NOAA Provides Back-to-School Resources
2021-08-06
Integrate newly developed NCEI resources into your youth education.
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/noaa-provides-back-school-resources
Saving a rare prairie butterfly: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases draft recovery plan for the Poweshiek skipperling
2021-08-06
Fish and Wildlife Service News
Fish and Wildlife Service News
http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=%0Asaving-a-rare-prairie-butterfly:-u.s.-fish-and-wildlife-service-releases-&_ID=36970
PFAS in Wisconsin: Setting a research agenda
2021-08-05
There are more than 5,000 chemicals in the man-made group known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). At times during an informal workshop on the topic late last week, it felt as if there were also thousands of questions surrounding PFAS.
The virtual gathering of more than 50 state agency personnel and academics from University of Wisconsin System schools shined a light on knowledge gaps, as well as energized opportunities for collaboration to move forward Wisconsin’s PFAS research agenda.
Amy Schultz, environment researcher for the University of Wisconsin-Madison-based Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, summed it up for most participants when she said points of collaboration “span all the worlds. And, collaboration is necessary.”
All the worlds she referred to were the four areas around which the workshop had been organized:
- Environmental contamination by PFAS. PFAS has been found in surface and groundwater, rain, air, soil, fish and wildlife.
- How PFAS moves and how it persists in the environment. There are 80 known sites of contamination in the state, which is almost certainly not a finite number.
- How PFAS should be dealt with once it’s discovered. There was uniform agreement among workshop attendees that there needs to be a way to sequester PFAS, but how? PFAS can also be removed from water and disposed of under proper conditions, but this can be expensive.
- The effects of PFAS on people. Studies have shown PFAS can increase cholesterol levels, decrease the efficacy of vaccines and—for pregnant women—cross the placenta and also be transmitted through breast milk. PFAS has been linked to cancer, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis and thyroid disease.
A recent PFAS workshop identified many knowledge gaps and potential collaborations between state agencies and scientists. Workshop organizers committed to the release of more information to set a research agenda. Photo: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant.
The workshop hosts—Wisconsin Sea Grant, the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene—laid out goals for the workshop: identifying what is known about PFAS; targeting knowledge gaps; fostering working relationships between staff at the departments of Health Services, Natural Resources, and Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the research community to accomplish further work; and charting next steps.
At the conclusion of the two 4-hour sessions that saw speakers, technical panel discussions and breakout sessions, that tick list seemed complete. The group plans to continue informal conversations to formulate research needs and share research findings and resources that will lead to actions that protect Wisconsin’s environmental resources and public health from PFAS as they are present in numerous products of everyday life.
The post PFAS in Wisconsin: Setting a research agenda first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/pfas-in-wisconsin-setting-a-research-agenda/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pfas-in-wisconsin-setting-a-research-agenda
New “Destructive� Severe Thunderstorm Warning category to trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts on mobile phones
2021-08-05
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/news/072221-svr-wea
Running buffalo clover saved from extinction
2021-08-05
Fish and Wildlife Service News
Fish and Wildlife Service News
http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=%0Arunning-buffalo-clover-saved-from-extinction%0A&_ID=36969
Media Advisory: Sailing Drones Collect Data for Great Lakes Fishery Research
2021-08-04
These Saildrone Explorers will use acoustic, or sound, technology to gather fish distribution and density data around-the-clock. USGS scientists will use the data to better understand the effects of invasive mussels and nutrient loss in the water. (Credit: Saildrone, Inc.)
The U.S. Geological Survey and Saildrone, Inc., launched the vehicles from Macatawa, Michigan, on July 28. These ocean drones, called Saildrone Explorers, will begin collecting fishery data on Lake Michigan starting August 5, sailing north into Lake Huron through September. Information collected as part of the study will help inform sustainable management of the $7 billion per year Great Lakes fishing industry.
The Saildrones will use acoustic, or sound, technology to gather fish distribution and density data around-the-clock. USGS scientists will use the data to better understand the effects of large vessel engine noise on fish sampling and catchability. This information will be used to sustain important fisheries for states, Tribes and likely the Province of Ontario, Canada.
The 23-foot autonomous vehicles are powered by wind and solar energy and carry no people. The sailboat-like drones have a 15-foot-tall wing sail and weighted keel, and they bear a payload of science sensors and navigational and communications equipment on their hulls.
The acoustic technology used in the study is not hazardous to people or animals and will not interfere with sonar, communications equipment or similar electronics.
