freshwater Lab Student Creates Art Activism with Lake Michigan Collage Project

New York Governor Signs Legislation Extending Moratorium that Prevents Utility Companies From Disconnecting Utilities

Governor Cuomo signed legislation extending the moratorium on water and other utility shutoffs to assist residents still affected by the pandemic. “Freshwater Future applauds Senator Parker, Assembly Member Richardson and Governor Cuomo for their leadership in ensuring all New Yorkers have access to tap water in their homes to fight this pandemic,” said Kristy Meyer, Associate Director at Freshwater Future. “Now we must work together to ensure all New Yorkers have access to safe, clean and affordable water even after the moratorium has expired.”

Thanks to all of our New York friends for sending messages to the Governor to help get this moratorium in place.

Urge the U.S. EPA to Keep PFAS Out of Our Water

The more we learn about PFAS “forever chemicals,” the more clear it is that they are harmful to humans, wildlife, and the environment. Fortunately, the U.S. EPA is now considering action to limit the dumping of PFAS into our rivers, lakes, and streams. Please sign on to this petition to support this action to protect our waters and source of drinking water for millions of people. Chemical companies are fighting to stop or weaken the proposal. In fact, last week one company filed a lawsuit against the State of Michigan to invalidate recent standards adopted for levels of certain PFAS in drinking water. That’s why it is so crucial that EPA hears from us — so that the agency follows through and takes meaningful action. To sign on to the petition now, click HERE.

Hundreds Protest Pipeline Operation

An eviction notice was posted on a gate to the Line 5 pipeline by hundreds of protesters on Thursday. Representatives from several Michigan tribes and residents were there to support the shutdown of the pipeline and recent orders by Michigan Governor to revoke the easement. The company has continued operating the 68-year old pipeline.

$9M in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Available for Stormwater Projects

Funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will support up to 24 projects to reduce stormwater runoff carrying polluted runoff to Great Lakes waters with an emphasis on reducing nutrients from agricultural runoff. To find out more about this funding opportunity visit this website.

UIC Freshwater Lab Student Creates Art Activism with Lake Michigan Collage Project

Chicago resident and student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Freshwater Lab, Amy Heldman has created an art activist project entitled “Thinking Relationships to Lake Michigan: An Art Collage for Reflection” which draws inspiration from city residents and reflects on people’s deep personal connections to the Lake. In this week’s blog post, Amy discusses her course project details and her meaningful conversations with strangers about water. Read more here. This summer, Amy will assist Freshwater Future with our lead in drinking water program as an intern.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-may-14-2021/

Thinking Relationships to Lake Michigan: An Art Collage for Reflection

On: May 14, 2021

In: Call to Action, News

Guest Blog by Amy Heldman

As someone residing near Chicago, I often visit the lakefront whenever I am in the city. However, only recently after taking an eye-opening course, The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Freshwater Lab, did I begin to connect my feelings for Lake Michigan to art activism.

When I heard we had the option to do a project in any sort of medium we wanted, I immediately took the chance to unleash my love for collage making. I wanted to foster the power of storytelling to create an outline of Lake Michigan, holding inside people’s connection to the lake. I took a few trips to the lakefront and interviewed people asking them the questions, “Why do you visit the lake?” and “What do you love about Lake Michigan?” to try and inspire reflection among Chicago residents. I got many responses that were as simple as two word responses, to some that even wrote poems. Although different, each response is beautiful in its own way, because each person’s connection is unique to themselves.

I also wanted to use the power of contrast in my collage, so I made the background a series of news articles on Lake Michigan issues to sit behind people’s love for the lake to emphasize why it needs to be protected.

As a student studying urban planning, much of my undergraduate career has consisted of numerous research papers, GIS projects, and data analysis, and although they can be quite fun, the feeling of virtual school burnout hit me hard. This art collage was my way of expressing creativity and having meaningful conversations with strangers about water. A few themes that arose from my interviews were: therapy, creativity, solitude, and joy. It was inspiring to hear from so many how the lake has been helping them survive the pandemic. I spoke to one woman on her bike, and she explained how Lake Michigan reminds her of expansion. With being locked up for so long, it gave her peace of mind knowing that the world is not just in her house but it is borderless much like our water. After hearing responses like hers, I grew extremely inspired by the love Chicago residents have for Lake Michigan. Although it is usually seen as a tourist attraction, my collage amplifies the temple Lake Michigan is to Chicago residents. It is their safe place after a hard week, a place where they get their best ideas, and a place for mental clarity and reflection.

