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Dubbed the Marysburgh Vortex, or alternatively “The Graveyard of Lake Ontario,” a small stretch of water off the shores of Ontario’s Prince Edward County has for centuries played host to shipwrecks, airplane mishaps, strange sightings and mysterious disappearances. Read the full story by Global News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210830-vortex

Beth Wanamaker

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News

Erika Jensen named executive director of the Great Lakes Commission

Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) announced today that it has named Erika Jensen to serve as its executive director. Jensen joined the GLC in 2006 and has served as interim executive director of the agency since August 2020. She will be the GLC’s first female executive director since it was established in 1955.

“The Great Lakes Commission is thrilled to name Erika Jensen as our next executive director,” said Chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel for Governor Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana. “Under Erika’s steady leadership over the past year, the GLC has effectively navigated the coronavirus pandemic while seeing considerable success in achieving its policy and program priorities. Her longstanding commitment to the Great Lakes, strategic vision, and strong relationships in the region and on Capitol Hill make her the perfect person to lead the GLC into its next era.”

As executive director, Jensen will oversee the work of the GLC, a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect and promote the resiliency of the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. The eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin are represented on the GLC by a delegation of government-appointed commissioners.

“I’m honored to take on this role and grateful to our Board and Commissioners for entrusting me with the future of the Great Lakes Commission,” said Jensen. “I look forward to working with our member states and provinces to build on our past successes, solve challenging issues facing the basin, and ensure that the Great Lakes continue to support communities across the region now and into the future.”

In her previous role, Jensen oversaw the GLC’s aquatic invasive species prevention and control program and coordinated both the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species and the Invasive Mussel Collaborative. She joined the GLC as a Sea Grant Fellow and has a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel for Governor Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/news/esj-072221

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

The Ohio Department of Health said Tuesday it has removed the bacteria-driven swimming advisory that had been in place at Maumee Bay State Park’s Lake Erie beach since June 17, the longest stretch this year that such an advisory had been in effect. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210630-maumee

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

If Enbridge has its way, Line 3, which partly reroutes and replaces a decaying older pipeline, will bore under the Mississippi River twice as it flows north and then loops south from its source, Lake Itasca. Any leaks and spills could poison the Mississippi and more: Line 3 will cross 211 other rivers and streams, and threaten scores of lakes and wetlands in Minnesota’s choicest wild rice harvesting region, granted to Indian tribes by 19th century treaties. Read the full story by the Los Angeles Times.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210630-erosion

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

In the last year, erosion has pummeled Indiana’s Lake Michigan shoreline and the property edging it. It was, locals say, the worst erosion they’ve seen on the lake in decades. But it’s not unprecedented. In fact, it’s part of a natural cycle that has been happening on the lake for centuries. Read the full story by the Indianapolis Star.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210630-erosion

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Despite searing heat and heavy showers at various times this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is sticking to its prediction that western Lake Erie’s Summer 2021 will be smaller than last year and relatively mild overall. . Read the full story by Toledo Blade.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210630-bloom

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

In 2016, severe storms in northern Wisconsin sparked a flood that’s linked to several deaths and caused more than $41 million in damage. Local, state and federal leaders recently marked efforts to restore one of the hardest hit areas during a grand opening celebration. They hope changes made at Iron County’s Saxon Harbor will prevent damage from more frequent, intense storms due to climate change. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-harbor

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

While invasive zebra mussels consume small plant-like organisms called phytoplankton, researchers discovered during a long-term study that zebra mussels can actually increase Microcystis, a type of phytoplankton known as “blue-green algae” or cyanobacteria, that forms harmful floating blooms. Read the full story by MSU Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-algae

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Protests in northern Minnesota over a Canadian oil pipeline have been drawing national attention. As the fight against Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 grows larger, here’s what you need to know. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-line3

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

“Access to clean water and sanitation is not a future problem,” writes Cameron Davis, commissioner of Chicago’s Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, who served as President Obama’s Great Lakes “czar” from 2009 through 2017. “It is here and now and will exponentially increase in severity if we do not address it head-on.” Read the full story by Chicago Sun-Times.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-access

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

A regional effort to prevent the spread of invasive species will cross over to other states and Canada. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, seven Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces are partnering for the third annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz. Read the full story by WWTI-TV – Watertown, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-blitz

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Each spring, melting snow and April showers fill low-lying areas with water, forming shallow pools. These vernal, or spring, pools are short-term wetlands that will be forest-fire dry by the 4th of July. Vernal pools are a highly valuable wetland habitat that is increasingly threatened across most of North America. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-vernal

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Wednesday it would conduct an extensive review of Enbridge Energy’s plan to build an oil pipeline tunnel beneath a Great Lakes channel in Michigan, which could significantly delay the project. The tunnel would house a replacement for a portion of Enbridge’s Line 5 that crosses the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. Read the full story by the Associated Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-tunnel

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Canada is expanding its rules for ballast water in ships. The rules require all Canadian ships and all ships visiting Canadian ports to treat ballast water. That includes so-called “lakers,” ships which only haul cargo within the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210625-ballast

Beth Wanamaker

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In: News and Announcements

News

Regional organizations urge Congress to invest in Great Lakes infrastructure

Ann Arbor, Mich. – A coalition of regional agencies, legislators, mayors, and business and environmental groups urged Congressional leaders to include key Great Lakes priorities in upcoming infrastructure legislation. The groups communicated their priorities through a joint letter following the release of President Biden’s infrastructure investment plan earlier this year and ongoing negotiations on the Hill.