For information about USGS research on the Great Lakes, please visit the USGS Great Lakes Science Center website.
USGS News: Region 3: Great Lakes Region
USGS News: Region 3: Great Lakes Region
https://www.usgs.gov/news/media-advisory-sailing-drones-collect-data-great-lakes-fishery-research
Media Advisory: Sailing Drones Collect Data for Great Lakes Fishery Research
2021-08-04
On August 5, two uncrewed surface vehicles will begin a 45-day sailing mission through Lakes Michigan and Huron as part of a scientific study.
Region 3: Great Lakes
http://www.usgs.gov/news/state-news-release/media-advisory-sailing-drones-collect-data-great-lakes-fishery-research
Plastic pollution in Great Lakes is “becoming increasingly worse”
2021-08-04
The Great Lakes are Michigan’s most precious resource, but plastic pollution and PFAS chemicals in our waterways are actively harming the state’s wildlife and residents. Read and hear the full story by WDET -Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-plastic-pollution
Sleeping Bear Dunes marks record breeding season for piping plovers
2021-08-04
The piping plovers of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore had their best-ever breeding season since plover recovery work began at the park, according to officials. Read the full story by Coastal News Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-piping-plovers
Researchers hope to find answers to toxic algae in Lake Superior before it becomes more than an occasional nuisance
2021-08-04
This summer, a slew of scientists are converging to try to figure out why toxic algae is appearing in Lake Superior and to learn whether science can help control what, so far, has only been an occasional nuisance. Read and hear the full story by WUWM – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-algae-research
Feds provide $7 million for West Creek project to improve the Cuyahoga River
2021-08-04
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $7 million of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative money to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District so it can perform improvements on the main stem of West Creek that will boost the Cuyahoga River’s water quality. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-cuyahoga-funding
PFAS meeting spotlights the latest on Lake Huron, AuSable River samples
2021-08-04
The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) hosted a virtual community meeting on July 20, for which updates on PFAS contamination in Lake Huron were provided by the Michigan departments of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Natural Resources (DNR). Read the full story by Iosco County News-Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-pfas
Harmful algal blooms wearing down Lake Erie wildlife
2021-08-04
Researchers at the University of Toledo in Ohio are looking at how microcystin impacts wildlife. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-algal-blooms
Ohio to release $23 million in state grant funding as part of MAP
2021-08-04
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will solicit projects for the $11 million in grant funding the state legislature allocated in fiscal year 2022, along with an additional $12 million allocated in 2023 at the same time as part of its Ohio Maritime Assistance Program (MAP). Read the full story by the Waterways Journal Weekly.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-map-funding
‘Always Ready:’ U.S. Coast Guard marks 231th birthday
2021-08-04
The United States Coast Guard is celebrating another year of being “Always Ready”. Read the full story by WWTI -TV- Watertown, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-coast-guard
Photos show man being swept off Lake Michigan pier by wave action
2021-08-04
Officials are warning people to stay off piers during high wave days with an example of what can happen when just 6 inches of water sweeps across them. Read the full story by MLive.com.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210804-michigan-pier
Paddle Battle: International canoe race brings families together
2021-08-04
“I bet you can’t paddle to the lake!”
According to Phil Weiler, the AuSable River Canoe Marathon was born with those words and a friendly wager.
It’s now been 73 years since the inaugural canoe race, and what was once a friendly competition between a group of friends has become an international event, drawing professional canoe marathon paddlers from across North America.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/international-canoe-race-michigan/
Thousand Island Dressing Mystery: Great Lakes origins of one of America’s favorite sauces
2021-08-04
In Thousand Islands, New York, near Lake Ontario, between the United States and Canada, you can find four different origin stories for Thousand Island dressing, three of which involve a woman named May Irwin.
The post Thousand Island Dressing Mystery: Great Lakes origins of one of America’s favorite sauces first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/04/thousand-island-dressing-mystery-great-lakes-origins-of-one-of-americas-favorite-sauces/
Air Quality Alert issued August 03 at 12:20PM CDT by NWS
2021-08-03
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR VILAS, ONEIDA, FOREST, MARINETTE, LINCOLN, LANGLADE, MENOMINEE, OCONTO, DOOR, MARATHON, SHAWANO, WOOD, PORTAGE, WAUPACA, OUTAGAMIE, BROWN, AND KEWAUNEE COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B1BE62A0.AirQualityAlert.1261B1CDA8C8WI.GRBAQAGRB.a99a1adb33cd2194593c574ec8b79cde
Service held for last survivor of ’58 Great Lakes shipwreck
2021-08-03
ROGERS CITY, Mich. (AP) — A memorial Mass has been held in northern Michigan for the last remaining survivor of a Lake Michigan shipwreck that killed 33 people in 1958.