I want to thank Chicago residents for contributing to this piece, as well as the UIC Freshwater Lab for allowing me to do this. I hope that anyone who views this collage feels inspired by the significance Lake Michigan holds to its admirers and continues to advocate for protection of this life resource.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/thinking-relationships-to-lake-michigan-an-art-collage-for-reflection/

Freshwater Weekly: May 7, 2021

On: May 7, 2021

This week: Dr. Rob Letscher — Board Spotlight + Groups Continue Fight to Protect a River from an Open Pit Mining Project + Bureaucracy Blamed for Poor Communication + Need Our Water Urges More Aggressive PFAS Cleanup + CPI International Generously Donates a Portion of Sales to Freshwater Future

Dr. Robert Letscher — Board Spotlight

Meet Dr. Robert Letscher, who has served as secretary of Freshwater Future’s Board since 2019. As a professional Earth scientist and assistant professor of chemical oceanography at the University of New Hampshire, Rob’s expertise and knowledge have been invaluable to our organization. Though living full-time on the East Coast, Rob feels fortunate to spend summers along the northern shores of Lake Michigan. Read more about Rob’s research interests and his work focused on protecting our water resources.

Groups Continue Fight to Protect a River from an Open Pit Mining Project

A proposed open pit metals mine, just 150 feet from the shore of the Menominee River, was dealt a blow with a recent verdict overturning a wetland permit. Several organizations in Wisconsin and Michigan, including SAVE the Menominee River, Menominee Indian Tribe, Menikanaehkem, and Mining Action Group, banned together to voice their concerns about the potential impacts to the wetlands and river that is the drinking water source for nearby cities. In addition, another recent court decision ruled that new evidence from the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin should be allowed to be submitted in regards to the mining permit.

Congratulations to the Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River and Mining Action Group for being Frehwater Heroes.

Bureaucracy Blamed for Poor Communication

Michigan regulators waited eight months to inform residents about potential contamination of their drinking water with the “forever chemicals” called PFAS near the Traverse City airport. During this time the state had regular communications with airport officials. Unfortunately, other communities have experienced similar delays in learning of nearby contamination. It makes us wonder what would have happened in Pellston, Michigan if high school students hadn’t played a role in discovering the PFAS contamination in partnership with Freshwater Future–how long would the state have waited before testing residential wells? New leadership at the state agency overseeing PFAS has vowed to change and inform residents when pollution is found. This change is long overdue, and we hope is a first step for Michigan Agencies to remember their responsibility to protect Michigan residents and not just profits.

Need Our Water Urges More Aggressive PFAS Cleanup

In Oscoda, MI ‘Need Our Water’ advocacy group has composed a letter urging the Air Force to implement more aggressive PFAS cleanup protocols. The Air Force has been kicking the can down the road for years, neglecting the cleanup on PFAS and causing harm to many of the residents in the area. Now, over 200 sign-ons support this letter urging the cleanup that is long overdue.

Congratulations to Need Our Water (NOW) for being a Freshwater Hero. We are proud to recognize their efforts to address the PFAS contamination of drinking water and surface waters.

CPI International Generously Donates a Portion of Sales to Freshwater Future

During the month of May, CPI International, a leader in lab supply equipment and materials, will be donating a portion of sales directly to Freshwater Future and the Flint Community Lab to help ensure the healthy future of our waters in the Great Lakes region. The company is committed to making a social impact to ensure clean water. CPI International is a worldwide supplier of certified reference material, laboratory consumables, small equipment, and test kits to scientific professionals working in spectroscopy, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and microbiology. To learn more about CPI International, please visit www.cpiinternational.com.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly/

CPI International Generously Donates a Portion of Sales to Freshwater Future

On: May 6, 2021

In: News, Public Relations

During the month of May 2021, CPI International, a leader in lab supply equipment and materials, will be donating a portion of sales directly to Freshwater Future and the Flint Community Lab to help ensure the healthy future of our waters in the Great Lakes region. CPI International is committed to making a so.cial impact that promises clean water. CPI International is a worldwide supplier of certified reference material, laboratory consumables, small equipment, and test kits to scientific professionals working in spectroscopy, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and microbiology. To learn more about CPI International, visit their website www.cpinternational.com

https://freshwaterfuture.org/marketing/public-relations/cpi-international-generously-donates-a-portion-of-sales-to-freshwater-future/

Freshwater Weekly: April 30, 2021

On: May 3, 2021

April 30, 2021

This week: Chicago Water Council Enrolling People in Utility Bill Relief Program + Ohio Organizations Request $1 Billion for Safer Water + U.S. Infrastructure Bill Moves Forward with Bipartisan Support + Two Love Birds — Monty and Rose

Chicago Water Council Enrolling People in Utility Bill Relief Program

The Chicago Water Council’s Jeff Whitelow has been assisting residents in Englewood and Southside Chicago neighborhoods with identifying their eligibility for the Utility Billing Relief Program that forgives 100% of residents debts after one year of consistent payment on a water bill. The multiple steps or lack of access to technology can create barriers to enrollment. Visiting food pantries, Jeff and other volunteers set-up a table and offer immediate help to enroll in the program.

