Judy Freed (Page 2)

https://greatlakes.org/2023/06/adopt-a-beach-launches-20th-year-of-data-collection/

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Adopt-a-Beach Launches 20th Year of Data Collection

On: June 26, 2023

In: Adopt-a-Beach

20 years of Great Lakes litter data

Volunteers use a datasheet at every cleanup to tally each item they pick up. The event’s team leader tallies up all the data collected at the event and enters it into our online system.

Spring data stories: Green Bay, Cleveland, Chicago

Join a Beach Cleanup

Adopt-a-Beach is a fun, free, easy way to give back to your community and keep plastic pollution out of our Great Lakes.

The post Adopt-a-Beach Launches 20th Year of Data Collection appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

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Take Action Locally to Reduce Plastic Pollution

On: June 26, 2023

Plastic pollution is a serious problem for the Great Lakes and the people and wildlife who live here.

Researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology estimate that over 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes annually. And University of Toronto researchers calculate that the amount of microplastics in the surface water of the Great Lakes is higher than plastic concentrations in the widely publicized Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Stopping the flow of all that plastic can feel overwhelming. But you can make a difference by helping your community reduce its plastic use. Now is the time to move away from single-use plastic and encourage reuse, refill, and reduction.

Start by asking questions

Your town, your park district, and your school board all have policies that affect plastic pollution. Start by learning what’s happening in your community.

Find out:

Are there water refill stations at your public parks and schools?
Does your school board have a purchasing policy that bans single-use plastic including polystyrene foam cups and food containers?
Has your local community center moved to reusable items to save money and waste on single-use plastic?
Does your city or state allow you to bring your own reusable containers to groceries and restaurants?

Make your change happen

Once you’ve learned what’s going on in your community, pick one thing you want to change – and find out who can make that change happen. For instance, if you want to see water refill stations at all your public parks and beaches, your park district board members might be the people who can make the decision and allocate money to pay for it.

After you know what you want to change and who can make it happen, it’s time to build support and contact the decision makers. Here are some tools to help:

Build support:

Communicate with decision makers:

Stopping plastic pollution is a huge task. But when you change a policy locally, you’re doing more than helping your community reduce one type of plastic. You’re creating momentum for the next change and the next – in your community, in your state, and nationally – bringing all of us closer to systemic reductions in single-use plastic production and pollution.

Let us know how it’s going! Contact us at alliance@greatlakes.org.

Visit Our Action Center

Your voice, when combined with thousands of people around the lakes, can make a difference! Tell decision makers it’s time to stop single-use plastic production and pollution.

The post Take Action Locally to Reduce Plastic Pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/06/take-action-locally-to-reduce-plastic-pollution/

Environmental Advocates Applaud Illinois General Assembly’s Efforts to Reduce Plastic Pollution

On: June 5, 2023

Chicago, IL (June 5, 2023) – With eyes on Paris for the recently completed crucial second round of global plastics treaty negotiations, groups in Illinois and across the Great Lakes are excited to celebrate the work that has been done closer to home to reduce the production of single-use plastic. This year, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Ocean Conservancy and Illinois Environmental Council secured significant wins at the statehouse in Springfield that will advance the effort to reduce plastics while increasing access to water and promoting reuse.

The Illinois General Assembly wrapped up the 2023 session in late May by passing several bills addressing plastic production and reduction; improving reuse systems; and providing better data to assist future policymaking:

SB 58 bans the state from purchasing polystyrene foam foodware. Styrene, a building block of polystyrene, is likely a human carcinogen, creating health risks in production, use and disposal. Additionally, polystyrene is not recyclable, increasing the challenges of an overburdened waste system by plastic pollution. The bill also requires all state agencies to develop plans to reduce purchasing of single-use plastic.
SB 1715 will increase the number of bottle-filling water fountains across the state, providing no-cost water for many more people and decreasing reliance on single-use water bottles that contribute to plastic pollution.
HB 2086 will allow customers to refill their own containers with ready-made food at restaurants and retailers. Increasing reusable systems is the most effective and efficient way to reduce plastics and associated greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a safe, circular economy.
SB 1563, requires the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to report on the potential impacts of microplastics in drinking water in Illinois.
SB 1555 requires the Illinois EPA to create a statewide needs assessment for packaging and paper products. This is a critical step towards establishing comprehensive extended producer responsibility in Illinois focused on holding producers accountable and achieving source reduction.

Advocates were also able to prevent HB 1616 from advancing. This bill would have allowed for a dangerous and toxic pyrolysis plant to side-step the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s standard permitting process to be built in an already overburdened minority community near Joliet, IL.

Dr. Anja Brandon, associate director of U.S. plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy and an environmental engineer, notes, “Now is the time to pursue a single-use plastics source reduction target in the Great Lakes that’s in line with the global goal of a minimum 50% reduction by 2050. These recently passed bills will reduce literal tons of plastic pollution while also decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. We applaud the Illinois legislature for these steps forward and hope to see more headway next session to meet the urgency of this moment.”

“We are proud to link arms with our partners from across the Great Lakes and the country in order to build smart and sustainable solutions that will reduce plastic production, support regenerative solutions, advance environmental justice by reducing toxic pollution and improve our community’s health. This session in Illinois represents just the start of the work needed to be done to reduce plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. We are all ready to keep the work moving forward together,” said Andrea Densham, senior strategic adviser for the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

“This year’s plastic reduction victories represent some of the most significant environmental legislative progress we made during this session, and it’s a sign that our years of education and mobilization have built momentum for change,” said Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council. “Make no mistake; we have plenty of work to do to realize the scale of policy progress we truly need, but it’s important to stop and celebrate significant wins, like halting HB1616, for example– an objectively good thing for the already disproportionately polluted communities in the Joliet area who would have borne the brunt of new toxic pollution emitted by the proposed chemical recycling plant.”

Global and regional efforts to reduce plastic are critical as the connections between climate and plastic production become clearer. Already, plastics are responsible for 3-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions; if they continue to grow, this will triple by 2050. In addition, the health impacts of these emissions from extraction to disposal of plastics are disproportionately borne by historically marginalized communities, making this an environmental justice issue.

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Contact:

Jack Walker, teamgreatlakes@mrss.com, 847-721-0597

Madeline Black, mblack@oceanconservancy.org, 202-280-6232

Tucker Barry, tucker@ilenviro.org, 337-280-1269

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES: The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes. For more information, visit www.greatlakes.org.

ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY: Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

ABOUT THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL: Since 1975, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has worked to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends by building power for people and the environment. Representing over 100 environmental organizations in the state, IEC carries out its mission to advance public policies that create healthy environments across Illinois through education, advocacy and movement building.

The post Environmental Advocates Applaud Illinois General Assembly’s Efforts to Reduce Plastic Pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/06/environmental-advocates-applaud-illinois-general-assemblys-efforts-to-reduce-plastic-pollution/

Statement on Supreme Court’s Ruling to Reduce Wetlands Protection

On: May 25, 2023

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (May 25, 2023) – The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling today that rolls back existing protections for clean water in the Great Lakes states and across the country.

In reaction, Alliance for the Great Lakes President & CEO Joel Brammeier made the following statement: “Today is a difficult day for all people who depend on clean water across the Great Lakes. By choosing to eliminate science-based protections for wetlands across the region, the Supreme Court is putting all of our waters at risk. We will look forward to working with U.S. EPA and the Great Lakes states to ensure all of our waters are safe and clean for everyone who depends on them.”

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

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Alliance Ambassadors Build Great Lakes Connections

On: May 23, 2023

In: Other topics

From Manitowoc to Buffalo to a national teach-in, Alliance Ambassadors connected thousands of people to the Great Lakes in the first 5 months of 2023.

“Ambassadors are volunteers with a passion for the Great Lakes,” said Olivia Reda, the Alliance’s Volunteer Engagement Manager. “The Alliance trains them to spread awareness about the Alliance, the Great Lakes, and how their communities can get involved. Our staff can’t be everywhere at once. Ambassadors give us vital face-to-face contact in communities that want to connect with our work.”

Building Great Lakes connections

A man and woman interact with two children and their mother at a table covered with activities. — Alliance Ambassadors Brian O’Neill and Katie Luo engage children in Great Lakes activities at an Earth Day Fair at Chicago’s Dvorak Park. Photo by Lloyd DeGrane.

Ambassadors built connections in many ways this spring. They gave presentations online and in person. They staffed tables at environmental fairs and fundraising events. They talked to Adopt-a-Beach teams throughout the region.

“It’s exciting to see how many different audiences Ambassadors have worked with already this year,” said Reda. “And at so many cool events!”

Their audiences included everyone from Girl Scouts to Rotary Club members, families to retail store customers, high school students to members of a sailing club.

“Whenever they’re part of these events, Ambassadors create a sense of community and connection. With each other, with people who love the lakes – they’re part of bringing the community together.”

Some highlights:

Wild Things Conference: Sarah Murphy, Sara Singh, and Pawan Singh made it possible for the Alliance to participate in this conference for the first time, connecting the Alliance with nature enthusiasts from across Illinois and beyond.
Book Signing: Brian O’Neill and Eileen Ryan welcomed and seated guests at a book signing with Great Lakes author Dan Egan.
National Biodiversity Teach-In: Sara Singh gave an online presentation to students across the country about plastic pollution in the Great Lakes.
Zoos and a Museum: Novem Cheng, Jenna Engberts, and Devin Wilson engaged families in Great Lakes activities at the Buffalo Zoo, the Detroit Zoo, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

“Ambassadors’ passion for the Great Lakes is contagious,” said Reda. “Every time Ambassadors go out, we get more people joining our email list, more people joining Adopt-a-Beach, more people saying they want to get involved. I’m honored to work with our Ambassadors. They inspire me every day!”

Become an Ambassador

Are you passionate about protecting the Great Lakes and the people that rely on them? If so, consider becoming a volunteer Alliance Ambassador!

Learn More

The post Alliance Ambassadors Build Great Lakes Connections appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/05/alliance-ambassadors-build-great-lakes-connections/

Putting an end to plastic pollution

On: May 9, 2023

For our Diving Deep for Solutions series, we commissioned author and journalist Kari Lydersen to examine big issues facing the lakes today and how our expert team at the Alliance for the Great Lakes is growing to meet the moment.

In late April, teachers and students from Tremont Montessori descended on Edgewater Beach on Chicago’s lakefront armed with colorful plastic rakes, sieves and shovels to pick up trash. It was one of many Alliance for the Great Lakes beach cleanups happening across the lakes that weekend.

Students beamed as they loaded plastic stir sticks, shredded balloons and other debris into orange buckets. One student paused to carve his name, Albert, into the sand.

Volunteers sign in for an Adopt-a-Beach cleanup.

At nearby Foster Beach in Chicago, Eileen Ryan was leading a beach cleanup with the group she helps lead, Organizing for Plastic Alternatives. The multi-generational crowd hauled in pounds of plastics – water bottles, cups and plates – mostly single-use products, confirming Ryan’s longstanding position that plastic consumption and pollution is “out of control.”

Ryan’s feelings mirror the Alliance’s position: we must switch quickly away from reliance on plastics, so that youth like the Tremont students aren’t burdened with increasing loads of toxic plastic pollution for decades to come.

Ryan – an artist – takes meditative walks along the Lake Michigan beaches, chronicling the experience in serene photos posted to social media. Now, she spends those walks picking up plastic and photographing this waste to make a point. At an advocacy-oriented “Trashion Revolution” runway show in May, she is exhibiting a dress made entirely from plastic lids collected on her walks.

“People need to see what a travesty plastic is,” Ryan said. “Our unending consumption and waste from single-use plastic will be in our bodies, our water and our food for generations!”

Plastic pollution’s harmful impacts

In all, more than half a million pounds of litter, most of it plastic, has been collected through Alliance cleanups over the past 20 years.

Not only are components of plastic toxic in their own right, the fragments also absorb and harbor potentially dangerous microbes and chemicals. In all, about 22 million pounds of plastic get into the Great Lakes each year, and the lakes provide drinking water for more than 40 million people.

The Alliance has long worked to remove plastic waste from the Great Lakes through beach cleanups, as well as pushing for laws and policies like the 2015 federal ban on plastic microbeads formerly used in facial scrubs and other toiletries.

Now, along with continuing this work, the Alliance is prioritizing fighting plastic pollution at the root – slashing the amount of plastic that is produced and used – the same model Ryan advocates.

Plastic poses a serious threat to the environment and public health when it enters the Great Lakes and other waterways, but an even greater environmental injustice is the impact of the petrochemical facilities that produce plastic on surrounding communities.

“The burden of drinking water with some microplastic is real, but the burden you’re living with [near a petrochemical plant] is orders of magnitude different,” said Andrea Densham, a sustainability expert working with the Alliance on plastics.

From Louisiana and Texas to Illinois and Michigan, petrochemical and plastics plants are predominantly located in low-income communities and communities of color. As the country slowly shifts away from fossil fuels for energy and transportation, plastic production is often described as a “lifeline” for the oil and gas industry. Plastics, along with fertilizers and various other industrial and household products, are made from petroleum-based feedstock. Plastics also typically contain toxic “forever chemicals” like PFAs, synthetic compounds found in many household goods and linked to harms including increased risk of cancer, developmental problems, and interference with hormonal processes. Scientists are especially concerned about PFAs since they are very slow to break down in the environment, and their full impacts on human health are not yet understood.

Factories manufacturing plastics emit highly toxic, cancer-causing emissions and pose serious safety risks. And nearby residents, who typically already bear disproportionate pollution burdens from other sources, often have trouble obtaining transparency and protection from the major industry players and government regulators.

Changing to sustainable alternatives

Blue bag with white text listing the names of the Great Lakes

A huge portion of the plastic products and packaging we use everyday could be replaced by other materials or simply eliminated, experts note. Bans on single-use plastics like plastic grocery bags, foam container, and straws are one solution that multiple municipalities have implemented in various forms.

Illinois legislators are considering bills that would phase out single-use polystyrene foam containers beginning in January 2024. The state House has passed the bill, and Illinois already enacted a law banning single-use plastic food products in state parks and at the state fair. Canada has banned the manufacturing and import of multiple single-use plastic products including straws, cutlery, and ring carriers; and the government has set an ambitious goal of recycling 90% of beverage containers.

Plant-based materials can be used for many of the products currently made from plastic. And extensive reuse and recycling can reduce demand for new plastic. The emphasis should be on “organic items we can compost or reuse, and glass or things that we can truly recycle, for a more circular economy,” said Densham.

It can be a win-win situation, as Great Lakes-region farmers and manufacturers can benefit by more demand for plant-based materials and reusable containers made out of glass or stainless steel.

“Just like we’ve made a commitment to move toward clean energy, we need to move toward cleaner manufacturing that uses more natural organic items like hemp and switchgrass,” said Densham. “If we incentivize manufacturers to use less and less and less PFAs and other toxic chemicals, we don’t have to clean it up on the other end,” after it has polluted the Great Lakes.

Making manufacturers responsible for waste

The Alliance is working with the Ocean Conservancy to push policies based around Extended Producer Responsibility, the idea that manufacturers of products that become waste are responsible for it – rather than shifting the burden to municipal or county waste management agencies. The concept of Extended Producer Responsibility has been incorporated into policy in states including California, Colorado, Maine, and Oregon, and it is gaining traction nationwide.

Demanding accountability from producers includes regulation of the dumping and release of “nurdles,” the pellets that are used to make plastic. Loyola University biologist Timothy Hoellein recently encountered a trove of such nurdles around the North Branch of the Chicago River, down the watershed from several plastics manufacturers. Now he’s seeking funding to study the distribution and source of nurdles in the region.

“They’re like discs with little dimples, very uniform. When you see a bunch of them together, same shape and color, it’s a little shocking,” said Hoellein, who has partnered with the Alliance to analyze data from trash collected during the beach cleanups. “Plastic is not regulated as a pollutant in the same way other industrial discharges or wastes are, but it is a point source of pollution, and it seems like it should be controllable.”

Focusing on the manufacturing of plastics rather than littering doesn’t mean individual citizens are off the hook. Hoellein, Densham, and others emphasize that regular people have the power and responsibility to demand and make change around plastic pollution – starting at the root.