“Investments in water infrastructure, commercial navigation, environmental restoration, and resilience will create jobs, foster equity for underserved communities, and strengthen the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes region for future generations,” reads the letter. “Our agencies and organizations – representing the Great Lakes states, cities, conservation groups, ports, and business – strongly support robust investments in these areas. These investments will address longstanding basin-wide priorities while stimulating economic activity in hard-hit communities throughout our region.”

The coalition urges Congress to accelerate the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; invest in drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure; ensure the Great Lakes economy, environment, and communities are resilient to the impacts of a changing climate; and strengthen Great Lakes ports and the maritime transportation system.

The priorities are endorsed by the Great Lakes Commission, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, American Great Lakes Ports Association, and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel for Governor Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/news/infrastructure-062421

Beth Wanamaker

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In: News and Announcements

News

Great Lakes aquatic invasive species are the focus of the third annual “Landing Blitz”

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Hundreds of organizations across the Great Lakes region will be coming together to educate boaters and the public about the risks of spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS) during the third annual Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz, to be held June 26 to July 4. The event is coordinated annually among state and provincial agencies with the support of the Great Lakes Commission and partner organizations.

 As part of the Landing Blitz, volunteers will join paid inspectors at boat launches to educate boaters on how to prevent the spread of AIS, ways to identify AIS, and how to report an AIS discovery. Properly inspecting and cleaning boats, trailers and other equipment helps prevent the spread of AIS, which are recognized as one of the most significant threats to the ecological and economic health of the Great Lakes.

“More than 185 nonnative species are already established in the Great Lakes, many of which are invasive and cause harm,” said Sharon M. Jackson, chair of the Great Lakes Commission and deputy general counsel for Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. “Progress is being made, but we must continue to work together through successful partnerships like the AIS Landing Blitz to prevent new invasions and reduce the damage from species already here.”

Last year’s Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz reached 128,000 people at over 1,000 public and private boat landings across the region, and an additional 830,000 people engaged with online virtual content and social media about the event. This year, agencies leading the effort will host a hybrid event, continuing to reinstate in-person inspections and outreach in accordance with relevant COVID-19 public health procedures while maintaining an online presence.

“As recreation and tourism continues to open back up across the Great Lakes basin, we are excited to communicate directly with boaters at landing sites, while continuing to exercise appropriate safety procedures,” said James M. Tierney, Great Lakes Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

For more information on the Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz, including educational materials, location, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.glc.org/blitz.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel for Governor Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Beth Wanamaker, beth@glc.org.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/news/blitz-062321

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

It has been estimated that it would cost nearly US$20 million for all farms in Ohio that feed Lake Erie to reduce their nutrient pollution by 30 per cent. The benefits of a cleaner lake, meanwhile, would only recoup about half that amount. However, there’s something missing from that calculation – and it has major implications for protecting local waterways all over the world.. Read the full story by CTV News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210524-global

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

As part of spring and fall migration, hundreds of thousands of hawks and other birds of prey follow a flight path over the Great Lakes, where wind, water and our state’s unique geography converge to create hot spots over which these birds fly in droves. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210524-birds

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

Our region is home to more than 20 percent of the world’s surface fresh water, including Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes. Our region also offers exceptional economic opportunity, with an economy that generates about $6 trillion annually. Read the full story by the Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210524-cleve

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

For anglers journeying to Lake Erie, walleye and yellow perch long have been main drivers of their efforts. Yet for reasons largely mysterious walleye currently are booming, and yellow perch seem to be going bust. Read the full story by the Columbus Dispatch.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210524-walleye

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

A new study involves placing transmitters on hen mallards in the Great Lakes region. The tracking devices will allow researchers to document hen movements and habitat use, estimate the number that return to the same breeding, staging and wintering areas and estimate survival and productivity rates. Some Great Lakes states have shown declines in mallard populations in recent years. Read the full story by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210524-duck

Beth Wanamaker

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In: News and Announcements

News

Great Lakes Commission holds 2021 Semiannual Meeting online

Ann Arbor, Mich. – At its 2021 Semiannual Meeting, held online this week, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) convened leaders from the United States and Canada on top issues facing the Great Lakes. The GLC and more than 150 guests received updates on Great Lakes issues from leaders of key U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as from the province of Québec’s Transport Minister.

“Healthy, productive Great Lakes are critical to the future of both the U.S. and Canada,” said GLC Chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel to Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “These issues don’t stop at the border, and the Great Lakes Commission is committed to bringing binational leadership to the table to tackle the biggest issues facing the lakes.”  