Ohio Organizations Seeking Endorsements for $1 Billion Request for Safer Water

A variety of Ohio, regional and national, organizations representing medical, environmental, housing, and community interests are requesting $1 billion of the proposed more than $5 billion the state will receive in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be dedicated to residential full lead service line replacements. Ohio is second in the nation for lead service lines at an estimated 650,000 lines. The American Medical Association and CDC have determined there is no safe level of lead in humans. Impacts to children exposed to lead include: neurological disorders, decreased cognitive behaviors, lower IQ, ADHD, and kidney disease. If you are involved in an organization that would like to support this request, please contact Kristy Meyer at kristy@freshwaterfuture.org.

U.S. Senate Passes Water Infrastructure Bill with Bipartisan Support

Just yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021, a $35 billion water infrastructure package, 89-2. This bill is a good first step in providing necessary funding to communities suffering from poor water quality and antiquted infrastructure. The bill now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

Two Love Birds–Monty and Rose

Monty and Rose, a pair of piping plovers, have reunited and returned to Chicago after spending the winter apart. Bird enthusiasts also known as “birders” in Chicago have kept a particularly close eye on this endangered fowl couple and stepped up to ensure their protection as they begin the nesting season.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-april-30-2021/

Board Spotlight – Dr. Robert Letscher

On: April 30, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Dr. Robert Letscher serves as Board Secretary and has been a Freshwater Future Board Member since January 2019. Rob lives in Durham along the New Hampshire seacoast where he is a professional Earth scientist and assistant professor of chemical oceanography at the University of New Hampshire. His research interests include illuminating the ways in which the biology and chemistry of the oceans regulate global climate and in turn formulating predictions of how the changing climate will impact marine ecosystems. This work takes him out to sea on oceanographic research vessels for weeks at a time.

Of particular interest are the marine ecosystems located in the subtropics, between roughly 15 to 35 degrees of latitude, that are often called ‘ocean deserts’, owing to their low levels of chemical nutrients supporting low levels of biological productivity and diversity. Rob’s most recent research pursuits have taken him to the subtropical latitudes of the North Pacific Ocean in the vicinity of the Hawaiian islands where he is studying the sources of nutrients to sustain marine algal growth in the open ocean far from any land influence. This research will help gather foundational data on the natural functioning of the Earth’s largest biome which will be useful as a baseline from which to gauge future changes due to ongoing planetary warming and the changing climate.

Rob is also involved with the translation of scientific knowledge on the biology and chemistry of the oceans to the numerical code used in international climate modeling efforts that find their way into the decadal Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.

Rob also shares a passion for the health of the Great Lakes, spending his summers along the shores of Little Traverse Bay in the Petoskey, MI area. He is lending his expertise and resources to study the annual nutrient levels in Little Traverse Bay waters, hoping to monitor how water quality in the Lake evolves with time due to changing Lake levels, suburban development along its shores, and invasive mussel populations.

It was through his connection to Little Traverse Bay that Rob became familiar with the work of Freshwater Future. He believes strongly in the work that Freshwater Future does to educate, promote, and protect access to clean and healthy aquatic environments and drinking water.

Rob is particularly proud of the work by Freshwater Future to surveil for the emerging environmental contaminant, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals that are now linked to a handful of cancers have been used as flame, water, and oil retardants/repellants in many commercial and residential products, and have now been detected in a growing number of groundwater and well water reservoirs around North America. Rob applauds Freshwater Future’s advocacy work on this issue to continue to pressure local and state governments to remove these harmful chemicals from the environment.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/board-spotlight-dr-robert-letscher/

Ohio Organizations Seeking Endorsements for $1 Billion Request for Safer Water

On: April 30, 2021

In: Call to Action, Environmental Justice, News

A variety of Ohio, Regional, and National organizations, representing medical, environmental, housing, and community interests, are requesting $1 billion of the proposed more than $5 billion the state will receive in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be dedicated to residential full lead service line replacements. Ohio is second in the nation for lead service lines at an estimated 650,000 lines. The American Medical Association and CDC have determined there is no safe level of lead in humans. Impacts to children exposed to lead include: neurological disorders, decreased cognitive behaviors, lower IQ, ADHD, and kidney disease. If you are involved in an organization that would like to support this request, please contact Kristy Meyer at kristy@freshwaterfuture.org.