“We might not be the person throwing the plastic bag on the sidewalk, but we’re all part of this consumer system that has a demand for plastic bags,” said Hoellein. “We’re all collectively accountable for the production because we’re all purchasing the materials. There can be grassroots advocacy and collective demand for alternative products, a combination of policies that are put in place and creating a genuine market.”

Take Action to Stop Plastic Pollution

Your voice, when combined with thousands of advocates around the lakes, can make a difference! Our action center makes it easy for you to contact decision makers.

The post Putting an end to plastic pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/05/putting-an-end-to-plastic-pollution/

Find a Cleanup Near You Host Your Own Cleanup

20 Years of Adopt-a-Beach Data Collection: What Have We Learned?

On: April 21, 2023

In: Adopt-a-Beach, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are on the front lines of keeping litter off our beaches and out of the Great Lakes. But did you know that these volunteers are also citizen scientists?

This year marks twenty years of data collection by Adopt-a- Beach volunteers. The Alliance for the Great Lakes created its online Great Lakes litter database in 2003 and added data collection to the Adopt-a-Beach program.

Filling a Data Gap, Identifying Troubling Trends

While scientists have been studying plastic pollution in the ocean for decades, there is much less research about plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Adopt-a-Beach data collection is one way our Great Lakes community is beginning to fill that gap. The litter data collected by Adopt-a-Beach volunteers spans beaches and shorelines across all five Great Lakes. No lab or individual researcher could collect this extensive data set on their own. Volunteers have steadily created this dataset with each cleanup over the past twenty years.

Volunteers use a datasheet at every beach cleanup to tally each item they pick up. The event’s team leader tallies up all the data collected at the event and enters it into our online system. Counting each cigarette butt, bottle cap, or piece of tiny trash can sometimes feel a bit silly on the beach. But the power of all that information in one place is impressive, and it is showing us some troubling trends.

So, what do the data tell us? It’s not a pretty picture. Roughly 85% of the litter picked up at cleanups is made entirely or partially of plastic. Most of the litter picked up by volunteers falls into the category of “tiny trash,” which are pieces 5 millimeters or less. These are pieces of larger items that have broken down over time. Food-related trash, such as plastic bottles, plastic cutlery, and takeout containers, is about 25% of the litter picked up by volunteers.

A Clear and Present Danger

A researcher examines a test tube containing microplastics.

While beach litter is a serious concern, it is just the most visible part of a bigger problem. Sun, waves, and other environmental factors break down plastic left on the beach or other places into smaller and smaller pieces. And microfibers from our clothes or plastic packaging from detergent packs wash down the drain into our waterways. These microplastics are often invisible but are dangerous to wildlife, which mistake them for food.

Plastic has been found in Great Lakes fish dating back to the 1950s. That means, for nearly seven decades, there have been microplastics in the lakes, which are a drinking water source for about 40 million people. Today, researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology estimate that over 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes annually. And University of Toronto researchers calculated that the amount of microplastics in the surface water of the Great Lakes is estimated at 1.2 million particles/km2. This is higher than plastic concentrations in the widely publicized Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Microplastics have been found in drinking water, bottled water, and beer. And it’s estimated that we each ingest about a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week. Much remains to be learned about the impacts of plastic on human health, but the early picture is concerning.

Plastic Producers Must Take Responsibility

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers do a great job keeping plastic out of our lakes and educating their communities about the plastic pollution problem. But beach cleanups alone can’t solve the magnitude of the Great Lakes’ plastic problem. A more systemic solution is required.

Currently, most efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on the last person who uses the plastic, such as recycling. But expecting end users to bear the burden of managing plastic pollution isn’t effective. For instance, only a fraction of plastic produced each year can be recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. This leaves the disposal burden – and significant costs – on individuals, small business owners, and local governments.

The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, called extended producer responsibility. The concept is not new. Many European countries have such laws. And California recently passed legislation bringing the concept to the United States. These laws reduce or eliminate the most problematic plastics like styrofoam, require plastic manufacturers to pay for disposal, or eventually change their practices to produce less plastic in the first place.

For the first time, we have included plastic pollution as a top issue in our federal Great Lakes policy agenda. We are urging Congress to be a leader in curbing plastic pollution and pass legislation that:

Makes plastic producers responsible for reduction of waste
Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics
Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

How You Can Help

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers record litter data on the beach.

Solving our Great Lakes plastic pollution problem will take all of us. Here are several ways you can help:

Refuse single-use plastics.

The best way to prevent plastic pollution from getting into the lakes is to stop using it in the first place.

Your voice makes a difference.

Visit our action center to send a letter to your members of Congress, urging them to adopt extended producer responsibility legislation.

Join a beach cleanup.

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are on the frontlines of keeping plastic pollution out of the Great Lakes. It’s fun, easy, and an excellent way for your family, community group, or business to give back to the lakes. Learn how you can join a cleanup or host one of your own.

Join Us for Adopt-a-Beach

It’s a fun, free, easy way to give back to your community and keep plastic pollution out of our Great Lakes.

The post 20 Years of Adopt-a-Beach Data Collection: What Have We Learned? appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/04/20-years-of-adopt-a-beach-data-collection-what-have-we-learned/

Statement: Alliance Welcomes New Canadian Investment in Great Lakes Restoration

On: March 24, 2023

In: great lakes restoration

Chicago, IL (March 24, 2023) – This afternoon Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new investment in Great Lakes restoration. The announcement was made as part of an official state visit to Canada by President Biden.

In reaction, Alliance for the Great Lakes President & CEO Joel Brammeier made the following statement:

“The Alliance for the Great Lakes welcomes today’s announcement that the Canadian federal government is investing $420 million in restoring the Great Lakes over the next 10 years. Commitments like these are a critical down payment in ensuring that the Great Lakes are brought back to health and can sustain a way of life for the millions of people who rely on them in both Canada and the United States. This is an important step forward. There is work to be done to make sure these investments address the highest priorities for Great Lakes protection and are not undermined by continuing threats from pollution and climate change. We commend the Trudeau administration for its leadership and look forward to working with our Canadian partners to protect the health of the Great Lakes for all.”

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Media contact: Jennifer Caddick, Alliance for the Great Lakes, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

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https://greatlakes.org/2023/03/statement-alliance-welcomes-new-canadian-investment-in-great-lakes-restoration/

Single-Use Plastic Foam Foodware Ban Advances to Illinois Senate

On: March 24, 2023

Lake Michigan is one of Illinois’ greatest assets. But plastic pollution puts Lake Michigan and all our waterways at risk, polluting our drinking water and harming wildlife.

Polystyrene foam – a plastic used to make single-used foam cups and food containers – is among the most polluting plastic products. Polystyrene foam doesn’t biodegrade in nature and is nearly impossible to recycle. Byproducts of polystyrene production can pollute the water, harming neighborhoods near factories.

Some of the most common items Adopt-a-Beach volunteers remove from Lake Michigan’s Illinois shorelines are foam take-out containers and pieces of polystyrene foam. While our volunteers are on the frontlines of keeping plastic out of Lake Michigan, we know that they are only able to pick up a fraction of the plastic pollution on our beaches. And once single-use polystyrene pieces end up in our waterways, it’s nearly impossible to clean them up.

The Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this week that would phase out single-use plastic polystyrene foam foodware. The bill is now being considered by the Illinois Senate.

We hope Illinois will join the eight states and roughly 200 cities and municipalities that have enacted bans on polystyrene foam containers.

The post Single-Use Plastic Foam Foodware Ban Advances to Illinois Senate appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/03/single-use-plastic-foam-foodware-ban-advances-to-illinois-senate/

Agricultural Pollution and the Great Lakes

On: February 7, 2023

In: Uncategorized

Agriculture occupies about one-quarter of the U.S. land surrounding the Great Lakes, producing corn, soybeans, grain, and livestock. But all too often, the way we farm has serious negative impacts on the Great Lakes and the rivers and streams that flow into them. The Alliance is helping shape solutions to this pollution problem at the national and local levels.

Farm Runoff Causes Downstream Pollution Problems

Dead fish in a Lake Erie algae blooms, August 2011

When it rains, chemical fertilizer and manure from farm fields flow into waterways. This runoff can contain pathogens and bacteria along with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous.

While these nutrients are vital for growing plants, too much in our waterways can have disastrous results fueling a bumper crop of algae that can make water toxic to wildlife and people.

When the blooms die, the decomposing algae uses up oxygen in the water, creating “dead zones” where fish and other aquatic creatures can’t live.

Farms are the main source of nutrient pollution flowing to the lakes, and stopping farm runoff will significantly decrease downstream algal blooms and dead zones. But national farm policy, along with a lack of mandatory regulations, makes stopping the flow of pollution off farm fields and into waterways challenging.

Change Needed at All Levels, From Farm Fields to National Policy

Over the past few decades, small farms have been consolidated into larger operations. This has led to intensifying how food is produced across the country. Row crops used to rotate among multiple crops, but today in the Midwest, our cropland is dominated by corn and soybeans. Livestock operations are large enough that some produce as much manure waste as a small town. All of this has led to more pressure on the land to produce more, which means more fertilizers and more potential for pollution. But there are steps farms can take to reduce runoff significantly.

“Farmers are often pointed to as the problem. But we also need to recognize that farmers are one piece of a very big agribusiness system,” said Tom Zimnicki, the Alliance’s Agriculture and Restoration Director. “Yes, there are things we can be doing at the farm level to reduce pollution, but we also need to change policies at the national level to move away from this system we’ve created over the last 20-30 years. The Alliance is working on both.”

The Alliance advocates for regulations at the state and local levels to mandate, incentivize, and prioritize best practices to limit farm runoff and protect the Great Lakes and the water bodies that feed into them. The Alliance also convenes partners at the local level around the region to find community-led solutions to this pollution problem.

Next year Congress will consider a new federal farm bill, a massive funding package that is a major driver of the nation’s food and agricultural policy. The Alliance is part of a national coalition advocating for changes in farm bill programs. Today, most federal programs delivering billions of dollars to Great Lakes farms each year are not tied to clean water goals. It’s no surprise that despite these investments, the lakes aren’t getting any cleaner. One goal is to tie funding for agricultural practices to clean water outcomes. In other words, if an agricultural producer receives federal funding for conservation programs, they must show a measurable reduction in pollution running off their lands.

Local Solutions Needed

But the Alliance isn’t waiting for changes in federal programs. State and local governments have a huge role to play in reducing runoff from agricultural lands. And, they have an incentive to get involved as the impacts of nutrient pollution are felt locally.

In Wisconsin’s Green Bay, the Alliance has partnered with the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, local government officials, and the Oneida Nation to host a farmer round table. At the event, farmers come together to discuss their conservation practices and learn from each other. This led to a historic agreement between four counties and the Oneida Nation to formally come together to develop a shared strategy for recovery and locally achievable goals to reduce agricultural pollution and clean up Green Bay.

In August 2014, Toledo-area residents were without water because toxins from a massive algal bloom in western Lake Erie contaminated the city’s drinking water. The Toledo crisis, along with advocacy by the Alliance and other partners, led to a commitment by the Governors of Ohio and Michigan and the Premier of Ontario to reduce phosphorus inputs to Lake Erie by 40% by 2025. Although it is unlikely leaders will meet this goal in this timeframe, the commitment pushed governments to significantly increase funding for on-the-ground projects to limit agricultural runoff and focus state and federal agency staff on developing solutions.

“Stopping agricultural pollution, and protecting our waterways, is complicated. And to solve this problem, we need everyone at the table, from farmers, government agencies, businesses along the supply chain, and the people and communities getting hurt by this pollution,” said Sara Walling, the Alliance’s Senior Policy Manager for Agriculture and Restoration. “The good news is that a wide range of solutions exists, from local actions like in Green Bay to regional coordination like around Lake Erie to national and state policy changes. And the Alliance is working to incorporate all these tools into our policy work.”

How much extra does a family of 5 in Toledo pay in their water bills due to upstream pollution? Almost $100 extra!

Downstream users are paying a real cost for managing a pollution problem they did not create, compounding water affordability issues many Ohioans face. An analysis by the Alliance for the Great Lakes found that a family of five in Toledo is paying roughly an additional $100/year in their water bill. The costs are due to increased costs at water treatment plants for monitoring and treatment to protect drinking water from harmful algal blooms.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

The post Agricultural Pollution and the Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/02/agricultural-pollution-and-the-great-lakes/

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2023

On: January 24, 2023

In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Significant progress has been made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. But much more needs to be done. Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water, whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Invasive species threaten the lakes, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.

In our 2023 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified the top five opportunities for Congress and federal agencies to address these challenges. Many of these priorities are familiar. Congress and the administration must keep up the momentum generated over the past few years to fix our water infrastructure, stop invasive species, and support on-the-ground restoration projects.

Equity and justice are embedded throughout these policy priorities. Equity and justice must be considered at every step of the federal decision-making process to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, affordable water. Federal water programs must prioritize low-income communities and communities of color, where the burden of pollution often hits hardest. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustices isn’t a one-off action. Instead, Congress and the administration must ensure that community voices are at the table, and listened to, from the beginning of all decision-making.

This year, we have two new priority areas focused on opportunities we’ve identified for the federal government to push forward new approaches to long-standing problems. First is the Farm Bill, which only happens every five years and sets national agriculture and food policy. We see an opportunity to improve federal agriculture subsidy programs to make sure farmers produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops. Second, concern about plastic pollution continues to grow, and Congress can act to limit plastic pollution by reducing it at the source and not once it is a problem on our beaches and in our communities.

Read on for full details of our 2023 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Increase water infrastructure funding, prioritize funding for communities most in need

The infrastructure bill passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding will jump-start efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows.

However, the funding is only a start. It’s estimated that the Great Lakes region will need at least $188 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. Currently, the infrastructure bill will provide Great Lakes states with an additional $1.8 billion per year for the next five years. It is clearly not enough. We need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs. Additionally, funding programs must be structured to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest need, such as those with many lead pipes.

In 2023, we urge Congress to:

Increase annual funding to at least $8 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds
Increase by $1 billion annual funding levels for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants
Pass a federal ban on water shutoffs
Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills

In 2023 we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to:

Work with states to ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure funding and provide technical assistance to disadvantaged and underserved communities
Complete the Drinking Water Needs Assessment in early 2023 to increase the amount of lead service line funding to Great Lakes states which have the highest number of lead pipes in the country

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water, threatens wildlife, harms the regional economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes.

Every five years, Congress develops a “farm bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. In 2023, Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.

In 2023, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that:

Increases funding for US Department of Agriculture conservation programs
Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands
Reduces funding for concentrated animal feeding operations

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution

Researchers estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes each year. Plastic pollution isn’t just an unsightly problem in our waterways. It’s estimated that humans ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week, with unknown long-term consequences for our health.

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on the end-user, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.

In 2023, we urge Congress to pass legislation that:

Makes plastic waste producers responsible for its reduction
Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics
Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars since the late 1980s. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. The battle against invasive species is focused on two fronts – stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes and cleaning up ship ballast tanks.

Established populations of invasive carp are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed constructing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project.

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened the Great Lakes to direct ocean-going shipping. Unfortunately, ships brought invasive species along for the ride in their ballast tanks. Although regulations to clean up ship ballast tanks have reduced introductions, loopholes remain for “lakers,” ships operating solely in the Great Lakes. The US EPA can close that loophole.

In 2023, we urge Congress to:

Fund the next phases of construction of the Brandon Road project to stop invasive carp

In 2023, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should continue implementing the Brandon Road project with public participation and work with the state of Illinois to finalize the project partnership agreement.
The U.S. EPA should issue rules requiring all vessels operating on the Great Lakes, including lakers, to clean up their ballast tanks.

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Update and fund Great Lakes restoration programs

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots. In addition to environmental benefits, GLRI funding garners an additional 3-to-1 return in economic benefits.

While we need continued investment in Great Lakes restoration, the strategy guiding the GLRI was developed almost 20 years ago and needs an update. Federal agencies should revise the Great Lakes restoration strategy to address the next generation of threats to the lakes, including climate change and long-standing environmental injustices.