“At EPA, we’re committed to accelerating Great Lakes restoration, bolstering the region’s economic health, and supporting the cleanup of the region’s most contaminated sites,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan in recorded remarks. “The entire Biden-Harris administration knows how important it is to collaborate on priorities like water infrastructure, water quality and environmental protection. Agencies like the Great Lakes Commission are crucial to facilitating that collaboration across jurisdictions and all levels of government.”

During the meeting, the GLC assembled expert panels on Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River maritime strategy, regional water equity, and harmful algal blooms. Commissioners and guests also received updates from senior legislative staff on climate and infrastructure priorities for the 116th U.S. Congress, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on construction of critical national projects at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois and Soo Locks complex in Michigan. In an action item, the GLC agreed to update its policy on supporting small commercial and recreational harbors in the Great Lakes basin. Video of meeting sessions will be available online in the days to come.

The GLC will next convene in October 2021 for its annual meeting, to be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The formats of these events will be announced in the future. 

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel for Governor Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Beth Wanamaker, beth@glc.org.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/news/sam-051321

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

In Wisconsin, experimental projects underway in both Fond du Lac and Outagamie counties are pioneering the continuous use of conservation practices aimed at protecting the soil. The initiative incorporates no-till farming methods, planting of cover crops and the use of low-disturbance manure injection instead of spraying manure onto bare, open fields. Read the full story by the FDL Reporter.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-fdl

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

Algae blooms can be dangerous, but there is no system that captures the total picture of algal blooms in Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes, according to a new study. Read the full story by the Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-blooms

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

So, should erosion control or lake access be the primary goal of a lakefront district, or can they build off each other? Is this lakefront district a wise long-term model, setting the stage for more public-private partnerships to create lake access or near-lake access for public trails? Or should allowing public lakefront access be required for those participating in any publicly subsidized program, which likely would reduce participation and could end the lakefront district before it starts? The Editorial Board Roundtable surveys the landscape. Read the full story by the Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210510-erosion

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

With the recent confirmation of Deb Haaland to lead the Department of the Interior, the nation has its first Native American cabinet member. The position has significant influence on Native American affairs, and tribal representatives in Michigan say they’re optimistic about what Biden administration’s policies and Haaland’s position mean for Native representation. Read the full story by Capital News Service.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210507-haaland

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Over the past 30 years, thousands of volunteers from around Northeast Ohio have picked up nearly 715 tons of trash along the Cuyahoga River. Saturday morning at the annual RiverSweep cleanup, hundreds more lent a hand to help keep the waterfront free of debris and trash. Read the full story by WEWS-TV – Cleveland, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210507-riversweep

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

The international body that oversees the regulation of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River is in the middle of a comprehensive review of Plan 2014, the water management plan that governs decisions on things like outflows. As part of that process, the committee leading this effort has developed a new tool that has some shoreline homeowners feeling optimistic about the future. Read the full story by WBFO.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210503-flooding

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Nuclear industry officials have begun test drilling deep into the bedrock below southwestern Ontario to determine whether the small town of Teeswater, a community about 40 km from Lake Huron’s shore, could be the future home of Canada’s first spent nuclear fuel repository. Read the full story by the CBC.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210503-nuclear

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Crews from Wisconsin and Minnesota departments of natural resources have been busy capturing and tagging thousands of walleyes in the St. Louis River estuary this spring, and then recapturing as many as they can to estimate the walleye population. Read the full story by the Duluth News Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210503-walleyes

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

The clash over Calgary-based Enbridge’s Line 5, which carries up to 540,000 barrels of crude oil and natural gas liquids across Michigan and under the Great Lakes each day, is placing stress on U.S.-Canada ties — and raising questions about how the close allies, which have expressed a desire to work together to fight climate change, can balance energy security with the transition to a clean-energy economy. Read the full story by the Washington Post.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210503-line5

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Ohio State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, has been named to the Great Lakes Commission, an interstate commission of eight member states — Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — and two Canadian provinces. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210503-gavarone

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

The Canadian federal government is taking steps to map and identify vulnerable areas across the country, including along the Great Lakes, as a first step to protect homeowners and businesses from property damage when water sources their banks. The funding was announced in the 2021 federal budget handed down by the Liberal government last week in Ottawa. Read the full story by the Kingston Whig Standard.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210426-flood

Beth Wanamaker

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In: Daily News

Canada is pushing on several diplomatic fronts against the U.S. state of Michigan’s efforts to close a cross-border oil pipeline, the second such dispute since Joe Biden became U.S. president in January, complicating the governments’ efforts to work together to lower carbon emissions. Read the full story by Reuters.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210426-oil

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

Rose, the female Great Lakes piping plover, was spotted at Chicago’s Montrose Beach Sunday, marking the third straight year the bird has come to the North Side beach during mating season. Their presence at the beach in 2019 marked the first time a pair of endangered piping plovers had chosen to nest in Chicago since 1955. Read the full story by the Block Club Chicago.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210426-piper

Beth Wanamaker