TO: Members of the General Assembly, Governor Mike DeWine, OBM
RE: American Rescue Plan Act Funding and Lead Service Line Replacements

Our organizations respectfully request that $1B of the proposed more than $5B the state will receive in federal funding for state and local aid from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, U.S. HB 1319, be dedicated to residential full lead service line replacements, both the public and private lead lines, across the State of Ohio. The $1B to replace full lead service lines should prioritize low-income neighborhoods within cities and rural communities in financial need. These funds would supplement H2Ohio funding that is being used to replace lead service lines and fixtures in daycares and schools, as well as any other water infrastructure funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

A lead service line is a pipe made of lead that is used to distribute potable water, connecting a water main to a user’s residence. The United States used lead pipes as service lines for more than a century with most communities stopping the use of lead pipes in the 1950s. Unfortunately many of these pipes still are used today to deliver drinking water to residents across Ohio.

The American Medical Association and CDC has determined there is no safe level of lead in humans and unfortunately in 2019 approximately 3,500 children in Ohio had elevated levels of lead in their blood. Impacts to children exposed to lead include neurological disorders, decreased cognitive behaviors, lower IQ, ADHD, and kidney disease and failure later in life to name a few. A number of studies have also linked lead poisoning to behavioral issues, such as aggression in children and teens, and criminal behavior as adults. In a study undertaken by Princeton and Brown Universities, the researchers found that a one-unit increase in blood levels raised the probability of incarceration of boys by 47 percentage points, starting at 27 percent and rising to 74 percent.

Ohio is second in the nation for lead service lines at an estimated 650,000 lines. While the exact amount of funding needed for complete removal of lead service lines in Ohio is unclear, on the low end it can run approximately $2,400 a line and on the high end approximately $7,100 a line. Using these figures, full replacement could range from $1.56 B to $4.62 B over the next 20 years. In addition, Ohio has more than a $28 billion need in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades. Utilizing $1 B could replace hundreds of thousands of full lead service lines, ensure communities in Ohio are upgrading their antiquated water infrastructure, and create thousands of jobs.

Industry studies have indicated that every $1 billion invested in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure creates up to approximately 28,000 new jobs with average annual earnings of more than $50,000 and increases demand for products and services in other industries by more than $3 billion.

One billion dollars could make a big impact in Ohioans’ health and our economy by: Providing grants for full lead service line replacement, prioritizing low-income neighborhoods in cities and rural communities; Education and outreach funding for a local community group to educate residents about lead service lines and how to protect themselves from lead in water exposure, including providing an on-tap filter; and Supporting communities to inventory water service lines for lead.

In an effort to quantify impact and accountability, any locality receiving these funds should also report to the state how many lead service lines were replaced; geographic information detailing where lines were replaced and validating that areas with the greatest need were prioritized; the number of people educated on lead and how to protect themselves; and,the number of filters provided to residents.

Ohio can no longer afford to delay the removal and replacement of lead service lines. The longer we wait to replace these pipes the more costly it will become to our health and our economy. The cost of doing nothing is expensive and will impact social and health costs. Lead affects children’s development and IQ which potentially avails them to lower economic productivity and greater costs to the criminal justice system. In addition, according to the Environmental Defense Fund, every lead service line replaced yields an estimated $22,000 in reduced cardiovascular disease deaths. Given Ohio’s estimated 650,000 lead service lines, Ohio could save $14.3 billion due to reduced cardiovascular disease deaths.

For the health of Ohioans, particularly Ohio’s children and their future, and the future of our economy, we must be proactive to replace every lead line in Ohio.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/ohio-organizations-seeking-endorsements-for-1-billion-request-for-safer-water/

Freshwater Weekly: April 23, 2021

On: April 23, 2021

April 23, 2021

This week: Celebrate Earth Day By Raising Your Voice + People Aren’t Drinking Their Tap Water Because They Don’t Trust It + Pipeline Tunnel Review to Consider Greenhouse Gas Emissions + Ontario Agencies to Test Smelt for Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

Celebrate Earth Day By Raising Your Voice

Community water leaders from around the Great Lakes region and Freshwater Future staff members celebrated Earth Day by educating members of Congress and Congressional Committee staff about the importance of clean, safe, affordable and reliable drinking water. Leaders shared personal stories and experiences in their communities about the need to invest in protecting source drinking water and water infrastructure–drinking, wastewater, and stormwater, and keep water bills affordable.