In 2023, we urge Congress to:

Fund the GLRI with at least $425 million in FY24

In 2023, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions:

The White House and U.S. EPA should update the Great Lakes action plan to address environmental injustice, climate resilience, and the next generation of risks to the Great Lakes.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should include large-scale natural infrastructure in the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study to address extreme water level changes caused by climate change.

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

Tell Congress: Protect the Great Lakes & Clean Water

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Invasive species threaten the lakes, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.

The post Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2023 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/01/top-5-great-lakes-federal-policy-priorities-for-2023/

The New Congress and the Great Lakes

On: January 18, 2023

In: Drinking Water, great lakes restoration

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

Over the past two years of the 117th Congress, advocates around the Great Lakes region spoke out about the critical importance of the lakes and the need for Congress to take action to protect them. The last Congress heard you and acted on bipartisan legislation, allocating a historic $1 billion investment in Great Lakes restoration, funding efforts to stop invasive carp from reaching the lakes, providing critical new funding to fix our failing water infrastructure to protect our health and environment, and more.

Now that the new 118th Congress is convened, we will start the advocacy cycle again, educating new and returning members of Congress about the critical importance of the Great Lakes. The landscape in Washington, DC changed with the 2022 midterm election, as Republicans won the majority in the House of Representatives, and a period of divided government will be the norm for at least the next two years. However, we know that support for water issues, particularly fixing our failing water infrastructure, spans both political parties. We’ll be encouraging members of Congress and the administration to reach across the aisle to protect the Great Lakes.

Key champions of the Great Lakes retired from Congress at the end of last term, including former Ohio Senator Bob Portman, but other new members were elected, and they will have their opportunity to legislate. Overall, there are 25 new Members of Congress from Great Lakes states, including two new United States Senators, and 9 of these members have districts located directly in the Great Lakes basin.

After just two weeks, early signals from the House of Representatives indicate there are likely to be major policy disagreements between the House and Senate over the debit ceiling, government funding, and a host of other issues. These disagreements may consume significant amounts of time and energy or possibly even lead to undesirable outcomes such as a government shutdown.

Notwithstanding this dynamic, the Alliance for the Great Lakes remains nonpartisan and will urge Congress to maintain its focus on its primary responsibilities. For us that means passing laws and providing funding for programs that benefit the Great Lakes and its people, such as funding to repair and maintain water infrastructure, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and numerous other programs that benefit the health of our citizens and our natural resources.

Next week, we’ll be unveiling our 2023 Federal Policy Priorities. We’ll detail the specific next steps this new Congress must take to protect the Great Lakes and ensure everyone around the region has access to safe, affordable water. And, once again, we’ll be looking to you to help make sure Congress hears from voters around the Great Lakes. Your voice matters.

We were proud to work on all of these programs during this past year and thank all of our supporters for lending your strong voices to this effort.

The post The New Congress and the Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/01/the-new-congress-and-the-great-lakes/

Congress Builds Momentum to Stop Invasive Carp

On: December 16, 2022

In: invasive carp

Congress – on a bipartisan vote – has passed legislation that continues strong momentum to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

Prevention measures in design

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun designing a critical project to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. The Corps is designing new carp prevention measures to install at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois, a chokepoint in waterways leading to Lake Michigan.

In the bill just passed, Congress increased the federal cost-share – which is how much the federal government will chip in for this critical project – to 90%. This commitment shows that Congress and the Administration recognize that the invasive carp moving toward Lake Michigan threaten the entire Great Lakes region.

By increasing the federal cost-share to 90%, Congress will help accelerate the project from design to construction.

Next steps for Illinois

The state of Illinois must take 2 important steps to keep this critical project moving forward:

Illinois must sign an agreement with the Corps by the end of the year to keep the project on schedule.
It’s time for Illinois to step up and work collaboratively with other Great Lakes states to fund the local portion of the construction phase of the project and keep invasive carp out of the lakes.

“Thank you to all the Great Lake advocates and members of Congress who are working to keep invasive carp out of our lakes,” says Molly Flanagan, Chief Operating Officer, Alliance for the Great Lakes. “We look forward to working with Illinois and other Great Lakes states to ensure the local share is funded.”

The post Congress Builds Momentum to Stop Invasive Carp appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/12/congress-builds-momentum-to-stop-invasive-carp/

Big Things for the Great Lakes in 2022

On: December 6, 2022

In: Other topics

Joel Brammeier, President & CEO

When people of the Great Lakes work together, we can make a huge impact!

Thank you for everything you’ve done for the lakes this year. You believed in our mission. You stood up for the lakes. You were part of a community of thousands of volunteers, donors, advocates, and supporters who made great things happen for the lakes and the people who live here.

Here are just a few things we accomplished together in 2022:

We secured a historic federal investment to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now has the full funding to complete the engineering and design, and begin construction on a project at the Brandon Road Lock & Dam, a critical choke point for keeping invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes.

We won an additional $1 billion federal investment in Great Lakes restoration. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will use the bulk of the funding to clean up and restore Great Lakes Areas of Concern, some of the region’s most environmentally contaminated and degraded sites, by 2030.

We’re co-convening the State Revolving Fund Advocates Forum, a diverse community working to ensure that once-in-a-generation federal water funds are allocated to the hardest-hit communities and advance resilience to climate change. Our group of community leaders and policy experts is playing a pivotal role in reforming the biggest state water funding programs to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to clean, safe, and affordable water.

We published a first-of-its-kind case study that found water bills are higher for communities that pull their drinking water from Lake Erie. The study highlights the fact that water users far away from pollution sources are paying the real cost of protecting their families from a problem they did not create: harmful, and sometimes toxic, algal blooms caused by farm runoff.

We activated our supporters to speak out in support of protecting the Great Lakes. People around the Great Lakes region sent over 13,000 emails to their members of Congress, urging their representatives to invest in fixing failing water and wastewater infrastructure, stop invasive carp, and champion the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Clean Water Act.

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers surpassed more than half a million pounds of litter collected at cleanup events since the Alliance began tracking data in 2003. The Alliance’s data shows that more than 85% of the litter cleaned up is made entirely or partly of plastic, putting our volunteers on the front lines of keeping plastic pollution out of the lakes.

And there’s so much more.

A special thank you to everyone who donated to our Giving Tuesday challenge. You helped us beat our goal of $30,000. I appreciate your generosity.

Whenever you give to the Alliance, you can be confident that your gift is in good hands. The Alliance for the Great Lakes has earned two top charitable ratings in recognition of the organization’s financial health, accountability, and transparency: Charity Navigator’s Four-Star Rating and Guidestar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Have a happy and peaceful December.

Support our region’s most vital resource – the Great Lakes

Your tax-deductible gift today will protect the Great Lakes from imminent threats like plastic pollution, invasive species, and agricultural runoff.

Donate Today

The post Big Things for the Great Lakes in 2022 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/12/big-things-for-the-great-lakes-in-2022/

Alliance for the Great Lakes Welcomes New Board Members, New & Returning Officers

On: December 5, 2022

In: Other topics

The Alliance for the Great Lakes Board of Directors held their annual retreat November 18-19 in Chicago. At the meeting, the board elected two new Directors and a slate of officers, while saying farewell to six term-limited directors.

New Board Members: Dr. Sri Vedachalam & Dr. Wren Montgomery

Dr. Sri Vedachalam is Director, Water Equity and Climate Resilience, at ECT, Inc., where he works with communities to address their water quality and access challenges. He is a water policy specialist, and his work has covered national water issues such as affordability, aging infrastructure, extreme weather impacts, financing, public trust, and non-point source pollution. Prior to this role, he set up and grew the water program at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, turning it from a one-person operation to a national powerhouse. During his stint as researcher at the Cornell University-based New York State Water Resources Institute, he experienced first-hand the beauty of the Great Lakes region.

He currently serves on the advisory board for the communications nonprofit Water Hub, and is a member of Blue Accounting’s Drinking Water work group facilitated by the Great Lakes Commission. Dr. Vedachalam is also the Editor for Urban Water at Global Water Forum, a resource for evidence-based, accessible, and open-access articles on freshwater governance. He was named a 2022 Top 10 Young Professional by Water & Wastes Digest. He holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and lives with his wife and two kids in the Washington, DC metro area.

Dr. Wren Montgomery is Assistant Professor of Sustainability & General Management at Western University’s Ivey Business School in London, Ontario, and a Faculty Affiliate at the University of Michigan’s Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise. Her research, teaching, and impact work focuses on environmental and social organizing, how it changes norms and institutions, and how it interacts with corporations. She is primarily interested in unique forms of collaboration and unconventional coalitions with the potential to overcome obstacles to solving many of the world’s most pressing challenges. Dr. Montgomery focuses on the intersections of climate change, water crises, soil degradation, and social justice. Her multi-year research project on water access and affordability – with a focus on Detroit – has received several prestigious honors.

Dr. Montgomery is deeply committed to doing research that has both academic significance and a more immediate impact on the world around us. She does this by helping students to understand the roots of problems and identify leverage points for change, by working with organizations to raise awareness of these challenges, by highlighting successful approaches and tools, by engaging and working collaboratively with impacted communities, and by serving on government and corporate boards. She is also an experienced management consultant and senior government policy analyst.

New & Returning Officers

Jo-Elle Mogerman was re-elected as Board Chair. Susan McDermott was elected to a second term as Treasurer. Tom Langmyer was elected to his first term as Nominating Committee Chair. Vanessa Tey Iosue was elected to her second term as Vice Chair of Policy.

The board also said farewell to six directors who are term-limited after six years of service: Aaron Fershee, Adrienne Dziak, Claire Castleman, David Schmahl, Lauren Bigelow, and Sue Conatser.

“Thank you to all of our board members – past and present – for their dedication and leadership,” said Joel Brammeier, the Alliance’s President & CEO. “Our work would not be possible without their time and expertise. They are integral to the Alliance’s successes in protecting and restoring this resource we all cherish. We look forward to the contributions of our newest board members and share all our gratitude to those saying farewell.”

For a complete listing of Alliance for the Great Lakes directors and officers, visit our Board of Directors page.

The post Alliance for the Great Lakes Welcomes New Board Members, New & Returning Officers appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/12/alliance-for-the-great-lakes-welcomes-new-board-members-new-returning-officers/

What the 2022 Midterms Mean for the Great Lakes

On: November 17, 2022

In: Other topics

Election day was a little more than a week ago. Seven of the eight Great Lakes states had gubernatorial elections. Six had U.S. Senate races on the ballot. All seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election. And numerous state and local offices were on ballots.

Joel Brammeier, the Alliance’s President & CEO, and Don Jodrey, our Director of Director of Federal Relations, explain what the midterm election results mean for the Great Lakes. To hear more, listen to our Lakes Chat post-election podcast.

U.S. Senate & House Races

Q: How did things change for the Great Lakes?

A: There are 28 new members of Congress representing Great Lakes residents. Two of them are senators – Republican J.D. Vance in Ohio, and Democrat John Fetterman in Pennsylvania. The other 26 are representatives – 11 Democrats and 15 Republicans. Most Great Lakes incumbents who ran were re-elected.

Q: What Great Lakes issues will the new Congress need to tackle next year?

A: Annual spending bills. We’ll be looking for Congress to address additional investments in water infrastructure, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and all the other federal programs that the Alliance for the Great Lakes supports.

The Farm Bill. This is important for the Great Lakes because it deals with federal support for programs that can reduce agricultural runoff in Lake Erie and other Great Lakes waters. The Farm Bill comes up for renewal only once every five years.

Q: On a national level, it was a very close race. Democrats kept control of the Senate, with one more seat to be decided by a December runoff in Georgia. Republicans have taken control of the House. How will the new makeup of Congress affect the Great Lakes?

A: “Having the majority in the House or the Senate really does matter. It allows you to set the legislative agenda. It allows you to decide which bills are debated and come up for a vote. It allows you to determine the makeup of the committees, and the committees write the legislation for the Congress to consider. The bills that tend to go forward are bills that have originated in the committee structure.”

~ Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Relations

Gubernatorial Races

Q: How did things change for the Great Lakes?

A: Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, was elected to fill the open seat for governor in Pennsylvania. Incumbents won re-election in Illinois (J.B. Pritzker), Michigan (Gretchen Whitmer), Minnesota (Tim Walz), New York (Kathy Hochul), Ohio (Mike DeWine), and Wisconsin (Tony Evers).

Q: What Great Lakes issues will individual states tackle next year?

A: “Governor DeWine in Ohio has been focused on agriculture issues in a big way. The biggest source of Lake Erie’s agricultural pollution is in Ohio. I think you’ll see a renewed push for follow-through on the pollution diet that’s being written for Lake Erie in Ohio.

“Governor Whitmer in Michigan has an emphasis on dealing with that state’s water infrastructure challenges. Governor Evers in Wisconsin has focused on issues around water infrastructure and agriculture.

“In all the Great Lakes states, we’re seeing a major investment in water infrastructure that’s been unseen since the seventies. But there’s a lot of work to do over the next four years to make sure that those funds go to where they’re needed most. All the states need to be really smart and strategic about how to get the best clean water outcomes for the largest number of people, and make sure that communities that have been disinvested in for decades, get the support that they need.”

~ Joel Brammeier, the Alliance’s President & CEO

Q: Great Lakes states have a long history of bipartisan cooperation across the region. What issues will the states need to work on together?

A: Stopping invasive carp. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun designing a critical project in Illinois to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. The first year of construction will be covered by federal funds, but there will need to be some agreements on how to pay for the local share of later construction across state lines. Governors Whitmer and Pritzker will need to continue working together to ensure that this project, which is a priority for both states, actually gets the funding it needs.

Maintaining the Great Lakes Compact. The Compact is the state-level law that governs how Great Lakes water can be used. It makes very limited exceptions for water to be diverted and returned to the Great Lakes. All Great Lakes governors need to work together to maintain the integrity of the Compact.

Local Ballot Measures Signal Strong Support for Environmental Issues

In New York State, voters approved a $4.2 billion environmental bond act. In Cook County, Illinois, where Chicago is located, voters approved an increased tax levy to support the local forest preserves. Each measure passed by a wide margin – about two out of three voters were in support.

Q; In an era where everything seems so divided, when environmental issues stand alone on a ballot, they seem to be pretty successful. Why do you think that’s the case?

A: “Voters understand that a good environment leads to healthy people, healthy families, healthy neighbors and a good quality of life. They’re willing to invest in something that’s going to help their community, improve their own health, and protect clean water and clean air for generations to come.” ~ Joel Brammeier, the Alliance’s President & CEO

“Environmental investments are also investments in a robust economy and a growing economy. I think people realize that, and that’s why they’re willing to make them. You can have a healthy environment and a healthy economy. Actually investing in the environment is a good economic base, and pays good economic dividends,” ~ Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Relations

Note: The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which means that we cannot and do not endorse candidates for office. However, we can – and do – educate candidates about Great Lakes issues.

The post What the 2022 Midterms Mean for the Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/11/what-the-2022-midterms-mean-for-the-great-lakes/

Alliance Earns Two Top Charity Ratings; Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating and Guidestar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency

On: November 17, 2022

In: Uncategorized

The Alliance for the Great Lakes has been awarded two top charitable ratings in recognition of the organization’s financial health, accountability, and transparency.

Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, awarded the Alliance for the Great Lakes a top Four-Star Rating. Charity Navigator analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators, referred to as beacons. Currently, nonprofits can earn scores for the Impact & Results, Accountability & Finance, Culture & Community, and Leadership & Adaptability beacons. This rating designates the Alliance as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that our organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria.

Candid Platinum Transparency 2022 badge.

Guidestar, the worlds’ largest source of nonprofit information, awarded the Alliance for the Great Lakes the Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition. The award recognizes organizations with a high level of fiscal and programmatic accountability and transparency.

These ratings demonstrate the Alliance’s commitment to responsible and careful stewardship of financial donations to ensure the biggest impact for the Great Lakes. We are truly grateful for every supporter who entrusts us with their donation to protect the Great Lakes, our region’s most precious resource.

Protect the Gteat Lakes

Give a gift to protect our region’s most precious resource: the fresh, clean, natural waters of the Great Lakes.

Donate Today

The post Alliance Earns Two Top Charity Ratings; Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating and Guidestar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/11/alliance-earns-two-top-charity-ratings-charity-navigator-four-star-rating-and-guidestars-platinum-seal-of-transparency/

Check out past years’ data summaries here.