Frank Mays was one of two people who survived the sinking of the Carl D. Bradley, a freighter that was on its way to Rogers City, Michigan, to pick up a load of stone before the shipping season ended.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-service-last-survivor-lake-michigan-shipwreck/
New theory: Earth’s longer days kick-started oxygen growth
2021-08-03
Scientists have a new idea for how Earth got its oxygen: It’s because the planet slowed down and days got longer.
A study published Monday proposes and puts to the test the theory that longer, continuous daylight kick-started weird bacteria into producing lots of oxygen, making most of life as we know it possible.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-theory-earth-days-oxygen-growth/
NOAA Workshop Supports Artificial Intelligence
2021-08-03
A NOAA artificial intelligence workshop focuses on AI tools and practices that advance the research of weather, climate, and the new blue economy.
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/noaa-workshop-supports-artificial-intelligence
Air Quality Alert issued August 02 at 7:40PM CDT by NWS
2021-08-03
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR VILAS, ONEIDA, FOREST, FLORENCE, MARINETTE, LINCOLN, LANGLADE, MENOMINEE, OCONTO, DOOR, MARATHON, SHAWANO, WOOD, PORTAGE, WAUPACA, OUTAGAMIE, BROWN, and KEWAUNEE COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B1BBD260.AirQualityAlert.1261B1BE5AD0WI.GRBAQAGRB.a99a1adb33cd2194593c574ec8b79cde
Cow manure predicted to cause most sickness from contaminated wells in Wisconsin’s Kewaunee County
2021-08-02
This article, first posted here, was republished with permission from Wisconsin Watch.
By Coburn Dukehart, Wisconsin Watch
The No. 1 factor for acute gastrointestinal illness in Kewaunee County’s private drinking water wells is cow manure, according to a federal study released today.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/cow-manure-sickness-contaminated-wells-wisconsin/
State investigating common carp deaths in Michigan lake
2021-08-02
LAKE ORION, Mich. (AP) — State officials are investigating the deaths of hundreds of adult common carp at an Oakland County lake.
Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources said between 250 and 500 of the fish have been found dead since mid-July in Lake Orion, northwest of Detroit. Area residents reported the dead fish to the state agency.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-state-investigating-common-carp-deaths-michigan/
Michigan making exceptions to weather-related swim ban
2021-08-02
GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (AP) — Surfers, kite boarders and water boarders would be exempt from a proposed Michigan policy that would bar people from swimming at state beaches when waves are more than 8 feet high.
The Department of Natural Resources wants to reduce the risk of drowning in the Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-michigan-exceptions-weather-swim-ban/
Air Quality Alert issued August 02 at 1:34PM CDT by NWS
2021-08-02
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR VILAS, ONEIDA, FOREST, FLORENCE, MARINETTE, LINCOLN, LANGLADE, MENOMINEE, OCONTO, DOOR, MARATHON, SHAWANO, WOOD, PORTAGE, WAUPACA, OUTAGAMIE, BROWN, and KEWAUNEE COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B1AF4CE8.AirQualityAlert.1261B1BCBEB4WI.GRBAQAGRB.a99a1adb33cd2194593c574ec8b79cde
Air Quality Alert issued August 02 at 12:58PM CDT by NWS
2021-08-02
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR VILAS, ONEIDA, FOREST, MARINETTE, LINCOLN, LANGLADE, MENOMINEE, OCONTO, DOOR, MARATHON, SHAWANO, WOOD, PORTAGE, WAUPACA, OUTAGAMIE, BROWN, and KEWAUNEE COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B1AF2F38.AirQualityAlert.1261B1BCAD20WI.GRBAQAGRB.8fcceab2a78b4693fef52667cbb6fc42
Great Lakes Moment: Sugar Island is getting an ecological makeover
2021-08-02
Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.