Freshwater Future regularly provides opportunities for you to educate your local, state, and federal elected officials. Two opportunities for residents in Michigan and New York is to ask Michigan legislators and New York Governor’s to swiftly pass and sign a moratorium on shutting off water to residents during COVID-19. If you live in New York or Michigan please use our easy system to ask your state decision-makers to reinstate the moratoria today!

People Aren’t Drinking Their Tap Water Because They Don’t Trust It

A recent study estimated that over 60 million U.S. residents don’t drink their tap water due to distrust. Switching to drinking bottled water is not only expensive, the quality is not necessarily better than tap water. More must be done to rebuild trust in the safety of our public water supplies by replacing lead pipes, increasing transparency about the quality of tap water, and providing more testing for pollutants. Freshwater Future is honored to be a partner in the Flint Community Lab, an innovative approach that is providing free water testing for lead in tap water for Flint residents.

Pipeline Tunnel Review to Consider Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Michigan Public Service Commission announced that the review for the proposed tunnel to house an oil/gas pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac must consider greenhouse gas emissions. Michigan’s Governor revoked the pipeline company’s easement for the existing pipeline requiring a stop to operations on May 12, 2021.

Ontario Agencies to Test Smelt for Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is asking smelt anglers to share some of their catch this spring. Following Wisconsin’s effort to test smelt for PFAS, Ontario Agencies want to collect fish from all watersheds. Joanie McGuffin with Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy shares her concerns about smelt potentially being contaminated by PFAS.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-april-23-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: April 16, 2021

On: April 16, 2021

April 16, 2021

In preparation for Earth Day next week, this issue brings opportunities for celebration and action.

This week: PFAS Action Act Would Set Drinking Water Standards + Don’t Miss the Celebration + Keep Water On–Restore the Prohibition on Water Shutoffs! + High Levels of Lead in Drinking Water – We Need Faster Action

National PFAS Action Act Would Set Drinking Water Standards

The PFAS Action Act, introduced into the U.S. Congress with bipartisan support, will set drinking water standards for some PFAS chemicals and give authority to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to direct cleanup of contamination. Federal drinking water standards for these toxic chemicals are needed to protect public health. Stay tuned for updates on this important issue and opportunities to take action.

Don’t Miss The Celebration–Register today for the Freshwater Hero Virtual Ceremony

Please join us on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22 from 12:00-12:45 pm to recognize our 2020 Freshwater Hero Award Recipients. Now more than ever, we need to take the time to celebrate the good news happening in our communities. This short event will inspire you and give you hope as we share stories of a few people, organizations, and communities throughout the Great Lakes Region who are making a positive difference. This live virtual celebration is free, but pre-registration is required.

ACTION ITEM-Keep Water Flowing in New York and Michigan!

Last week we shared that a moratoria to keep water on for people was ending in New York and Michigan. COVID-19 cases are rapidly increasing and having access to running water for hand washing and drinking is vital. If you live in New York or Michigan please use our easy system to ask your state decision-makers to reinstate the moratoria today!

High Levels of Lead in Drinking Water – We Need Faster Action

As high levels of lead continue to pop up across the country, and in many cases drag on for long periods of time, we have an opportunity to take action due to pandemic relief infrastructure funding coming to states from the federal government. Now is the time to talk with your local city officials and encourage them to ask your state for dollars to help resolve issues such as removing lead pipes so that we can finally remove this scourge from our communities! Check out this resource for what you can do.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-april-16-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: April 9, 2021

On: April 9, 2021

April 9, 2021

This week: Celebrate Freshwater Heroes, April 22nd Virtual Event + Keep Water On–Restore the Prohibition on Water Shutoffs! + Illinois Has the Most Lead Water Infrastructure + Michigan Governor Uses Defense Law on PFAS Clean-up at Air Force Base + Stop U.S. EPA’s Rule to Loosen Criminal Enforcement Standards for State Clean Water Act Programs

Celebrate Freshwater Heroes, April 22nd Virtual Event

You are invited to the 2020 Freshwater Heroes Celebration! Please join us on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22nd at Noon (ET) as we honor several people, organizations, and communities throughout the Great Lakes Region who are committed to protecting our earth’s precious freshwater resources. This live virtual celebration is open to the public! This is a free event, but pre-registration is required.

Keep Water On–Restore the Prohibition on Water Shutoffs!