Adopt-a-Beach 2022: Year-End Results

On: November 14, 2022

In: Adopt-a-Beach

Every November, the weather turns cooler, the rush of beach cleanups begins to slow, and we take the time to compile our annual Adopt-a-Beach results.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes manages the largest coastal Great Lakes litter database of its kind. But we are simply the stewards. The database exists because of the decades of contributions by thousands of community scientists across the region who volunteer each year with the Adopt-a-Beach program.

2022 saw a surge of new and returning volunteers. It was exciting to welcome back many experienced Team Leaders and volunteers, as well as connect with so many new ones. Each individual volunteer who showed up, each individual piece of litter dutifully tallied on a data sheet, each individual gathering of Great Lakes stewards is captured in these numbers.

2022 Adopt-a-Beach results

Beach cleanups in all 8 Great Lakes states.

These numbers are also part of an important milestone that volunteers helped Adopt-a-Beach reach this year. Volunteers have collected more than half a million pounds of litter since the Alliance began tracking data in 2003! That’s half a million pounds of litter removed from our beach, our parks, and the source of our drinking water.

Data tells a story about plastic pollution

The data tells a story about volunteer participation and outreach efforts, and also about long-term trends in Great Lakes plastic pollution. Year after year, more than 80% of litter collected is plastic. 2022 was no exception.

Litter material. Plastic: 81%. Other materials: 19%.

Litter type. Tiny trash: 44%. Food-related: 25%. Smoking-related: 20%. Other: 11%.

The high plastic percentage is a signal that more systemic changes are needed – in addition to and beyond individual behavior change. We look forward to continuing to use the Adopt-a-Beach data to advocate for systemic solutions to plastic pollution.

Love, concern, & initiative

As Adopt-a-Beach staff visited volunteers across the region this season, a unifying theme that revealed itself was the deep pride and care Great Lakes residents have for our lakes. We saw and heard love, concern, and initiative everywhere we went.

Whether you participated in the Adopt-a-Beach program, are reading and learning more about Great Lakes issues, or have contacted elected officials about an issue that is important to you, thank you for taking action!

Host an Adopt-a-Beach Cleanup

It’s never too soon to schedule your next beach cleanup. Schedule your 2023 cleanups today.

Schedule Your Cleanup

The post Adopt-a-Beach 2022: Year-End Results appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/11/adopt-a-beach-2022-year-end-results/

Statement: 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act

On: October 18, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (October 18, 2022) – Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Alliance for the Great Lakes President & CEO Joel Brammeier issued the following statement about this historic legislation:

“The Clean Water Act has been essential in helping the Great Lakes region recover and thrive since it was passed following the catastrophic burning of the Cuyahoga River 53 years ago. This event and other similar crises dramatically highlighted what happens when we don’t protect waterways from industrial and sewage pollution. Today, many parts of the Great Lakes are far cleaner than they were 50 years ago.

“While we must continue to fight for compliance with this historic environmental legislation, we also must build on the Clean Water Act’s precedent and, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, focus the next 50 years on issues the Clean Water Act didn’t address: namely, emerging chemicals and other toxins that pollute our water, toxic algae blooms, the growing stress climate change is placing on our lakes, and harmful lead pipes that make our neighbors sick. Americans everywhere, particularly in communities like Toledo, Ohio; and Flint and Benton Harbor, Michigan know that access to clean water can’t be taken for granted.

“The Alliance for the Great Lakes looks forward to continuing to work with our state partners throughout the region, the U.S. EPA, and members of Congress to make sure the Lakes are protected and can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.”

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

The post Statement: 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/10/statement-50th-anniversary-of-the-clean-water-act/

Why the Great Lakes Need Comprehensive Solutions to Plastic Pollution

On: October 17, 2022

In: microplastics, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

This post is by Sofia Johansson, who worked as the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Public Policy and Governance Intern this summer. She is a third-year Environmental and Urban Studies major at the University of Chicago and is originally from Madison, Wisconsin. She is passionate about environmental justice, equity, and sustainability in planning and policy.

For more than 30 years, thousands of Adopt-A-Beach volunteers have helped clean up litter, most of it plastic, from beaches across the Great Lakes region. This year, the program reached a major milestone—half a million pounds of litter picked up since volunteers started collecting beach data nearly 20 years ago. But beach cleanups alone can’t solve the magnitude of the Great Lakes’ plastic problem. A more systemic solution is required.

Plastic has been found in Great Lakes fish dating back to the 1950s. That means, for nearly seven decades, there have been microplastics in our water—water we drink, swim in, fish from, and cherish. Most of that time, we didn’t know it was there. But now, the research is overwhelming. The amount of microplastics in the surface water of the Great Lakes is estimated at 1.2 million particles/km2. This is higher than plastic concentrations in the widely publicized Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Moreover, researchers estimate that over 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes annually. That is an exorbitantly high amount of plastic, so why are we letting it continue?

The politics of plastic

The reasons often trace back to the political power of the plastic industry. They have focused on the individual responsibility of consumers rather than changes in industry practices. They also try to limit legislative action to measures promoting recycling, even though the US recycled less than 6% of its plastic waste in 2021, and recycling is considered an ineffective reducer of plastic pollution. But they do this to absolve industry of any responsibility and to make us think that individuals are responsible for plastic pollution as opposed to the plastic industry itself, which has promoted the use of plastics in almost every facet of our lives.

As such, the plastics lobby has repeatedly challenged legislation that creates meaningful systemic changes, such as single-use plastic bans, reductions in production, and extended producer responsibility.

Therefore, the Great Lakes states and the federal government have seriously lagged in plastic pollution policy. Five of the eight states have preemption laws, often called “bans on bans,” that prevent any level of local government from passing legislation to reduce plastic pollution. The plastics lobby has worked with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to develop a model preemptive bill for states to pass. And Congress has passed little legislation to deal with the scope of the problem.

What’s at stake?

But what’s at stake? What happens if we continue letting corporate interests and financial gain pollute our water? The Great Lakes are home to thousands of species, provide drinking water for 10% of Americans (and 25% of Canadians), and support a multi-trillion-dollar economy. Beyond the numbers, the Great Lakes are fundamental to the life and health of the Midwest.

Human health is a serious concern regarding plastics in our lakes. Though research is just beginning, microplastics have been found in Great Lakes tap water, beer, fish, and dozens of other consumables across the globe. Data compiled from several studies indicate that humans may ingest up to 5 grams of plastic a week, equivalent to the mass of a credit card. Researchers suggest most of the plastic humans ingest may come from drinking water and have detected plastic in our blood, lungs, hair, saliva, and stool.

The smaller the plastic, the more dangerous. Once in the body, microplastics may translocate, cross cell membranes, permeate tissue, and linger in human organs, potentially causing chronic inflammation. They also leach dangerous chemicals and toxins, such as phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and bisphenol A (BPA). These and other chemicals have been found in the water and microplastics of the Great Lakes. They are carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs, which disrupt hormones and can cause metabolic changes, have been heavily linked to a long list of health issues, including diabetes, neurological diseases, many different cancers, and reproductive damage. In short, microplastics, which have been allowed to increase and accumulate in our water, could have devastating impacts on our health and the health of future generations.

Federal action is needed

Given that states are not dealing with this problem and local governments sometimes find their hands tied, it is imperative that the federal government take comprehensive action that puts the responsibility on the producer to truly reduce plastic pollution, protect Great Lakes ecosystems, and ensure our health. An essential first step at the national level is passing the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act, introduced by Sen. Durbin of Illinois, which prohibits the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic materials into our water from any point source. These pellets are commonly found on Great Lakes beaches. In addition to this first step, more is required to deal with the magnitude of the problem in a comprehensive fashion. Congress should also pass the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, which creates a national extended producer responsibility program, phases out single-use plastic products, and targets microplastics in the environment, along with many other comprehensive measures.

Plastic pollution is a growing threat to our environment and our health and will continue to be until Congress takes comprehensive action to address this problem. The time to act on this is now.

Tell Congress: Keep Plastic “Nurdles” Out of the Great Lakes

“Nurdles” are tiny plastic pellets used as a raw material in the manufacture of plastic products. Researchers have found them on beaches in all 5 Great Lakes.

The post Why the Great Lakes Need Comprehensive Solutions to Plastic Pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/10/why-the-great-lakes-need-comprehensive-solutions-to-plastic-pollution/

Alliance Applauds Agreement to Move Forward with Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study

On: September 30, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (September 30, 2022) – The Alliance for the Great Lakes thanks the governors of the Great Lakes states for signing an agreement to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fund the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study. This multi-year project will identify places in the Great Lakes vulnerable to high water levels and erosion, and recommend options to protect the lakes and coastal communities.

Fluctuating lake levels and intense storms are getting more extreme and more frequent due to climate change. The threat these storms pose to Great Lakes shoreline communities — including damage to roads, marinas, water systems and coastal properties — is enormous. The Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study will look at areas around the region that are particularly vulnerable to water level changes and offer recommendations for ways these coastal communities can manage and adapt to changes brought on by the climate crisis. As the project moves forward in collaboration with Great Lakes states, the Corps should prioritize natural shorelines, enhanced coastal buffers like wetlands, and offshore reefs to dissipate wave energy as ways for communities to manage changes in lake levels.

Truly resilient shorelines won’t be built parcel by parcel, but miles at a time. Investing in the Great Lakes’ coasts needs to be a top priority for Congress, and this study is a critical step to identify the places most in need. The coasts are some of the most economically and ecologically important parts of the lakes, and we are looking forward to working with the Corps and the states to restore and protect our shores at the scale the Great Lakes deserve.

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

The post Alliance Applauds Agreement to Move Forward with Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/09/alliance-applauds-agreement-to-move-forward-with-great-lakes-coastal-resiliency-study/

Adopt-a-Beach Reaches a Milestone

On: September 29, 2022

In: Uncategorized

The Power of the Great Lakes Community: Half a Million Pounds.

Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach program. As we dug into the data we’d collected, we realized the program was approaching a milestone. Beach by beach, team by team, Adopt-a-Beach volunteers had removed more than 465,000 pounds of litter from Great Lakes beaches and shorelines since 2003, when we started tracking litter in our online database.

So we set a big goal for 2022: reach half a million pounds of litter.

Today, we’re proud to announce that Adopt-a-Beach has reached that milestone. As of September 29, 2022, Adopt-a-Beach volunteers have removed 501,336 pounds of litter from Great Lakes beaches and shorelines. That’s 8,859,735 individual pieces!

This amazing achievement represents the work of more than 200,000 volunteers over the past twenty years. Community and faith groups. Families and businesses. Grade schools and high schools. Alumni organizations. Surfers, scuba divers, and professional mermaids. On all 5 Great Lakes. In all 8 Great Lakes states.

Their accomplishment shows the magnitude of what can be accomplished when Great Lakes communities work together – and also shines a powerful spotlight on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Year after year, more than 85% of the litter collected is made of plastic, a number we know due to volunteers’ dedication to collecting data in addition to keeping beaches clean.

Their stewardship is an expression of love for the lakes — done with a sense of pride and thanksgiving for this unique region we call home.

Thank you to all the Adopt-a-Beach Team Leaders, volunteers, and supporters who made this achievement possible. This couldn’t have happened without you!

Special thanks to this year’s top Adopt-a-Beach sponsors: Brunswick Foundation, Meijer, and Unilever.

Meet some of the volunteers who helped put Adopt-a-Beach over the top.

LAKE ONTARIO: Volunteers at Durand Beach, Rochester, New York.

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers weigh litter at 7 different cleanups..

Host a Beach Cleanup

The Adopt-a-Beach season isn’t over. There’s still time to schedule a cleanup of your own!

Schedule a Cleanup

The post Adopt-a-Beach Reaches a Milestone appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/09/adopt-a-beach-reaches-a-milestone/

Top 5 Questions to Ask Candidates Great Lakes Voter Information Center

2022 Midterm Elections: How to Get Involved

On: September 21, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Election day – Tuesday, November 8 – is just around the corner. Many federal, state, and local offices are on the ballot around the Great Lakes region.

Seven Great Lakes states have gubernatorial elections this year. (The exception is Indiana.) Six states have U.S. Senate races on the ballot – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. All seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election. And numerous state and local offices are on ballots

Voters like you can make sure that the Great Lakes and clean water are part of the election-year conversation. Every office on the ballot will have the opportunity to influence Great Lakes and water issues once elected.

The Great Lakes have long enjoyed strong bipartisan support because people of all backgrounds can see the value of clean water. To protect the lakes, we need to defend existing clean water laws while pushing for stronger, better protections for the world’s largest source of surface freshwater. And we must ensure that everyone in the Great Lakes region has access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water.

Right now, we have an opportunity to encourage candidates to stand up for the Great Lakes and hold them accountable once elected. You can have an impact by using the tools below to join the conversation today.

Your voice and your vote matter. Civic engagement is a critical part of protecting the Great Lakes. Whether it’s asking questions at a candidate forum, chiming in on social media, or highlighting water issues in a letter to the editor, your voice makes a difference. People running for elected office pay attention to issues that bubble to the top in all of these venues.

Tips to Get Involved this Election Season

Raise Awareness about Great Lakes Issues

Asking candidates for any office where they stand on Great Lakes issues raises awareness, highlights the issues, and allows us as constituents to hold elected officials accountable once they take office. To get you started, here are five questions to ask candidates for elected office.

What is your number one Great Lakes policy priority?
What policies will you put in place to ensure Great Lakes communities have safe, clean, and affordable drinking water?
If elected, what would you do in your first 100 days in office to protect the Great Lakes for people who live, work and play in the region and depend on them for drinking water?
What will you do to increase much-needed funding for the Great Lakes region’s failing drinking and wastewater infrastructure and ensure that no one loses access to water and sewer services because of an inability to pay?
How will you ensure that businesses, from industrial facilities to industrial agriculture, are held accountable for pollution flowing into our waterways?

Telling your story can be powerful and can help to get attention for issues you care about. You can make the questions above your own by sharing personal experiences and by replacing “Great Lakes” with your home lake.

Candidate forums provide an opportunity to engage with individuals running for office and ask important questions about their platforms and positions. Asking questions about how the candidate plans to take action if elected at these events is one way to get water issues into the election-year conversation. Read our fact sheet for more tips on how to find and get involved with candidate forums in your community.

Another important step is to learn about the elected offices on your ballot. Elected officials set program and funding priorities that can lead to better protections for the lakes or leave them more vulnerable to pollution. They oversee agencies that implement clean water laws and regulations. And they make budget decisions that impact Great Lakes programs. Read our fact sheet with helpful tips on how to find out more about the elected offices on your ballot.

Social media can help spread the word about Great Lakes issues and provides an opportunity to connect with candidates for office. By speaking out on social media and sharing information with your network, voters like you can make sure that the Great Lakes and clean water are part of the election-year conversation. Read our fact sheet with tips on how to effectively use social media.

Create Your Plan to Vote and Encourage Others to Vote

Voting is the most important way for you to have a voice in how our elected officials protect our water. It’s important to make a voting plan to be sure your voice is heard on Election Day. Visit our Great Lakes Voter Information Center and enter your address to check the status of your registration. Read our fact sheet with tips on how to make your plan to vote.

Encourage others to vote by sharing the Great Lakes Voter Information Center and help them make a plan to vote.

Note: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Alliance for the Great Lakes cannot support or oppose candidates or political parties. However, we can and do, educate candidates and voters on Great Lakes issues.

Get Involved This Election Season

Your voice and your vote matter. Encourage candidates to stand up for the Great Lakes.

The post 2022 Midterm Elections: How to Get Involved appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/09/2022-midterm-elections-how-to-get-involved/

Helping Great Lakes Communities Manage Climate Change Impacts

On: September 13, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

New legislation passed by Congress, and signed into law by the President in July, represents a major step forward for the U.S. to address the climate change threat. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 contains a $369 billion investment in climate related spending and will transform America’s energy policy and put the U.S. on track to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. Through a series of tax incentives and direct spending, the Act invests in renewable energy and energy efficiency, including clean energy technology, solar panels and offshore wind; boosts electric vehicle markets; supports coastal resilience; and invests in communities most impacted by pollution.