Sugar Island sits like a gemstone on a jeweled necklace of islands surrounding the southern end of Grosse Ile – the largest island in the Detroit River.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/sugar-island-history-habitat-restoration/
Scientists study the genetics of invasive mussels seeking ways to turn off the genes that allow them to spread and survive
2021-08-02
Scientists are studying methods of genetic control to prevent invasive mussels from surviving and spreading in the Great Lakes while protection other mollusk species from potentially harmful chemical controls. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-invasive-mussels
A harmful algal bloom is now detectable in Lake Erie
2021-08-02
Harmful algae is now starting to grow on the surface of Lake Erie. NOAA has put out its first warning on where the harmful algae lies, and what you should know about safety precautions. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-hab
How Great Lakes piping plovers are adapting to the climate crisis
2021-08-02
Treacherous migrations for the Great Lakes piping plovers have been made worse by the climate crisis. Around the Great Lakes, warming water temperatures and flash flooding of plover nesting areas are among the climate change threats to navigate. Read the full story by The Globe and Mail.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-piping-plovers
New Zealand mudsnails discovered in Southern Wisconsin streams
2021-08-02
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources uncovered two new populations of invasive New Zealand mudsnails in Southern Wisconsin streams. Read the full story by WMTV-TV – Madison, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-new-zealand-mudsnails
Bacteria cleanup: Should we let nature clean up oil spills?
2021-08-02
Natural populations of oil-degrading bacteria could help to clean up freshwater rivers and lakes after spills from pipelines and trains, researchers have found after experiments that simulated spills in a Canadian lake. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-oil-degrading-bacteria
A young water advocate paddles to protect the future of the Great Lakes
2021-08-02
A water advocate from the Saugeen and Kettle and Stony Point First Nations is on a paddling mission to raise awareness about climate change. Read the full story by The Toronto Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-water-advocate
Dead alewives wash ashore Lake Michigan, usual for this time of year
2021-08-02
Small fish called alewives are washing up on the shores of Lake Michigan in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. According to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, alewife die offs are common this time of year. Read the full story by WFRV-TV – Algoma, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-alewives
Up north’s least wanted invasive species
2021-08-02
Numerous organizations and governmental agencies are working to identify, control, and/or eradicate Michigan’s worst invasive species while scientists, field workers, and ordinary citizens are using various means to address the situation. Read the full story by The Northern Express.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-invasive-species
Watch now: Sketching out Wisconsin’s historic shipwrecks in Lake Michigan
2021-08-02
A certified diver and maritime archaeologist in the Wisconsin Historical Society’s historic preservation division is transposing her underwater sketches and measurements of Wisconsin shipwrecks into scaled drawings that can help guide water-ready tourists to wrecks and provide historical background on the doomed boats. Read the full story by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-shipwrecks
Algae bloom advisory for Lake St. Clair issued by health unit
2021-08-02
The Windsor-Essex County (Ontario) Health Unit (WECHU) has issued a blue-green algae bloom advisory for the south shores of Lake St. Clair. The advisory is based on recent lab results for microcystins in Lake St. Clair by the local municipal water treatment plants. Read the full story by the Windsor Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210802-algae-bloom-advisory
Mapping pathways for roaming cougars
2021-08-02
Cougar habitat in North America has been shrinking due to development, land fragmentation and “human-induced mortality,” wildlife researchers warn.
The post Mapping pathways for roaming cougars first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/02/mapping-pathways-for-roaming-cougars/
Air Quality Alert issued August 01 at 3:41AM CDT by NWS
2021-08-01
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR ALL WISCONSIN COUNTIES... An Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution remains in effect until noon today. This advisory affects people in all Wisconsin counties. Lingering smoke from wildfire activity in Canada will shift south of northeast Wisconsin by midday. Until then, elevated fine
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261B19E86C4.AirQualityAlert.1261B19FD650WI.GRBAQAGRB.95772b461ecdeafcc9c0642321d118ec
Special Weather Statement issued July 31 at 4:27PM CDT by NWS
2021-07-31
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL WISCONSIN... At 426 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking broken line of strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 6 miles southeast of Spirit to 11 miles northwest of Wittenberg to Shawano to 6 miles north of Pulaski. Movement was southeast at 25 mph. Pea size hail and winds in excess of 30 mph will be possible with
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261AD745F9C.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261AD7487D8WI.GRBSPSGRB.11cad83779f11a7a6cf529f552f3af1d
Special Weather Statement issued July 31 at 3:31PM CDT by NWS
2021-07-31
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS BROWN AND WEST CENTRAL KEWAUNEE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT... At 330 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Green Bay, moving southeast at 25 mph. Pea size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm.