New York’s and Michigan’s moratoria on water shutoffs have expired. As COVID-19 cases surge again, water shutoffs will set our progress back dramatically. Will you help us urge state decision-makers to reinstate the moratoria during a pandemic where handwashing and wearing masks are essential? If you live in New York or Michigan please use our easy system to ask your state decision-makers to reinstate the moratoria today!

Illinois Has the Most Lead Water Infrastructure

Until 1986, the State of Illinois required lead material be used for water service piping also called service lines. As a result, Illinois has more lead service lines than any other U.S. state. Lead is a toxic metal that builds-up in bodies causing severe health impacts. Illinois Senators are urging the U.S. EPA to update the Lead and Copper Rule to reduce the amount of lead in drinking water. Note: although the article references the federal standard of 15 ppb of lead as a safety threshold, it is not. The federal lead standard for drinking water is only an indicator of whether anticorrosive treatments are working. There is no safe level of lead.

Michigan Governor Uses Defense Law on PFAS Clean-up at Air Force Base

After the U.S. Department of Defense stated it would not clean up the PFAS contaminated groundwater to Michigan standards, the Governor of Michigan sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Defense in an effort to force the federal agency to comply with Michigan’s health-focused cleanup laws.

Stop U.S. EPA’s Rule to Loosen Criminal Enforcement Standards for State Clean Water Act Programs

Under the Trump administration, the U.S. EPA proposed a rule to weaken protections for wetlands, water quality, and wildlife. There is still a chance to prevent finalization of this harmful rule. Freshwater Future is joining our partners in calling on the Biden administration to uphold its commitments to clean water and to set the standard for robust environmental protection and enforcement. If you would like to urge the U.S. EPA to withdraw this unlawful rule, please consider signing on to this letter. The deadline to add your organization’s name to the letter is next Tuesday, April 13th. Please contact Kristy Meyer, at kristy@freshwaterfuture.org.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-april-9-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: April 2, 2021

On: April 2, 2021

April 2, 2021

This week: Pandemic Relief Bill Includes Water Funding – What Your Community Can Do + Community Based Opportunity: NEW Communications Grant + New York Resources for Water Quality – Let’s Share Online Tools + More Than 500 Families in the Town of Campbell, Wisconsin Ask for Water + In Ohio, Virtual Walleye Help Solve Contamination Threats

Pandemic Relief Bill Includes Water Funding – What Your Community Can Do

Recently, Congress passed a pandemic relief bill that contains a number of water utility related provisions. Known as the American Rescue Plan of 2021, the bill includes $500 million to states and tribes to provide assistance to residents for water utility bills and drinking and wastewater infrastructure, among other things. While we know large utilities have been encouraged to seek out these funds, many utilities in communities with lesser means or a smaller rate base are not receiving this information. While we don’t know when this funding will start to be sent to the states, now is the time for communities to start dialogues with their Governor and state agency(-ies). Check out this week’s blog post for information on how to encourage your officials to seek out assistance.

Community Based Opportunity: NEW Communications Grant

With a new grant from the Water Funder Initiative, Freshwater Future has just created a new grant program to help Community Based Organizations develop new fundraising, advocacy and supporter communications tools. We have just extended the deadline to Tuesday, April 6, and we can actually accept your application through a phone call. We want to ensure you have the tools and training to communicate effectively on all fronts. So call Stephanie at 231.348.8200 as soon as possible to apply by phone, but no later than Tuesday!

New York Online Water Quality Resources – Let’s Share Online Tools

New York state provides online access to a map of both drinking water and surface water quality that anyone can monitor. The state also provides a website to help people protect water. Does your state or province have tools like these? We would love to know so we can share them with our readers! Please send your cool resources for sharing to Brandon@freshwaterfuture.org.

More Than 500 Families in the Town of Campbell, Wisconsin Ask for Water

Over 200 wells in the Town of Campbell, Wisconsin have tested positive for PFAS substances, forcing over 500 local families to ask the state for alternate water. Campbell is located in the western side of the state not far from the La Crosse Regional Airport, which uses the toxic substances for fire fighting. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is conducting an investigation.

In Ohio, Virtual Walleye Help Solve Contamination Threats

Great Lakes scientists are using technology to simulate the life cycle of walleye to better detect sources of contamination and how much of it walleye consume. Normally, identifying and cleaning contaminated sentiment is labor intensive and cost prohibitive. Using the modeling of walleye will allow comparisons of options to make cleanups more effective.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-april-2-2021/

Pandemic Relief Bill Includes Water Funding

On: April 1, 2021

In: Drinking Water, News, Policy Memo, Public Health

Recently, the U.S. Congress passed a pandemic relief bill, that contains a number of water utility related provisions. Known as the American Rescue Plan of 2021, the bill includes $500 million to states and tribes to provide assistance to residents for water utility bills and a large sum of cash to the states to use for investments in drinking and wastewater infrastructure, among other things.