But what does the Inflation Reduction Act and its climate change provisions mean for the Great Lakes and how do the programs it supports benefit our communities? Several provisions are beneficial to Great Lakes states, including $3.3 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support coastal communities throughout the country, including in the Great Lakes, to prepare and build climate resilience to respond to major weather and climate events. For the last several years, communities around the Great Lakes have suffered from unpredictable fluctuations in lake levels and more frequent and intense precipitation and flooding. The NOAA funding will allow states, Tribes, and local governments to address these challenges.

The Act includes funding for nature-based solutions for climate change with $20 billion to support climate-smart agriculture, including the popular Environmental Quality Incentive Program. The program encourages farmers to plant cover crops, better manage water resources, and conserve grasslands. The Act also includes $5 billion for healthy forest conservation. Healthy forests, restored and undisturbed wetlands, and undisturbed prairies all pull carbon out of the atmosphere and complement other climate change measures.

The Act also invests in communities most impacted by pollution, including low-income communities and communities of color. In addition to accelerating clean energy investments in affordable housing and air quality monitoring, the Act includes $3 billion in environment and climate justice block grants to support enhanced community engagement.

Climate change is a serious threat to the Great Lakes, and the impacts are being felt today. The Inflation Reduction Act will help Great Lakes communities be more resilient to face this challenge.

4 Ways Climate Change Is Challenging the Great Lakes

We’ve identified the biggest climate change challenges facing the Great Lakes and actionable ideas that will ensure healthy lakes for future generations.

Learn More

The post Helping Great Lakes Communities Manage Climate Change Impacts appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/09/helping-great-lakes-communities-manage-climate-change-impacts/

Plastic-Free Great Lakes Toolkit

Plastic Pollution

On: September 13, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Our Guest: Dr. Sherri Mason

Today we’re chatting with Dr. Sherri Mason, a leading expert on plastic pollution. Her award-winning work has drawn international attention to the threat of microplastics in our waters and led to the passage of national legislation banning microbeads.

Dr. Mason shares some fascinating perspectives on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes:

Why we should be concerned about microplastics

“I’m not anti-plastic. I’m anti-stupid plastic.”

Where we can start to help keep plastic out of the Great Lakes

Listen to the Episode

Resources

Subscribe to Lakes Chat

About Our Guest

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Subscribe to the Lakes Chat Podcast

Every Tuesday, the Alliance for the Great Lakes will chat with special guests about Great Lakes issues and dig into what it all means for you and your community. Subscribe to our Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer (more platforms coming soon).

Hear More Episodes

The post Plastic Pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/09/plastic-pollution/

Alliance Commends H2Ohio Investment in Lead Service Line Mapping

On: August 11, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (August 11, 2022) – The Alliance for the Great Lakes believes that access to clean water is a necessity that should never be denied, and we commend Gov. DeWine on investing $1.5 million that will help local communities identify and map lead service lines throughout the state of Ohio.

Mapping out where lead service lines exist so they can eventually be replaced is an important step in creating a water infrastructure system that equitably delivers safe, clean water to all Ohioans.

Ohio has the second-most lead service lines of any state in the country and, as the governor has said, there’s simply no safe level of lead exposure — especially for children, the elderly and other vulnerable communities. The Alliance looks forward to continued collaboration with the governor’s office on this important issue.

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

The post Alliance Commends H2Ohio Investment in Lead Service Line Mapping appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/08/alliance-commends-h2ohio-investment-in-lead-service-line-mapping/

Mid-Year Update: Alliance’s 2022 Federal Priorities

On: July 24, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

At the beginning of the year we announced an ambitious federal policy agenda. We’re now just past the halfway mark of the year. So we’re asking: are we making progress, or is there more we can do to advocate for the Great Lakes?

As a quick refresher, our policy agenda for 2022 included:

Increasing funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative;
Increasing funding for water infrastructure; and
Securing a cost share change for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project so that the project would be fully funded by the federal government.

House Makes Progress on Funding Great Lakes Priorities

On the funding side, the U.S. House of Representatives responded to our priorities and just voted on an appropriations bill that includes increased funds for the Great Lakes. Included in the “minibus” legislation (approximately six appropriations bills all bundled together) are:

$2.9 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which is approximately level with last year and will provide funding to states to address water infrastructure needs like replacing lead pipes;

$368 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is an increase of $20 million over last year’s funding and represents critical funding to address regional priorities such as cleaning up toxic hot spots, habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and managing invasive species;

$47.8 million for the first phase of construction of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, to keep invasive carp out of the lakes; and

$3 million for the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study, an increase of $2.5 million over the President’s Budget, that will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to start this important effort to address climate change and the needs of coastal communities in the face of fluctuating lake levels.

While the Senate has yet to move any funding bills for a vote, the House actions are encouraging. They demonstrate that Congress recognizes the importance of these programs to a healthy Great Lakes.

Bipartisan Action to Stop Invasive Carp

In addition to funding, the House and Senate – on a bipartisan vote – are moving legislation that continues strong momentum to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

Invasive carp pose a serious threat to the Great Lakes. Silver and bighead carp have already wreaked havoc on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, out-competing native fish for food and injuring people who recreate on the rivers. The invasive fish are steadily spreading upstream toward Lake Michigan. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun designing a critical project to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan by installing prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois, a chokepoint in waterways leading to Lake Michigan.

The House passed its version of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 that will increase the federal cost-share – which is how much the federal government will chip in for this critical project – to 90%. The Senate has moved its version of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 out of committee and is expected to pass the bill later this summer. The Senate committee bill also includes the same cost-share provision as the House bill. This is good news and shows that Congress and the Administration recognize that the invasive carp moving toward Lake Michigan threaten the entire Great Lakes region.

Looking Ahead, Your Voice Makes a Difference

The legislative process will continue for the next several months and hopefully conclude before the start of the new federal fiscal year in October. We are encouraged by the progress thus far and will continue to press for increased funding and authority for programs that support and maintain the Great Lakes.

But it’s not too late for you to weigh in and encourage your members of congress to support clean water and a healthy Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Action Center

Your voice, when combined with thousands of advocates around the lakes, can make a difference!

Visit the Action Center

The post Mid-Year Update: Alliance’s 2022 Federal Priorities appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/07/mid-year-update-alliances-2022-federal-priorities/

Alliance Statement on the 2022 Western Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast

On: June 30, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (June 30, 2022) – Earlier today, NOAA and its research partners released the annual western Lake Erie harmful algal bloom forecast. In response, Alliance for the Great Lakes Agriculture and Restoration Policy Director Tom Zimnicki made the following statement:

“Each summer, western Lake Erie is plagued by harmful algal blooms fueled by nutrient pollution flowing off upstream agricultural lands. While this year’s bloom is forecasted to be relatively mild compared to past years, even a smaller bloom can turn toxic and threaten drinking water safety. The cost burden of these blooms on ratepayers is real. According to new research from the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a family of five in Toledo is paying roughly an additional $100/year in their water bill because of this pollution. The Alliance remains committed to addressing water pollution in western Lake Erie and working with Ohio lawmakers to solve this problem. Downstream ratepayers should not have to shoulder the financial burden or health impacts of this pollution problem.”

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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post Alliance Statement on the 2022 Western Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/06/alliance-statement-on-the-2022-western-lake-erie-harmful-algal-bloom-forecast/

Statement on Effort to Rename & Increase Marketing of Invasive Carp: “It will not fix the problem.”

On: June 22, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (June 22, 2022) – Earlier today, the state of Illinois announced an effort to rebrand and increase marketing of invasive carp as a food source. In reaction, Alliance for the Great Lakes Chief Operating Office and Vice President of Policy Molly Flanagan made the following statement:

“While we appreciate Illinois’ marketing efforts to address the growing threat of invasive carp, more carp (or “Copi”) making its way to consumers’ plates will not fix the problem. The state must keep its eye on the long game and focus on building protections at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam that are essential to keeping invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

We have been pleased to see that fortifying Brandon Road is a priority for Congress and the Biden administration: We saw a historic federal investment earlier this year to fully fund the initial phase of the project (preconstruction, engineering and design, and the first year of construction). But we can’t rest on our laurels — we need to ensure momentum continues in order to get the Brandon Road project built. If the state is serious about addressing the threat of invasive carp, Illinois must step up and work collaboratively with other Great Lakes states to fund the local portion of the construction phase of the project and keep invasive carp out of the lakes. Illinois must also sign an agreement with the Corps by the end of the year to keep the project on schedule. We look forward to working with Illinois and other Great Lakes states to ensure the local share is funded.”

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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post Statement on Effort to Rename & Increase Marketing of Invasive Carp: “It will not fix the problem.” appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/06/statement-on-effort-to-rename-increase-marketing-of-invasive-carp-it-will-not-fix-the-problem/

5 Ways to Celebrate Plastic Free July

On: June 21, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Plastic pollution is a major problem in the Great Lakes. More than 22 million pounds of plastic end up in the lakes every year. And plastic never really goes away. Instead, it just breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces known as “microplastics.”

Researchers have found stunningly high amounts of microplastics in all five Great Lakes, which provide drinking water for 40 million people. These microscopic pieces of plastic have been found in our drinking water, fish, and beer – and even in people’s blood.

Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes is going to get worse unless we do something about it. And there’s no better time to take action than in July.

Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July® is a global initiative that was founded by the Plastic Free Foundation. People all over the world will be taking action in July to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Here are 5 ways you can help the Great Lakes this Plastic Free July:

Learn more about plastic pollution: Listen to our chat with Dr. Sherri Mason, a leading expert on the threat of microplastics in the Great Lakes. And read about how Great Lakes plastic pollution is different from plastic pollution in the ocean.
Celebrate a plastic-free 4th of July: Check out these 9 tips to keep plastic out of the Great Lakes during your holiday weekend.
Commit to a new habit: Whether you say goodbye to plastic cutlery or take action in your own community, you can help reduce plastic pollution all year round. See our pledge for more ideas!
Volunteer with Adopt-a-Beach: Adopt-a-Beach cleanups are a fun, free, easy way to give back to your community and keep plastic pollution out of our Great Lakes. And this year you can help Adopt-a-Beach reach an important milestone: we’re aiming to reach half a million pounds of litter collected! Find a cleanup near you and sign up today. Or join a Team Leader training Wednesday, July 13, at noon Central, and learn how to run a cleanup of your own.
Make it a movement: Have an even bigger impact by spreading the word. Tell your friends and family what you’re doing for Plastic Free July, and invite them to join in. An easy way to do this is by following Alliance for the Great Lakes on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. We’ll be posting resources and activities you can share throughout the month.

Pick a way to reduce plastic pollution, and get started today!

More Ways to Protect the Great Lakes

Join our email list and learn more ways you can help protect our region’s most precious resource – the fresh, clean, natural waters of the Great Lakes!

The post 5 Ways to Celebrate Plastic Free July appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/06/5-ways-to-celebrate-plastic-free-july/

Dr. Sherri Mason – Plastic Pollution

On: May 31, 2022

In: Uncategorized

In today’s episode, we’re chatting with Dr. Sherri Mason, a leading expert on plastic pollution. Her award-winning work has drawn international attention to the threat of microplastics in our waters and led to the passage of national legislation banning microbeads. She serves as Director of Sustainability at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.

Dr. Mason shares some fascinating perspectives on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes:

Sometimes it’s hard to wrap our heads around the issue of microplastics because they’re basically invisible. Why should we be concerned about microplastics?

There’s relatively little research about plastic pollution in the Great Lakes as compared to the oceans. Plastic pollution in the oceans is certainly a big issue but the Great Lakes are our drinking water. Why does that disparity exist?

Dr. Mason says “I’m not anti-plastic. I’m anti-stupid plastic.” What does she mean by that?

The microbeads story is a great example of how science can change public policy. What does she see as the next big plastics policy area that needs to be tackled?

Once we start thinking about plastic, we start realizing that it is everywhere and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Where would Dr. Mason suggest our listeners start to help keep plastic out of the Great Lakes?

Resources
Plastic-Free Great Lakes

The post Dr. Sherri Mason – Plastic Pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/05/dr-sherri-mason-plastic-pollution/

Download and read the full case study: Western Lake Erie Basin Drinking Water Systems: Harmful Algal Bloom Cost of Intervention.

New Study: Downstream Water Users Bear Financial Burden of Upstream Pollution

On: May 23, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Ohioans across the state are struggling to afford their water and sewer bills. A first-of-its-kind case study finds that water bills are pushed even higher for communities that pull their drinking water from Lake Erie due to harmful algal blooms caused by upstream agricultural pollution. And the costs are not insignificant. An analysis by the Alliance for the Great Lakes found that a family of five in Toledo is paying roughly an additional $100/year in their water bill because of this pollution problem. The case study illuminates the fact that downstream water users are paying a real cost for managing a pollution problem they did not create, compounding water affordability issues faced by many Ohioans.

Harmful Algal Blooms Threaten Drinking Water

Each summer, western Lake Erie experiences massive algal blooms which can produce harmful toxins that threaten drinking water supplies. These blooms are fueled by excess nutrients flowing off upstream agricultural lands into the lake.

The harmful algal blooms (HABs) in western Lake Erie can produce harmful cyanotoxins, a common one being microcystin. These toxins are a serious threat to human and animal health. Microcystin is a potent liver toxin and a possible human carcinogen. Cyanotoxins can also kill livestock and pets that drink affected waters.

Almost eight years ago, toxins from an algal bloom got into the drinking water systems of Toledo, Ohio. On August 2nd, 2014, more than half a million Toledo-area residents were ordered not to drink or even touch their water. The order lasted for nearly three days. A few weeks later, residents of Pelee Island, Ontario faced a similar crisis lasting nearly two weeks.

Pollution Burden Shouldered by Downstream Water Users

To ensure drinking water safety, drinking water facilities that draw water from Lake Erie have put into place additional monitoring and treatment, which can cost millions of dollars. This is a very real financial burden for drinking water facilities, which gets passed on to ratepayers.

These additional costs – which are critical to ensure safe drinking water – add up. The Alliance’s analysis found the additional annual average per-capita cost for HAB-related monitoring and treatment for Ohio residents who get their drinking water from Lake Erie is $10.48. For Toledo-area residents, the additional cost jumps to $18.76 per year, which translates to almost $100 extra per year on a water bill for a family of five. The case study is based on data from a 2020 survey administered by the Ohio Department of Drinking and Groundwater.

Downstream ratepayers, many of whom are already struggling to pay their water bills, should not have to shoulder the financial burden of addressing this pollution problem. And the longer this pollution problem continues, the costs will only increase as the water quality in western Lake Erie continues to degrade.

Improved Data, Transparency, and Accountability Needed

The case study identified three lessons learned from the analysis. They are:

Downstream Water Users Bear the Burden of Upstream Polluters: Downstream ratepayers are paying a real cost for managing a pollution problem they did not create. And, it is exacerbating existing water affordability issues. Ohio needs a statewide conversation about who is responsible for this financial burden. The state of Ohio must give downstream stakeholders a meaningful seat at the table in policy discussions on stopping agricultural runoff pollution.

Ongoing Data Needed: The Ohio Department of Drinking and Groundwater should repeat this survey every three years. However public water facilities should collect cost information related to HABs on an annual basis. The data in this report is from 2020, which was a relatively small algal bloom year in western Lake Erie. Many costs incurred by water treatment facilities are variable depending on the bloom size and toxicity. Repeating the study will provide more accurate information to ratepayers, elected officials, and government agencies managing this pollution problem.

Transparent & Accessible Data Needed: The information in this case study was received only after learning Ohio Environmental Protection Agency conducted the cost survey and the Alliance for the Great Lakes requested the results from the agency through a public records request. It is unacceptable that this is not easy to find and understand public information. Ratepayers should be able to easily access this information and have a right to know the impact upstream pollution has on their water bills.

The post New Study: Downstream Water Users Bear Financial Burden of Upstream Pollution appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/05/new-study-downstream-water-users-bear-financial-burden-of-upstream-pollution/

See the progress towards our 2022 goal of half a million pounds.

Adopt-a-Beach 2022: Off to a Strong Start

On: May 16, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Spring may have only just decided to arrive, but Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are already turning out in force. Nearly 1,000 volunteers have collected over 5,000 pounds of litter. And the numbers just keep growing as more data is reported.