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261AD743A1C.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261AD7460C8WI.GRBSPSGRB.8277e56207786573290cdaabd01b78b5
Air Quality Alert issued July 31 at 3:14PM CDT by NWS
2021-07-31
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR ALL WISCONSIN COUNTIES... An Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution remains in effect until 12:00 PM CDT Sunday, August 1. This advisory affects people in all Wisconsin counties. Smoke from wildfire activity in Canada will continue to move into Wisconsin behind a cold front that is expected to move north-to-
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261AD743378.AirQualityAlert.1261B19EA3ACWI.GRBAQAGRB.95772b461ecdeafcc9c0642321d118ec
Air Quality Alert issued July 31 at 3:48AM CDT by NWS
2021-07-31
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR ALL WISCONSIN COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in effect until Noon Sunday. This advisory affects people in all Wisconsin counties. Smoke from wildfire activity in Canada will push into northern
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261AD726C00.AirQualityAlert.1261AD745510WI.GRBAQAGRB.95772b461ecdeafcc9c0642321d118ec
Air Quality Alert issued July 30 at 3:41PM CDT by NWS
2021-07-30
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR ALL WISCONSIN COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in effect until Noon Sunday, August 1. This advisory affects people in all Wisconsin counties. Smoke from wildfire activity in Canada currently located in
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261AD64FBC4.AirQualityAlert.1261AD72F580WI.GRBAQAGRB.95772b461ecdeafcc9c0642321d118ec
Freshwater Future Weekly: July 30, 2021
2021-07-30
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 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.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-july-30-2021/
Sea Grant staffer appointed to Wisconsin Council on Tourism
2021-07-30
Natalie Chin, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Climate and Tourism Outreach Specialist based in Superior, was recently appointed by Governor Tony Evers to the Wisconsin Council on Tourism.
“We’re working to make sure our state and our economy continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, and the Wisconsin Council on Tourism will play an important role in advising the Secretary of the Department of Tourism in the weeks and months ahead,” said Governor Evers. “Our tourism industry and workforce are a critical part of our state’s economy, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done through my first two budgets and targeted federal assistance to help support tourism in Wisconsin and ensure this industry can bounce back from this pandemic.”
Natalie Chin. Image credit: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Chin works on issues related to climate change, tourism and outdoor recreation within the context of the sustainable use of the Great Lakes. She also serves as one of the North Central Region representatives for the National Extension Tourism Network; is co-leading the Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Working Group for the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts; and is a member of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion Committee.
“It’s truly an honor to be appointed to the council,” Chin said. “The Great Lakes are a key part of the state’s tourism industry and will certainly play an important role in its recovery. I can’t wait to contribute to the council’s efforts to support and advise the Department of Tourism.”
Evers also appointed three others to the Wisconsin Council on Tourism:
- Mary McPhetridge (Reappointment) is the Executive Director of the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce. A pillar of the Wisconsin tourism industry for more than 20 years, she serves in multiple leadership roles locally and with the state. In addition to serving on the Council on Tourism, she currently serves on the state’s marketing committee. Prior to her current role, Mary taught Hospitality Management classes for technical college and high school students and served as Executive Rooms Director at the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club.
- Dr. Robert “Bert” Davis, DVM (Reappointment) is the President and CEO of America’s Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee and serves as a board member at the Association of African American Museums. Davis also serves as the principal of DRMD Strategies LLC, a nonprofit strategic consulting firm with expertise in the areas of diversity, equity, collaborative alliances, communications, animal health and diversity, inclusion planning and implementation, and is the former President and CEO of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Dr. Davis is a co-chair of the Department’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion committee.
- Denise Stillman (New Member) is the co-owner of Foremost Management Services, Inc., a hospitality consulting firm in Door County, and the co-owner/operator of Parkwood Lodge in Fish Creek. Denise has been active in Door County tourism for over 30 years. She is a past Chair and Board member of the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association and currently serves as the Board President of Visit Fish Creek.
The 21-member council, which includes 14 gubernatorial appointees and 7 ex-officio members, represents varied geography and wide-ranging expertise that includes, but is not limited to, recreation and attraction business owners, hospitality and service industry business owners, convention and visitor bureaus, economic development specialists, industry thought leaders, legislators and leaders of arts, historic and cultural destinations. Despite the pandemic, the tourism industry supported more than 157,000 jobs and drove $17.3 billion in total business sales in 2020.
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https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-staffer-appointed-to-wisconsin-council-on-tourism/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sea-grant-staffer-appointed-to-wisconsin-council-on-tourism
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