Just this March, an association of larger water providers sent a memo to their member utilities and municipalities about starting conversations with decision-makers regarding their need and desire for funding from this relief bill. Specifically, utilities may want to reach out to city managers, mayors, or similar local officials to advocate on behalf of the utility and municipality with the Governor’s office and state agencies for a portion of the funding. Chances are, many utilities in communities with lesser means or a smaller rate base are not receiving this information.

This could put many communities at a disadvantage for funding if conversations and their needs are not being elevated to Governors and the appropriate state agencies, particularly in communities where many residents are already struggling to pay their water bills.

What You Can Do for Your Community

We encourage you and your partners to reach out to your water utilities. Suggest the utility(-ies) talk with their local elected officials about communicating with the Governor and the appropriate state agency about:

How much money is needed to cover residents’ water bills and the utility’s water infrastructure priority issues in your locality, such as lead service line replacement, busted pipes that are leaking water, etc.
Press your utility and local elected officials to request these dollars be distributed based on percentage of poverty, not just looking at communities as a whole, but neighborhoods of poverty within cities that may have more means.

Don’t Wait. There is no clear guidance on when this funding will be disbursed to the states. But with other utilities making their case, now is the time for communities to begin dialogues with the Governor and state agency(-ies).

Specific to Michigan Communities

On March 23rd, 2021, Governor Whitmer’s office held a webinar outlining how $557 millon from the American Rescue Plan of 2021 for water related funding, coupled with other state funding sources, will be allocated in Michigan. The state will be providing the following:

$55 million in grants to schools for drinking water filters
$102 million for disadvantaged communities to replace their lead service lines
$40.5 million for water and wastewater utilities to plan for upgrades, repairs, or replacement and a way to pay for these actions
$35 million for drinking water infrastructure upgrades
$25 million for utilities for contamination risk reduction
$7.5 million for water affordability and planning for water affordability programs
$235 million for wastewater infrastructure upgrades and increasing green infrastructure
$20 million for the elimination of sewage discharges during wet weather
$35 million to upgrade or replace failing home sewage septic systems.

For more information, please contact Kristy Meyer at kristy@freshwaterfuture.org, (231) 348-8200 ext. 7

https://freshwaterfuture.org/policy-memo/12262/

Freshwater Weekly: March 26, 2021

On: March 26, 2021

March 26, 2021

This week: Women, Water, & Wellness Provides Support to Nonprofits + Fix-A-Leak Program Will Repair Plumbing for 200 Michigan Residents + Wetland Permit for Mine Suspended to Assess Impacts on Tribal Waters

Women, Water, & Wellness Provides Support to Nonprofits

With so much happening in families and the world around us during COVID-19 as well as ongoing issues with water access and safety, Freshwater Future is hosting a new program in 2021 that celebrates water leaders, combines learning for organizational success with hand-on self-care and connects participants to others doing similar work. Check out what participants are saying about this new program.

Fix-A-Leak Program Will Repair Plumbing for 200 Michigan Residents

A new program in Michigan will fix leaky water pipes in 200 homes in two communities, Highland Park and Benton Harbor, as a pilot effort to conserve water and reduce high water bills. The program not only funds repairs, it provides the plumber.

Wetland Permit for Mine Suspended to Assess Impacts on Tribal Waters

A permit that will allow a mining company to discharge fill into a 900 acre wetland from a proposed copper-nickel mine has been suspended for a review of impact on Fond du Lac Band’s waters. If the U.S. EPA determines that the activity may affect the Tribe’s waters, the Fond du Lac Band must be notified and could object. Freshwater Future applauds this review to ensure the Fond du Lac Band’s wild rice and other resources are not impacted by the mine.

Deep Waters of Lake Michigan Warming Could Cause Dramatic Changes

With 30-years of data on the deep water temperatures in Lake Michigan, scientists confirmed that the deep water temperature is warming and the winter season is shorter. These changes could cause dramatic changes in water chemistry and nutrient cycling that could harm fisheries and recreation. This study reveals climate change is impacting the largest surface freshwater system in the world, and we must be vigilant to protect our Great Lakes that are a source of drinking water for 48 million people in Canada and the U.S.