An Adopt-a-Beach volunteer in a poncho stands by Lake Michigan with arms outstretched.

“It’s been rainy and cold, sunny and beautiful. From lakes Ontario to Superior, volunteers showed up in all types of weather,” says Juliann Krupa, Volunteer Engagement Manager, Alliance for the Great Lakes. “So many committed individuals across the Great Lakes have joined together to keep our beaches clean and spread the word about plastic pollution. It’s truly inspiring. Thank you to all our spring volunteers and an advance thank you to everyone who comes out this summer!”

Read more about Adopt-a-Beach volunteers and the beaches they care for:

Adopt-A-Beach Clean-ups held along Lake Erie in Cleveland this weekend, News 19 (Cleveland CBS-TV), Jeff Slawson, 4/19
Beach cleanups: Help keep plastic out of the Great Lakes, WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids NBC-TV), Madalyn Buursma, 4/21
Earth Day 2022: Young Chicagoans reflect on efforts to help the planet. Eyewitness News (Chicago ABC-TV), Stacey Baca, 4/22
Learning Outside the Classroom: Volunteer Spotlight. Alliance for the Great Lakes, 4/22
Volunteers celebrate Earth Day weekend with beach clean-up at Wendy Park (photos), Cleveland.com, John Kuntz, 4/24
Cleanup combers: Beach work collects 100 pounds of trash. ObserverToday.com (Dunkirk, NY), Anthony Dolce, 4/27

Join a Beach Cleanup

You can make a difference at your favorite Great Lakes shoreline. Join a cleanup near you – or host one of your own!

Join Adopt-a-Beach

The post Adopt-a-Beach 2022: Off to a Strong Start appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/05/adopt-a-beach-2022-off-to-a-strong-start/

Alliance Urges Congress to Fully Fund Project to Stop Invasive Carp

On: April 29, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (April 29, 2022) –Earlier today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released its version of the Water Resource and Development Act (WRDA). In reaction, the Alliance for the Great Lakes released the following statement from Molly Flanagan, the Alliance’s Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Programs:

“The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released its version of the Water Resource and Development Act (WRDA) today. The bill adjusts the federal cost share for construction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Brandon Road Lock and Dam project in Joliet, Illinois to 90 percent. This change reflects the importance of the Brandon Road project to ensure invasive carp stay out of Lake Michigan. The Corps—in partnership with Illinois, Michigan and the other Great Lakes states—has already made significant progress in designing innovative technological measures at Brandon Road, which is the choke point for invasive carp traveling from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes.

However, more still needs to be done. We urge Great Lakes Members of Congress to change the federal cost share to 100 percent in order to ensure the project proceeds to construction without delay. The Alliance for the Great Lakes looks forward to working with our partners in Congress so that the entire country benefits from the new technologies the Corps is implementing as part of this project.”

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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post Alliance Urges Congress to Fully Fund Project to Stop Invasive Carp appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/04/alliance-urges-congress-to-fully-fund-project-to-stop-invasive-carp/

DC Update: Biden’s FY23 Budget Proposal & the Great Lakes

On: March 31, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

Last year Congress and the Biden Administration delivered on historic investments in water programs which brought significant funding to the Great Lakes region. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) included nearly $50 billion in water infrastructure funding, $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and $226 million for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project to halt the spread of invasive carp.

Last year’s achievements are a tough act to follow. The FY 2023 President’s Budget, the first step in the federal government budget process, was released earlier this week by the White House. While it supports increased funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency overall and specifically increases funding for the agency’s environmental justice efforts, the budget falls short in some respects.

Although the FY 2023 President’s Budget proposes some modest additional investments in water infrastructure, it fails to take up the invitation extended by the IIJA which provided for significantly increased authorization levels for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The higher authorization – which is a top threshold for program funding – was necessary to address the significant backlog of water infrastructure needs nationwide. Instead, the budget proposes maintaining the SRFs at $3.7 billion, which is the same level that Congress appropriated last year. It proposes modest increases of $22 million for the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Program ($182 million total) and $46 million for community grants for environmental injustice ($140 million total). Both are important programs but we know that much more is needed to fix failing and outdated sewer and water infrastructure.

For the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the budget proposes $340 million, which is an $8 million decrease from the FY 2022 enacted level and well short of the program’s authorized level of $400 million.

The FY 2023 President’s Budget is a starting point as we turn our attention to working with Congress to secure funds that will protect the Great Lakes.

The post DC Update: Biden’s FY23 Budget Proposal & the Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/03/dc-update-bidens-fy23-budget-proposal-and-the-great-lakes/

City of Chicago denies permit for General Iron’s recycling plant

On: February 22, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (February 18, 2022) – Earlier today, the City of Chicago denied a permit for General Iron’s Southside Recycling project on the city’s southeast side in the Calumet Industrial Corridor. The permit’s denial is a major victory for Southeast Side community members who have fought for decades to prevent new pollution sources and clean up existing pollution that threatens public health. Today’s action is an important step forward in charting a more sustainable, healthier future for the Calumet corridor and addressing the city’s long history of environmental injustices.

Read on for reactions from environmental and community organizations:

“We have turned a new page in the City of Chicago – we will celebrate the denial of General Iron’s permit today but tomorrow we will continue to work on our vision for a sustainable future for all the communities on the Calumet River. Thank you to all the community members for their hard work and commitment to justice and to all the ally’s that lifted up the demands of the residents of the Southeast Side of Chicago.” – Olga Bautista, Southeast Environmental Task Force Executive Director

“The Alliance for the Great Lakes applauds the City of Chicago’s decision to deny this permit. Previous research has clearly detailed the stark environmental injustices facing those who live and work along the Calumet Industrial Corridor. This denial is an important step in addressing and reversing that harm. We look forward to supporting the City and community leaders on land use and zoning reform and stricter regulations that protect the health of residents and our waters. We are encouraged that the City has shown leadership by listening to impacted community members as part of its decision-making.” – Joel Brammeier, Alliance for the Great Lakes President & CEO

“The Metropolitan Planning Council appreciates that the Department of Public Health denied this permit. This decision demonstrates that it is possible for the City to use health and environmental justice data and community input to reassess development decisions. This is a critical first step in evaluating cumulative impacts in overburdened communities. MPC will continue to support the City’s forward momentum toward improving permitting, land use, and zoning processes to center community voices and create resilient, equitable, and healthy neighborhoods.” – Darlene Hightower, President & CEO, Metropolitan Planning Council

“The Center for Neighborhood Technology commends the Department of Public Health for denying the permit for General Iron’s Southside Recycling project. We celebrate alongside the thousands of residents on Chicago’s SE side, and pledge our continued support to the community leaders who have been fighting for a healthier, more sustainable and equitable future. CNT is ready to continue to hold the city accountable to its commitment to improving health outcomes for Chicago’s most vulnerable residents.” – Bob Dean, CEO, Center for Neighborhood Technology

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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post City of Chicago denies permit for General Iron’s recycling plant appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/02/city-of-chicago-denies-permit-for-general-irons-recycling-plant/

For full details of our water infrastructure policy asks, download our fact sheet.

2022 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities

On: February 3, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Progress has been made, but more needs to be done to protect the lakes and the people who rely on them.

Last January, we set an ambitious agenda for the incoming Biden administration and new Congress. And by the end of the year, we saw exciting progress for the Great Lakes. Historic bipartisan infrastructure legislation included funding to speed up efforts to remove dangerous lead drinking water pipes, stop invasive carp, implement on-the-ground Great Lakes restoration projects, and more. And through a mix of legislation and executive orders, the administration and Congress have begun the important work of addressing long-standing environmental injustices and slowing climate change.

Yet the list of needs to protect the Great Lakes and the people who depend on them is long. Our policy team has identified our top three federal Great Lakes priorities for the coming year. In 2022, the Alliance urges the Biden administration and Congress to:

Increase water infrastructure funding and prioritize fixing environmental injustices
Fund Great Lakes restoration at $400 million
Fully fund invasive carp protections

Last year our top federal policy priority urged the Biden administration and Congress to prioritize environmental justice. While they have taken initial steps, federal water programs must continue to shift to prioritize low-income communities and communities of color, where the burden of pollution often hits hardest. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustice issues can’t be a one-time step. Instead, it must be incorporated into every federal program and measured publicly to show progress. And protecting our communities from the impacts of a changing climate means building resilience into federal Great Lakes programs as well. Environmental justice and climate change are embedded in each of our 2022 policy priorities.

Read on for more details of our federal policy agenda.

Increase water infrastructure funding and prioritize fixing environmental injustices

Last year Congress passed historic bipartisan legislation – the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 – to address the nation’s backlog of infrastructure projects. The bill included about $50 billion over the next five years to fix failing and outdated drinking and wastewater infrastructure nationally. It was a critical down payment to help communities remove lead drinking water pipes, stop sewer overflows into rivers and lakes, and prevent community flooding.

But it’s not enough. Great Lakes states alone need an estimated $188 billion over the next 20 years for their water infrastructure needs.

We call on Congress and the administration to build on the bipartisan infrastructure bill and:

Increase funding to $8.3 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, the main pathway to distribute water infrastructure funding to states
Ensure that infrastructure dollars prioritize disadvantaged communities for funding as grants
Support nature-based infrastructure solutions like rain gardens and permeable pavement
Enact a ban on residential water shutoffs due to nonpayment and require reconnection of water service
Establish a permanent low-income water assistance program

Fund Great Lakes restoration at $400 million

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), established over 15 years ago, is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots. In addition to environmental benefits, GLRI funding garners a 3-to-1 return in additional economic benefits across the region.

While we need continued investment in the program, the strategy guiding the GLRI needs an update to ensure that funds are reaching communities most in need and to address climate change.

We call on Congress and the administration to:

Allocate at least $400 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative this year
Increase funding for cleaning up toxic hotspots around the lakes using additional GLRI funds included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill
Update the strategy guiding the GLRI with a focus on combating environmental injustices and climate change

For full details of our Great Lakes restoration policy asks, download our fact sheet.

Fully fund invasive carp protections

Invasive carp pose a clear threat to the Great Lakes. Established populations of these harmful fish are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed the construction of additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, located near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dedicated funding received in the bipartisan infrastructure bill to wrap up project design and get started on construction. But more needs to be done.

We call on Congress and the Biden administration to:

Adjust the cost-share for the Brandon Road project to 100 percent federal funding in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 due to the project’s national scope
Ensure ongoing updates and regular input from the public on the Brandon Road project

For full details of our invasive carp policy asks, download our fact sheet.

Tell Congress: Protect the Great Lakes & People Who Depend on Them

Safe, clean water is a basic human need. Yet, our Great Lakes and our communities face tremendous risks such as pollution, invasive species, and failing water infrastructure.

The post 2022 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/02/2022-great-lakes-federal-policy-priorities/

Statement: Historic Step Forward to Stop Invasive Carp

On: January 19, 2022

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (January 19, 2022) – In response to the release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2022 Construction Work Plan earlier today, Alliance for the Great Lakes Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Programs Molly Flanagan issued the following statement:

“Today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers included nearly $226 million for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project, meant to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, in its Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2022 Construction Work Plan. This represents the full amount of federal funds needed to complete preconstruction, engineering and design (PED) for the project in Joliet, IL (about 50 miles downstream of Chicago). The Corps also included initial federal funds needed to begin construction at the completion of PED.

This is an historic step forward for this critically needed project to add a chain of smart technologies to the waterway that will stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes applauds President Biden and his administration, Senators Durbin and Stabenow, Representatives Kaptur and Joyce, and the Great Lakes Congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to adjust the cost share for construction at Brandon Road to 100% of federal funds in the upcoming Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The eight Great Lakes governors sent a letter to the Environment and Public Works Committee supporting this cost share adjustment. This change would allow the project to move immediately to construction at the conclusion of the design phase and ensure that we continue moving with urgency to protect our states’ greatest natural resource, the Great Lakes, from the threat of invasive carp.”

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

The post Statement: Historic Step Forward to Stop Invasive Carp appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2022/01/statement-historic-step-forward-to-stop-invasive-carp/

Year-End Federal Policy Update: Strong Progress Made on Alliance’s Priorities

On: December 14, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

We laid out an ambitious federal policy agenda back in January 2021 as President Biden took office and as the 117th Congress convened. Our major federal policy priorities for 2021 were:

prioritize environmental justice,
increase drinking water & wastewater infrastructure funding & stop water shutoffs,
fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative & restore and strengthen clean water protections,
fund efforts to stop invasive carp,
address agricultural pollution that drives harmful algal blooms.

Our primary goal with these priorities – and in all our work – is to ensure that everyone around the Great Lakes has access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, and to take action to protect and restore the Great Lakes.

So, as this year draws to a close, how did the Biden administration and Congress do? Are we making progress on our priorities? Overall, 2021 was a very good year. The administration has embraced our priorities, and we achieved some major legislative victories. All of this sets a strong course for continued progress on efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes for the next several years.

Several positive themes emerged over the year, including a major focus on racial and social justice, investing in core public benefits like water infrastructure, enhancing restoration opportunities, and addressing climate change.

A Major Focus on Racial and Social Justice

First, the Biden administration has made racial equity, including environmental justice, one of its top priorities. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an Executive Order that repealed a ban on racial sensitivity and diversity and inclusion training. We specifically called for this action in our priorities and applaud this step. Ensuring that federal agencies have the training to provide policies and services equitably to all Americans is critical.

The President also appointed Michael Regan as Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and has made other high-profile cabinet and sub-cabinet level appointments that reflect the diversity of the American people.

Back in January, we called on President Biden to “ensure that environmental justice is centered in the work of all federal agencies and administrative decisions that impact the Great Lakes and the communities and residents that are dependent on them.” We see this in action in the administration’s Justice 40 initiative and the establishment of a White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Justice 40 is a government-wide effort to ensure that federal agencies work with state and local governments and communities to deliver at least 40 percent of overall benefits from federal investment in environmental and clean energy to disadvantaged communities. The White House has issued interim guidance to agencies to guide this work, and although there is much more to do, we are pleased that this effort is well underway.

Significant Progress on Funding Repairs to Outdated Water and Sewer Infrastructure

Second, significant progress is being made to address the nation’s outdated infrastructure, including drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, through the enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Increasing funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and the replacement of lead service lines was a key item on our list of priorities for the Biden administration and Congress this year.

After months of negotiations, Congress delivered, and the President signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. The legislation makes a solid down payment on our water infrastructure needs, including funding to begin the long-overdue replacement of lead service lines. It also includes an additional $50 billion in supplemental funding for nationwide investments in water infrastructure over the next five years, including:

an additional $11.7 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund,
$11.7 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund,
$15 billion to replace harmful lead service lines, and,
$10 billion to address PFAS (or forever chemicals) contamination.

Congress listened to advocates from around the Great Lakes region who wrote letters and called their representatives in Washington, DC. Advocates spoke out about the critical need for funding to fix our region’s antiquated water infrastructure, which will protect our Great Lakes and provide significant environmental, human health, and economic benefits for our communities.

Big Investments in Great Lakes Restoration

Third, we also have seen significant progress in securing additional funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes an additional $1 billion for GLRI over the next five years. This funding will allow agencies to support on-the-ground projects around the lakes to clean up toxic pollutants, restore habitat, reduce pollution from nutrient runoff, and combat invasive species.

Continued Progress on Stopping Invasive Carp

Fourth, we are seeing progress in funding efforts to stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. The FY 2022 President’s Budget included funds for project engineering and design for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, a critical Army Corps of Engineers project to stop invasive carp from moving from the Illinois River into the Great Lakes. And, although Congress has not fully approved the final FY 2022 appropriations bill, both the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction on this issue agreed with the President’s request and have included funding for the Brandon Road project engineering and design, which will take about four years to complete.

Continued Focus on Reducing Harmful Agricultural Pollution

And, finally, we were pleased that the President’s budget proposed additional funding for agriculture conservation programs that reduce nutrient pollution – a leading cause of harmful algal blooms – from flowing into waterways. While Congress has not yet adopted a final budget for the fiscal year, it appears that both the House and Senate have, to some degree, supported this request. Looking ahead, we have begun work with conservation partners to develop priorities for the next federal Farm Bill, anticipated in 2023.