Deadline Approaching–Freshwater Future Project Grant Applications Due March 31, 2021

Call us today to learn more, 231-348-8200.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-march-26-2021/

Freshwater Weekly: March 19, 2021

On: March 19, 2021

March 19, 2021

This week: Helping Others Make a Difference: Board Spotlight + Michigan Residents Outraged by 8-month Disclosure Gap on PFAS + New York Legislature Moving Budget Bills for COVID Recovery, But Excludes Water Shut-Off Protections +Flint Water Crisis Update–Attorneys Want Large Percentage of Settlement Fees + World Water Day

Helping Others Make a Difference: Board Spotlight, Karen Reinbold

Freshwater Future board member, Karen Reinbold’s experience with community environmental activism at a young age was a powerful influence. Her mother demonstrated that protecting our waters is something we can’t take for granted or leave to others. This lesson ultimately helped connect Karen to Freshwater Future. Karen shares here how she was able to take action in her community and help Freshwater Future help communities around the Great Lakes.

Michigan Residents Outraged by 8-month Disclosure Gap on PFAS Contamination

Michigan residents and members of a citizens advisory group criticized state officials about taking 8-months to notify residents of an investigation of the toxic chemicals called PFAS near an airport, putting residents’ health at risk. The state had test results showing contamination and had informed airport officials but did not inform residents near the contamination for 8 months. Changes should be made immediately to the state’s outreach protocols to improve disclosure and transparency before and during environmental contamination investigations. Stay tuned for future opportunities to inform officials about PFAS contamination in Michigan.

New York Legislature Moving Budget Bills for COVID Recovery, But Excludes Water Shut-Off Protections

New York Senate’s budget proposal includes substantial funding for rental and homeowner assistance; the arts; education; businesses, including minority and women owned small businesses; and a provision for the creation of a $3 billion Clean Water, Green Jobs, and Green New York bond to be voted on in November, 2021. This bond would provide critical funding for the preservation, enhancement, and restoration of New York’s natural resources while reducing the impacts of climate change. Missing from both the Assembly and the Senate’s versions of the budget bill is the Governor’s proposed water shutoff moratorium language when there is a state of emergency.

Flint Water Crisis Update: Attorneys Want Large Percentage of Settlement Fees

Attorneys involved in the Flint Water Crisis civil lawsuit settlement filed for 32% of the total settlement to cover their fees, which is approximately $210 million. The majority of the settlement is designated for the children who were poisoned during the switch of the city’s public water source. The federal judge will decide what percentage of the settlement will be subject to attorney fees. Freshwater Future praises the lawyers for the assistance in doing what’s right and urges them to continue to do so by allowing more dollars to flow to the residents.

Deadline Approaching–Freshwater Future Project Grant Applications Due March 31, 2021

Call us today to learn more, 231-348-8200.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-weekly-march-19-2021/

Board Spotlight – Karen Reinbold

On: March 19, 2021

In: News

Helping Others Make a Difference.

I grew up on the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York, surrounded by beautiful wetlands. I still have memories of the bullrushes swaying in the ocean breeze on warm summer evenings. My family never took the area wetlands for granted, though; I knew how fragile they were even as a young child. My mother fought hard to protect a creek that ran behind our house by forming an association to fight against development that would have destroyed its wetlands. We won, and the land is still there.

In 2015, when a friend of mine told me about Freshwater Future, I had already been living along Lake Michigan for almost 15 years. While I hadn’t been part of the Great Lakes environmental community before, I was immediately drawn to the mission of protecting these important resources.

I was able to apply my non-profit accounting and management skills to help Freshwater Future improve its financial management practices. As I learned more about the organization, I realized we shared a passion – helping others expand their impact. That’s what Freshwater Future does.

When I hear about the local groups that Freshwater Future has supported, I think about how important that work is – helping people who are trying to make a difference but may not have the skills or resources to do it. It helps people like my mom and so many other grassroots groups realize their conservation goals.

Recently, my community faced a similar threat to local wetlands; one that still hangs in the balance. I’m proud to say my family fought to protect the land – starting a petition, providing testimony, making signs and protesting. As inspiration, I drew on the work my mom did and the work Freshwater Future and its partner organizations do every day.

Many of us take water for granted. We have that luxury because of groups like Freshwater Future that are fighting on our behalf to keep water clean and accessible to all.

As I approach the end of my term on the board this spring, I’ve been thinking about how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know the board and staff, and how much they’ve taught me over the past 6 years. Thank you to all of you.

Karen Reinbold is the Health and Science Director at American Medical Association and lives and works in the Chicago area.

https://freshwaterfuture.org/news/board-spotlight-karen-reinbold/