We also worked with the state of Ohio to begin the development of a TMDL (total maximum daily load) for western Lake Erie, which would set limits for agricultural pollution flowing into waterways. We anticipate the TMDL process will continue until the fall of 2022.

As 2021 draws to a close, we are grateful that we are making significant progress in securing major boosts in federal funding for key programs that protect and restore the Great Lakes.

The post Year-End Federal Policy Update: Strong Progress Made on Alliance’s Priorities appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/12/year-end-federal-policy-update-strong-progress-made-on-alliances-priorities/

2021 Successes – What We Accomplished Together

On: December 8, 2021

In: Uncategorized

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who supported the Alliance this year. Whether you volunteered, donated, told your elected officials how important the Great Lakes are, or shared your passion for the lakes with friends and family, you made a real difference.

With your support, we’ve made important progress on protecting the lakes so they can be enjoyed by you and everyone who calls this region home. Here is just a snapshot of what you helped us accomplish this year:

Advocacy & Leadership

We secured a critical funding partnership between Michigan and Illinois, enabling progress on new protections in Illinois to prevent invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

We successfully advocated for congressional funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $375 million per year, increasing to $475 million per year by 2026, ensuring more on-the-ground restoration and cleanup projects around the lakes.

We partnered with environmentalists of color in Ohio to develop a first-of-its-kind statewide environmental justice policy platform, coalescing recommendations covering water, land, air, and energy into a roadmap to address Ohio’s environmental justice issues.

Education & Action

We marked the 30th anniversary of the Adopt-a-Beach program. Today more than 15,000 volunteers participate annually across all five lakes and all eight Great Lakes states.
We launched the nonpartisan Cleveland Environmental Resident Engagement Toolkit, developed in partnership with more than a dozen community groups, to help Cleveland residents learn about environmental issues at stake in the mayoral and city council elections and get involved.

Research & Analysis

We released policy recommendations, along with partners, to overhaul zoning rules for Chicago’s Calumet River and Lake Michigan industrial corridor, which faces unjust siting of polluting industries.

We issued our first Cost to Comply report, detailing the investment and accountability needed to dramatically reduce farm runoff to Green Bay and the Lower Fox River. We’re now applying this method to stop the agricultural pollution that feeds algal blooms in Lake Erie.

We educated Detroiters about the causes of the disastrous June floods that damaged thousands of homes and businesses and caused massive sewage overflows – and showed opportunities to use nature-based infrastructure to help alleviate the problems.

There is so much more to share than I can put in one email, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks so much for your generosity and support.

I hope you will stay with the Alliance throughout 2022 so we can accomplish even more together.

Give to the Great Lakes

Keep the good work going in 2022. Protect our region’s most precious resource with your gift.

Donate Today

The post 2021 Successes – What We Accomplished Together appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/12/2021-successes-what-we-accomplished-together/

Over 200,000 Volunteers and 8,282,807 Pieces of Litter

On: November 16, 2021

In: Uncategorized

30 years of keeping Great Lakes beaches clean!

2021 marked the 30th anniversary of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach program. This year alone, volunteers hosted beach cleanups on all 5 Great Lakes and in all 8 states, with 7,883 volunteers gathering 25,280 pounds of litter at 719 beach cleanups.

This year’s volunteers formed the latest wave in a movement that started in 1991. For 30 years, thousands of volunteers from all over the Great Lakes and from all walks of life have signed up and shown up for beach cleanups. They’re part of an impactful movement to ensure that one of the world’s largest surface freshwater systems is cleaner, safer, and protected.

Volunteers Make All the Difference

424,923 pounds of litter — Volunteers have collected 464,923 pounds of litter since 2003, when the Alliance launched the Adopt-a-Beach online database.

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers don’t merely pick up thousands of pounds of litter from Great Lakes beaches and go home; they also collect important data. At each cleanup event, volunteers painstakingly tally each item they clean up, and the information is then entered into our online database that was developed in 2003. This huge data set – the largest of its kind in the Great Lakes region – provides us with invaluable information about the litter on our beaches and in the Great Lakes.

The biggest finding is that roughly 85% of the litter picked up during Adopt-a-Beach cleanups is made up fully or partially of plastic.

Putting the Focus on Plastic

8,282,807 pieces of litter — Volunteers have collected 8,282,907 pieces of litter since 2003, when the Alliance launched the Adopt-a-Beach online database.

Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are on the front lines of keeping plastic out of our lakes. Their data collection efforts have raised the alarm about Great Lakes plastic pollution.

The data has also been critical to raising awareness about microplastics in the Great Lakes as the plastic on our beaches. Plastic, if not cleaned up, breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces that pollute our drinking water and harm wildlife.

Data from Adopt-a-Beach events has helped to narrow our attention on where we can best work together to reduce the use of plastic before it even reaches our beaches. For instance, food-related waste – from takeout containers to bottle caps – is among the top items found on Great Lakes beaches.

Researchers, elected officials, government agencies, and nonprofit partners have used Adopt-a-Beach data to make the case for private and public efforts, such as programs aimed at reducing single-use plastic items, to keep plastic pollution out of the lakes.

Thank You, Adopt-a-Beach Volunteers!

More than 200,000 volunteers have participated in Adopt-a-Beach since 1991.

It is heartwarming and hope-inducing to join volunteers year after year, standing shoulder to shoulder with friends, neighbors, and people they may have just met, putting their own hands to work cleaning hundreds of miles of shoreline of the plastic and other debris that pollutes our water. And most importantly, we all learn from each other why clean water and time outdoors are so important to our families, friends, and communities.
~ Joel Brammeier, President & CEO, Alliance for the Great Lakes

Thank you to all of our team leaders, volunteers, and partners who have given their time and resources over the past 30 years. We couldn’t accomplish all that we’ve done without your efforts!

Adopt-a-Beach Highlights Over the Years

1991: First Adopt-a-Beach events held in September as part of the International Coastal Cleanup. For the first decade-plus, Adopt-a-Beach cleanup events were held in September only.
2003: Adopt-a-Beach becomes the most extensive volunteer program ever to collect data on Great Lakes beach litter with the launch of year-round cleanups and an online database to ease data collection.
2007: Adopt-a-Beach volunteers push for and win beach smoking bans along 30 miles of shoreline in Michigan and Chicago.
2012: Adopt-a-Beach volunteers are among the first responders helping with cleanup after Hurricane Sandy blows in as a destructive superstorm, wreaking havoc on Lake Erie and the Cleveland lakefront
2012: Scientists begin publishing research on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes using Adopt-a-Beach data and other data sources. One of the early findings: widespread presence of plastic microbeads in the waters of all five Great Lakes, leading to an awareness about microplastics in the Great Lakes.
2018: A new toolkit – Plastic-Free Great Lakes: An Advocacy Toolkit to Make a Difference in Your Community – released to help volunteers take action on plastic pollution.
2018: A federal ban on plastic microbeads in personal care products takes effect across the U.S.
2020: An all-new Adopt-a-Beach website launched, making it easier than ever for people to volunteer and track data on their cleanups. And, despite a pandemic, volunteers kept connecting and cleaning up.

The post Over 200,000 Volunteers and 8,282,807 Pieces of Litter appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/11/over-200000-volunteers-and-8282807-pieces-of-litter/

Statement on House Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

On: November 6, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (November 6, 2021) – Late last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill). In response, Alliance for the Great Lakes Director of Federal Relations Don Jodrey released the following statement:

“We are encouraged to see the House pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which will become law upon President Biden’s signature. The bill includes major funding commitments that will benefit the Great Lakes states and its citizens – including $62 billion for water infrastructure improvements nationwide over the next five years and $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

More specifically, we are happy to see increased funding for clean water and drinking water state revolving funds ($37.2 billion); lead service line replacement ($15 billion); and PFAS mitigation ($10 billion). We appreciate the bipartisan negotiations in the Senate that produced this important piece of legislation.

Everyone in the United States deserves access to safe, clean and affordable drinking water. While this bill will certainly help that goal become reality, there is more to be done: The U.S. EPA has estimated that $188 billion over the next 20 years will be needed for improvements, upgrades and repairs to water infrastructure in the Great Lakes states alone. The cost to fully replace every lead service line in the country is estimated at $45 billion, which exceeds the funds made available by both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and Build Back Better legislation.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes remains committed to working with the Biden administration and members of Congress to ensure that funding for this important work is fully secured and that our precious natural resources are restored and protected for future generations.”

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

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https://greatlakes.org/2021/11/statement-on-house-passage-of-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill/

Statement on appointment of Debra Shore as U.S. EPA Region 5 administrator

On: October 12, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (October 12, 2021) – Earlier today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced that President Biden will appoint Debra Shore to become EPA’s Regional Administrator for Region 5. In response, Alliance for the Great Lakes President & CEO Joel Brammeier released the following statement:

“The Alliance for the Great Lakes congratulates Commissioner Debra Shore on her appointment as U.S. EPA Region 5 administrator. Region 5 is home to the agency’s Great Lakes programs, and its administrator is responsible for environmental projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Region 5 also oversees the Great Lakes National Program Office, which administers the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and coordinates actions among more than a dozen federal agencies. Shore’s background as a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioner, overseeing one of the country’s largest combined sewage and stormwater management systems, will surely be an asset in her new role.

There is much work to be done: We look forward to the Region 5 office improving how they monitor polluters and enforce rule violations. We also expect the Region 5 offices to prioritize rebuilding the region’s crumbling water infrastructure, and making sure that all agency decisions are made through the lenses of environmental justice and addressing climate change.

We look forward to working with Shore, the Region 5 EPA and the Biden administration on the water issues that matter to the Great Lakes region’s residents.”

For more information about the Alliance’s priorities for the 117th Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, click here.

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

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https://greatlakes.org/2021/10/statement-on-appointment-of-debra-shore-as-u-s-epa-region-5-administrator/

Water Policy Manager

On: October 6, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Summary

The Water Policy Manager (Manager) works with the Vice President of Policy and Strategic Engagement (VP of Policy), program staff and communications staff to support the Alliance’s policy and advocacy campaigns across the Great Lakes region. The Manager understands how our policy priorities help improve the Great Lakes and the lives of people who depend on them. They bring strength in both independent policy analysis and written communication skills, and work regularly with program staff to analyze policy and legislation, and develop external communications to support ongoing policy campaigns across all levels of government. The Manager will work closely with the Alliance’s Communication and Engagement Team (C&E) to ensure that C&E staff is abreast of policy and advocacy developments, needs and opportunities. The Manager works collaboratively with program and communications staff to ensure timely and high-quality creation of written and oral communications including presentations, fact sheets, briefing, blogs and comment letters directed to diverse audiences of stakeholders and government officials. This is primarily an internal role at the Alliance that ensures that we have clear, compelling and consistent stories to tell across our highest priority policy campaigns.

A typical week for the Water Policy Manager might look like this –

Reviewing state legislation and drafting an analysis that will inform the Alliance’s position and actions
Meeting with internal policy staff to learn about new developments and identify coordination opportunities
Meeting with C&E staff to alert them of campaign updates and communications needs and opportunities
Campaign planning that helps to align policy and advocacy efforts at all levels of government

Impact: Within the first three years of this position’s work, candidates should expect to:

Improve our capacity to quickly analyze legislative and policy proposals, identifying alignment or misalignment with organizational goals and values, and provide clear recommendations for action
Increase the likelihood of complex policy priorities advancing by ensuring the communications of external program staff are relevant to the needs and motivations of various audiences, including elected officials, community members impacted by water pollution, businesses, and more
Play a key role in supporting future Alliance policy campaign planning from conception to execution, with an emphasis on how effective communication can move specific audiences necessary for achieving policy goals

Responsibilities

Analyzes state legislation and policy materials to identify critical provisions related to the Alliance’s agenda and prepares briefs for program staff, legislators and C&E staff that help educate them on the issues and inform advocacy strategies
Responsible for creating timely written and oral communications materials including PowerPoint presentations and legislative briefs
Serves as a liaison between programs and C&E staff to ensure that compelling stories about our campaigns across local, state and federal work are ready to support the Alliance’s constituent engagement
Works with program staff responsible for local, state and federal policy to connect advocacy efforts to campaigns
Drafts and delivers public presentations and other program communications as needed in coordination with C&E staff
Supports staff in relationship management with external partners
Works with program and C&E staff to develop, support and track the Alliance’s local, state and federal policy priorities and help bridge the work across levels of government and with communications staff
Provides information to Development staff for grant proposals and grant reports
Supports advancement of the Alliance’s diversity, equity and inclusion priorities as they align with policy goals

Knowledge/Skills

5+ years of experience in public policy work, communications, political organizing, grassroots organizing, civic engagement or related field
The ability to conduct independent legislative and policy analysis, and translate analysis into concise briefs that clearly describe impacts on Alliance policy priorities
Demonstrated experience working as an analyst working on short deadlines for multiple issues and/or colleagues at the same time
Basic understanding of relevant federal and state water policies such as the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Farm Bill, State Revolving Funds, and similar policies
Resilient and flexible when making recommendations to staff leading external policy advocacy
Fundamental commitment to socioeconomic and racial equity in Great Lakes issues and demonstrated skills in identifying policy options that advance equity
Impeccable listening, written and oral communication skills — the ability to explain the reasons behind a particular strategic or creative approach, connect the short-term work to the long-term vision and to guide colleagues through campaign decision making
Ability to manage multiple pieces of work in a fast-paced environment and shift focus quickly from one priority to another
Ability to manage complicated logistics and multiple details for meetings and events
Ability to collaboratively work with a staff team located in different offices with varying types of expertise and priorities
Satisfaction with a largely behind-the-scenes role focused on research and recommendation
The Alliance for the Great Lakes values community, relationships, courage, integrity, optimism and the principles of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in all our work.

Job Parameters

This position is full-time and consistent with Alliance employment policy. Salary range is $60,000-70,000, commensurate with experience.
Excellent benefits, including health and vacation are included.
Eligibility to enroll in a retirement plan after 1 year of employment.
This position can work remotely based within the Great Lakes region. Occasional travel within the region is required, in keeping with anticipated COVID-19 safety protocols.

Application Process

Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references and writing sample to: hr@greatlakes.org.

Include job title in the subject line.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled – we are looking to fill immediately. Materials should be compatible with Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt of their materials and further guidance and updates about the hiring process by e-mail, with interviews provided for finalists. No phone inquiries please.

About the Alliance for the Great Lakes

The Alliance for the Great Lakes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The search process will reinforce the Alliance’s belief that achieving diversity requires an enduring commitment to inclusion that must find full expression in our organizational culture, values, norms, and behaviors.

Our mission is to protect, conserve and restore the Great Lakes ensuring healthy water in the lakes and in our communities for all generations of people and wildlife. We advance our mission as advocates for policies that support the lakes and communities, by building the research, analysis and partnerships that motivate action, and by educating and uniting people as a voice for the Great Lakes. Learn more about the Alliance at www.greatlakes.org.

The post Water Policy Manager appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/10/water-policy-manager/

Individual Giving Manager

On: October 6, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Summary

The Individual Giving Manager (Manager) supports the overall fundraising strategy for the Alliance for the Great Lakes by developing and implementing a growth strategy and managing relationships with existing and new donors. This position is responsible for the coordination, solicitation, and stewardship of current and prospective donors implementing strategies that foster long-term engagement and broaden support across philanthropic giving opportunities. They work primarily with individual donors, as well as some institutional donors, family foundations, and businesses.

A typical day might include stewarding individual donors by thanking them for their support through printed acknowledgment letters and/or personal calls/conversations, cultivating individual donors through conversations around opportunities for increased support and engagement, managing production of print appeals, working with our communications team on electronic appeals and social media postings for campaigns/events, designing and creating an online donation page, planning our Great Blue Benefit and other gatherings for current and prospective donors, talking with individuals or small businesses interested in learning more about the organization and/or raising money on our behalf, and entering information and running reports in Salesforce. An upbeat, collaborative work style and sense of humor are keys to success in this role!

The Manager reports to the Vice President of Development and works closely with members of the Development Team, the Communications & Engagement Team, and the Leadership Team.

Responsibilities

Work with Development Team to establish annual fundraising goals for Annual Fund and event revenue growth objectives that advance overall development goals; assess performance toward those goals on a regular basis

Deliver short- and long-term fundraising results from a pool of primarily individual donors to help meet and exceed revenue targets

Create strategies and tactics for improving donor acquisition, upgrades, and retention

Develop thoughtful engagement touchpoints for individual donors and prospects, with a focus on increasing donor engagement and giving

Work with vendors on design, production, and mailing logistics for print appeals

Track and report on donor performance with an eye toward increased revenue and decreased cost per dollar raised, and continual testing and improvement of appeals

Partner with the Communications & Engagement team to build robust analytics on donor retention, lifetime giving performance, and other KPIs

Help maintain accurate donor information in fundraising database (Salesforce) and provide assistance as needed with data entry and reporting

Set mailing list criteria and create data files for print vendors of direct mail appeals

Coordinate workplace giving programs, including EarthShare

Collaborate with other development staff to ensure fundraising objectives are met or exceeded

Help create a culture of development responsibility across all relevant Alliance staff

Knowledge/Skills

Minimum of 5 years of fundraising and donor relationship management experience

Ability to manage projects from concept through execution with close attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines

Strong listening, written, and verbal communications skills

Proven ability to identify, develop, and solidify new donor relationships; maintain and build upon existing relationships

Solid interpersonal skills; can facilitate a team process while working collaboratively with various stakeholders

Goal-oriented and able to cultivate support and buy-in from other team members for achieving timely fundraising objectives

Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-task

Driven to measure and evaluate effectiveness and adjust strategies as data and external events warrant

Understands standard campaign elements and database(s), tracking, metrics, analysis and optimization, and ROI calculations

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with Salesforce or other similar donor database system

Experience building donation and/or event pages using Classy or similar giving platform

The Alliance for the Great Lakes values community, relationships, courage, integrity, optimism, and the principles of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in all our work.

Job Parameters

This position is full-time and consistent with Alliance employment policy. Salary range is $60,000-70,000.

Excellent benefits and vacation are included.

Eligibility to enroll in a retirement plan after 1 year of employment.

Application Process

Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references and writing sample to: hr@greatlakes.org.

Include job title in the subject line.

About the Alliance for the Great Lakes

The Alliance envisions a thriving Great Lakes and healthy water that all life can rely on, today and far into the future. We aspire to be a voice for the lakes, and to support the voices of the communities that depend on the lakes and their waters.

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Agriculture and Restoration Director

On: October 6, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Summary

The Agriculture and Restoration Director (Director) develops and executes campaigns to reduce agricultural water pollution, restore and protect the Great Lakes ecosystem, and stop invasive species. The Director leads work in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio to achieve the Alliance’s agriculture and water goals and implements regional restoration initiatives. The Director serves as a convener, organizer and relationship builder at all levels of government and stakeholders with an emphasis on state-level policy. The Director works collaboratively with staff campaign teams to ensure timely and high-quality delivery of written analysis and recommendations. They identify and strengthen relationships with allies across the Great Lakes region to advance external program and policy priorities. The Director is a public figure for the organization who speaks with authority and diplomacy, is regarded as a regional thought leader on agricultural water issues, and elevates groups and cultivates relationships that further the Alliance’s clean water goals. The Director manages relationships with local and state decision makers, agency staff, businesses, partners, and other high-level individuals across the Great Lakes region. The Director provides counsel to the Alliance vice presidents, COO and president & CEO on state policy work across the region, community engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion, and staff mentorship and growth as they relate to the roles of the position.

A sample week for the Agriculture and Restoration Director might include:

Analyzing state legislation related to reducing agricultural runoff into the Great Lakes,
Convening water partners to explore joint advocacy opportunities and messaging on key water policy issues,
Delivering a presentation on our work related to agriculture and water policy that outlines challenges and opportunities,
Participating in webinars to learn more best practices for equitable stakeholder engagement on policy issues, best practices in water management and policy solutions that should be explored in the Great Lakes states,
Checking in with direct reports on progress on their deliverables and providing feedback, coaching and support in problem-solving.

The initial anticipated external impacts of this position over the next three years are creation and implementation of accountable strategies for reducing agricultural pollution in Lake Erie and Green Bay; initiating construction of new protections against invasive carp entering Lake Michigan; strong regional buy-in for large-scale coastal restoration action and funding. The priority anticipated internal impact is growing the credibility and influence of the Alliance’s agriculture and water policy initiatives with decision makers, the industry and the diversity of stakeholders and partners impacted by agricultural water pollution.

Responsibilities

Strategist

With the VP of Policy and Strategic Engagement (VP of Policy), sets direction for organizational goals related to agriculture and restoration water policy work across the region with an emphasis on Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Identifies opportunities to shift both long-term organizational strategy and short-term tactics as necessary to achieve advocacy outcomes in our local work and state level policy work on agriculture and restoration.
Engages external leaders from relevant sectors as thought partners and advisors in setting Alliance strategy.
Based on feedback from local partners, identifies data gaps and utilizes internal and external resources to gather information needed with a focus on data that elevates lived experiences (e.g. focus groups, interviews, surveys).
Presents and reports on the Alliance’s agriculture and restoration work to Alliance leadership and key stakeholders.
Co-develop campaign strategies to advance policy goals with partners.

Advocacy

Creates regular short-term policy, organizing and communication successes as we advance toward our long-term goals and is accountable for delivering short-term and long-term results for the Alliance’s agriculture and restoration related work across the region.
Generates and executes innovative approaches to building and leveraging connections with relevant influencers outside of the traditional environmental community.
Builds and sustains networks of people, decision makers, and public and private organizations that can create policy change in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Convenes various levels of government, the private sector and groups of individuals in support of the actions necessary to achieve agriculture and restoration goals.
Creates and negotiates the basis of agreements that can garner sufficient support to advance policy reforms.
Collaborates with NGO partners and community organizations for candidate and elected official education on agriculture and restoration related water issues, such as through lobby days, legislative staff briefings, and water advocacy workshops and convenings.
Communicates effectively internally to Communications & Engagement Team to develop mass advocacy campaigns, supporter activation and media engagement on policy priorities.
Partners with communications and engagement team to support creation of community and partner-centered campaign tools, such as fact sheets, media, videos, and slide decks, needed to reach target audiences.

Institutional

Ensures internal milestones for tracking program progress are appropriate and well-documented over time.
Identifies and recommends long-term capacity needs for agriculture and restoration programs.
Advises Alliance leaders on increasing the effectiveness of the program.
Identifies new opportunities for internal collaboration across other Alliance program areas.

Knowledge/Skills

Leadership ability and experience as demonstrated by a track record of successful problem identification, mentorship, relationship and partnership building, conflict resolution, and strategic decision-making both internal and external to an organization.
Existing relationships and credibility with leaders in the agriculture sector, including businesses, trade associations, academics, and elected and appointed state officials in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio.
Thought leadership in restoration issues as demonstrated by public presentations, published writing, appointed positions and other means.
Experience achieving policy agreements that successfully address the needs and concerns of communities bearing the health and economic costs of pollution.
Demonstrated success at motivating key influencers to act in a coordinated and strategic manner.
Strong existing network of relevant and influential leaders in areas of geographic focus for the Alliance.
Prior demonstrated success at managing multiple, closely aligned and well-coordinated change strategies at the same time.
Fundamental commitment to socioeconomic and racial equity in agriculture and restoration water outcomes and demonstrated skills in identifying policy options that advance equity.
Eagerness to work at both the “nuts and bolts” and strategic levels of our policy work.
Ability to work independently, quickly and execute multiple tasks at once.
Top echelon skills at writing and speaking to motivate powerful people.
Staff management and/or mentoring experience.
Experience with and commitment to use of project management software.
Driven by a strong commitment to public interest work and the values of the organization.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred. Leadership of significant past successful campaigns may substitute for advanced degree.
Minimum of 7 years of experience culminating in proven leadership of state, regional or national scale advocacy, political or marketing campaigns.
The Alliance for the Great Lakes values community, relationships, courage, integrity, optimism and the principles of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in all our work.

Job Parameters

This position is full-time and consistent with Alliance employment policy. Salary range is $90,000-100,000, commensurate with experience.

Excellent benefits, including health and vacation are included.

Eligibility to enroll in a retirement plan after 1 year of employment.

This position can work remotely based within the Great Lakes region and the final location is negotiable, with a preference for in eastern Wisconsin, southern Michigan or northern Ohio. Travel within the region 1-2 times per month is required, in keeping with anticipated COVID-19 safety protocols.

Application Process

Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references and writing sample to: hr@greatlakes.org.

Include job title in the subject line.

About the Alliance for the Great Lakes

The post Agriculture and Restoration Director appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/10/agriculture-and-restoration-director/

Groups: Great Lakes Governors and Premiers miss opportunity on water infrastructure

On: September 23, 2021

In: Uncategorized

On September 21, 2021, the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers announced a series of actions and resolutions as part of their virtual bi-annual meeting.

The following joint statement was issued in response by: Alliance for the Great Lakes, Audubon Great Lakes, Black Environmental Leaders Association, Drink Local Drink Tap, Flint Community Water Lab, Freshwater Future, Junction Coalition, Michigan Environmental Council, The Midwest Environmental Justice Network, Milwaukee Water Commons, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy in Ohio, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, Village of Healing Cleveland, We the People of Detroit.

September 23, 2021 — The Great Lakes region is facing a water infrastructure crisis. We have not invested in the maintenance of our drinking, waste, and stormwater systems. This is evidenced by lead pipes that poison drinking water, ongoing sewage contamination that closes beaches, and broken water mains that cave in streets. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that it will cost $188 billion over 20 years to upgrade the drinking and wastewater infrastructure in the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Ohio and Illinois have the unfortunate distinction of ranking #1 and #2 in the nation, respectively, for the number of lead service lines in their states. And The American Society of Civil Engineers gave our nation’s drinking water system a “C-” grade this year, reflecting the fact that much of our drinking water infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life.

In light of this, we the undersigned organizations are disappointed that the recent announcement from the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers heralding regional priorities to protect the environment and boost the economy failed to take unified action to address a water infrastructure crisis that is impacting millions of people. While the announcement contains very important environmental agreements, such as commitments to protect the lakes from invasive carp and justly transition the region toward clean energy, the omission of water justice and infrastructure action is glaring.

The governors and premiers missed a major opportunity to speak as a region for the drinking water, health, and well-being of all who live in the Great Lakes states. While investing in these infrastructure needs is undeniably expensive, kicking the can down the road does not make sense. The longer we delay, the worse the economic, environmental, and public health impacts will be for the region, taxpayers, and communities that are disproportionately affected by gaps in public spending. We encourage the governors and premiers to discuss collective commitments and actions that will position the region to lead in solving water infrastructure issues.

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Media contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post Groups: Great Lakes Governors and Premiers miss opportunity on water infrastructure appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/09/groups-great-lakes-governors-and-premiers-miss-opportunity-on-water-infrastructure/

Crystal M.C. Davis Receives 2021 Great Lakes Leadership Award

On: September 21, 2021

In: Uncategorized

September 21, 2021 – The Great Lakes Protection Fund named Crystal M.C. Davis a recipient of a 2021 Great Lakes Leadership Award in recognition of her efforts to protect the health of the Great Lakes basin and the people who live in the region. She is one of six individuals the Fund is recognizing for their trailblazing efforts on behalf of the Great Lakes.

Davis is reorienting environmentalism in the Great Lakes region to focus on the needs of the people who live there. Her approach focuses on fair and equitable access to the benefits that come with restoring the ecological health of the system – like access to clean drinking water and the removal of toxins from the lakes and surrounding waterways. She currently serves As Vice President of Policy & Strategic Engagement for the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

“Crystal is changing the nature of environmentalism in the Great Lakes region. She serves as a tireless advocate for the those who are disproportionately impacted by environmental challenges,” said David Rankin, executive director of Great Lakes Protection Fund, in announcing the award. “With so much of the work in this region focused on policies like the Water Quality Agreement and the Clean Water Act, she was one of the first to say, ‘What about the people who live here? How will their lives be improved by these policies?’ And for that, she’s a trailblazer.”

Davis’ approach is prompting both environmentalists and policymakers to look at water quality issues throughout the Great Lakes basin in a new way. She spearheaded the development of Shut Up and Listen, which guides those who want to listen to community concerns. Last year, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed her to a three-year term on the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. Additionally, she led the effort to develop the first-ever Ohio Environmental Justice Platform, and also led a study about water affordability in Ohio.

“Thank you to the Great Lakes Protection Fund for this honor and for recognizing that we need to bridge the gap between the grass-tops and grassroots movements,” said Davis. “The power to solve complex water challenges lies at the intersection of authentic community engagement and public policy making.”

Other winners of the 2021 Great Lakes Leadership Award are:

Allegra Cangelosi pioneered the field of ballast treatment technology, which helps the shipping industry limit the transfer of invasive species into the Great Lakes. Her contributions have helped reduce the introduction of new invasive species into the Great Lakes by more than 90 percent.

Rob Collier created the first-ever network of community foundation environmental programs in Great Lakes coastal cities, which launched a national movement of similar efforts. Before retiring as head of the Council of Michigan Foundations, he helped community foundations stretching from Duluth to Niagara connect their work and their priorities to the health of the Great Lakes.

Eric Letsinger has led the field of impact finance in the environmental space. Using innovative performance-based funding vehicles like environmental impact bonds and green bonds, he has created a new way for Great Lakes communities to finance green infrastructure and improve water quality.

David M. Lodge is known as the “CSI Great Lakes Guy” for developing genetic testing tools to prevent invasive species from reaching the Great Lakes. He also created forensic tests and other tools to stop the spread of existing invaders.

Sherri A. Mason, Ph.D., has elevated the awareness of – and action to stop – microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Her efforts prompted major companies to change their production process and led the Food and Drug Administration to ban plastic microbeads in face creams and shampoos.

The Great Lakes Protection Fund (the Fund) is the impact investor for the Great Lakes. Over the past three decades, the Fund has turned big ideas turn into big impact by investing $91 million into projects and teams that are pioneering new technologies, practices, and financing strategies to restore and protect the health of the Great Lakes. From improved water quality to sustainably managed forests to fewer invasive species entering the lakes, the Fund launches and accelerates innovations that consistently lead to long-term improvements throughout the region.

This is the third year for the Great Lakes Leadership Award. In 2019, the Fund recognized innovation in water technology that has the potential to vastly improve in the health of the Great Lakes and help secure clean water for the future. The 2020 Great Lakes Leadership Award went to top storytellers in the region. Learn more here.

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Contact:
Valerie Holford for Great Lakes Protection Fund at valerieholford@starpower.net or 202-365-5336

The post Crystal M.C. Davis Receives 2021 Great Lakes Leadership Award appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/09/crystal-m-c-davis-receives-2021-great-lakes-leadership-award/

Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

On: August 10, 2021

In: Uncategorized

Chicago, IL (August 10, 2021) – Earlier today, the Senate passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which included commitments to water infrastructure and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. In response, Alliance for the Great Lakes Director of Federal Relations Donald Jodrey released the following statement:

“Our work at the Alliance is focused on protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, which supply drinking water to millions of Americans and make up 20% of the world’s fresh water.

We are encouraged to see major water infrastructure commitments passed by the Senate today as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. These commitments include $48 billion for water infrastructure improvements nationwide and $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This funding would provide an important boost to projects across the Great Lakes region and a down payment to begin addressing water infrastructure failures across the country.

We’re specifically excited to see a commitment to address Areas of Concerns (AOCs). These toxic hot spots around the Great Lakes region are a direct result of pollution by heavy industry. Cleaning up these areas is resource-intensive but deeply important to preserving the environment, protecting human health and creating jobs — benefits members from both sides of the aisle can get behind.

Although today represents an important step forward, we cannot stop here. Due to decades of neglect, our current water infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life. The U.S. EPA has estimated that $188 billion over the next 20 years will be needed in improvements, upgrades, and repairs to these systems in the Great Lakes states alone. Much more needs to be done to ensure that everyone in the Great Lakes region has access to safe, clean and affordable water. We look forward to continuing to work with the Biden administration and members of Congress as they build toward a water infrastructure investment that will restore and protect our precious natural resources for future generations.”

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

The post Statement on Senate Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2021/08/statement-on-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill/