On:
In: Uncategorized
...ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BRING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS MONDAY INTO MONDAY EVENING... light to occasionally moderate snow will overspread most of the region on Monday as a clipper low pressure system arrives. The snow should begin during the morning commute in north central and parts of central Wisconsin, then spread into far northeast

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C52A71E4.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261C52BB298WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW WILL PRODUCE SLIPPERY ROADS IN EASTERN WISCONSIN THIS EVENING... Lingering light snow and freezing drizzle will result in slippery roads across parts of northeast and east central Wisconsin this evening. Locally hazardous travel conditions are expected. Motorists traveling through northeast and east central Wisconsin

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C51AE828.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261C51B7A40WI.GRBSPSGRB.c3da79325a2463a7a02d5f2192f4955c

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: contaminants, Echo, PFAS, toxins

Some lawmakers and environmental advocates want to ban chemicals in food packaging that they say threatens the health of Michiganders. 

The post Advocates push ban of chemicals in food packaging first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/11/26/advocates-push-ban-of-chemicals-in-food-packaging/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Uncategorized
...SNOW SHOWERS COULD MAKE SOME ROADS AND SIDEWALKS SLICK... Snow showers will diminish from west to east by midday, but falling temperatures may cause some wet roads and sidewalks to freeze. Please be careful if you will be traveling.

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4EFB0E0.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261C4F0034CWI.GRBSPSGRB.54e5ef070b45e49081402cfe9ce09122

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Climate change, Latest News, National Parks, News, outdoor recreation, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research, Tourism
Say Goodbye to Your National Parks Road Trips?

By Tara Lohan, The Revelator

This story originally appeared in The Revelator and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

 

Climate change is already shaking up the natural world, changing the timing of seasonal snow melts, flower blooms and animal migrations.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/goodbye-national-parks-road-trips/

The Revelator

On:
In: Uncategorized
...SNOW SHOWERS COULD MAKE SOME ROADS AND SIDEWALKS SLICK... A cold front was moving across Northeast Wisconsin this morning, and was producing snow showers and a little freezing drizzle. Air temperatures should fall to freezing or lower once the snow arrives. While little snow accumulation is expected, some roads and sidewalks could get slippery. Please be careful if you will be

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4EF43E4.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261C4EFAF50WI.GRBSPSGRB.f430456e50b148094bbc7586cf7a533a

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Wildlife

Central Michigan University researchers have discovered unexpected populations of native mussels in the Detroit River, an area that hasn’t been searched for the mollusks since 1998.

The post Researchers investigate native mussels in Detroit River for first time since 1990s first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/11/25/researchers-investigate-native-mussels-in-detroit-river-for-first-time-since-1990s/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Daily News

New York State has released cleanup plans for the former Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna. Construction to advance the cleanup plan is expected to begin in 2022, the state said it will address site-wide contamination and provide public access to Lake Erie for the first time in more than 100 years. Read the full story by WKBW-TV – Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211124-bethlehem

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is informing the public about the dredging it does at nine harbors along Ohio’s north coast by publishing aa newsletter that includes a map that identifies the location of each harbor in Lake Erie, the timing of the dredging sessions, and their contribution to the economy. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211124-dredging

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

If you visited the shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee in the 1970s and ’80s, chances are you saw it: a wedge of concrete about 3,000 feet off Bradford Beach, with the word “LOVE” painted on its side in big capital letters. How the “LOVE” got there was a mystery for decades. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211124-love-rock

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Freshwater Weekly

THIS WEEK: Give the Gift of Clean Water on #GivingTuesday – Nov. 30th + Communities Working Together to Solve Lead in Water Problems! + Cookbook Features History and Recipes from Tribal Communities + Ontario’s Carruthers Creek Faces Threats from Hospital Development

Give the Gift of Clean Water on #GivingTuesday – November 30th

#GivingTuesday is a global day of generosity taking place on November 30th. This day is an opportunity for people around the world to come together to thank, help, give, show kindness, and share what they have with those in need. Across the Great Lakes, Freshwater Future believes building the capacity of local groups and community is the best way to help everyone in the region access clean, safe, and affordable water. We are committed to finding solutions that make real, lasting change for every Great Lakes community. Please support these efforts on #GivingTuesday by making a financial gift, no matter the size. Click here to give your gift today. Thank you!

Communities Working Together to Solve Lead in Water Problems!

The Flint Community Water Lab and the Benton Harbor Community Water Council have both been ensuring residents in their communities have access to safe drinking water.  In Flint, the Water Lab was created specifically to help residents understand and trust the water in their own homes.  In Benton Harbor, the Water Council has been key in advocating for solutions to the high lead levels in public water and are now delivering water door to door on behalf of the state.  The youth leaders in these communities will soon come together in Benton Harbor to collect water samples that will be analyzed at the Water Lab.

As the Water Lab recently celebrated achieving its weekly goal for helping 100 residents per week understand the water safety in their own homes, the youth and adult leaders couldn’t wait to extend their services to helping residents in another city with a similar problem.  We congratulate both of these amazing community groups in achieving their goals of helping their respective communities and working together to find community driven and centered solutions.

Cookbook Features History and Recipes from Tribal Communities

Manoomin or wild rice means the good berry in Anishinaabemowin and is highly valued not only for food but culturally and spiritually.  Tashia Hart, an ethnobotanist who has learned the food of her ancestors authored a cookbook that celebrates manoomin and other wild food with recipes entitled The Good Berry Cookbook.

Ontario’s Carruthers Creek Faces Threats from Hospital Development

A proposal to develop a new hospital is being proposed in the sensitive headwaters of Carruthers Creek, a narrow cold water creek that flows into Lake Ontario. This small watershed in Durham region is currently in the ‘white belt’, an area of intense growth and development surrounding Ontario’s Greenbelt.  Development would significantly impact the watershed’s wetlands and other green infrastructure.  The Carruthers Creek watershed plan indicates a significant increase in flooding if these lands are developed.  Inclusion in the Greenbelt would ensure the long-term protection of this watershed. Freshwater Future Canada and Freshwater Future support the inclusion of the Carruthers watershed in the Greenbelt to prevent impacts to wetlands and green infrastructure and prevent increased flooding.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-november-24-2021/

Alana Honaker

On:
In: Daily News

The Allegan County Health Department has lifted its cyanobacteria advisory on Swan Lake. A November 18 test conducted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy determined that the lake’s microcystin levels were below detection levels. Read the full story by WXMI-TV- Grand Rapids, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211124-cyano

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

While many local residents might be particularly interested in the Great Lakes program,the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act also has money to restore the environment in other areas of the U.S., plant many new trees and deal with global warming by capturing carbon from the atmosphere. Read the full story by the Sandusky Register.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211124-bill

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Climate change, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Latest News, montreal, News, ports, Quebec, renewable energy, shipping, Shipping and Ports, sustainability, Waterfront Development
Sustainable Shipping: The Port of Montreal’s role as the Great Lakes’ green gateway

Shipping companies and ports around the world and on the Great Lakes are launching sustainability efforts to lessen their environmental impact, combat climate change, and improve their efficiency and images. With support from the Solutions Journalism Network, Great Lakes Now Contributor Kari Lydersen is reporting the four-part series “Sustainable Shipping.”

Read them here:

Are voluntary efforts enough to improve port sustainability?

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/sustainability-shipping-port-montreal-green-gateway/

Kari Lydersen

On:
In: Collaboration, COP26, dams, indigenous communities, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Bringing the fight against dams to COP26

By Sarah Sax, High Country News

This story originally appeared in High Country News and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

 

For two weeks, leaders and representatives from around the world have gathered in person and virtually in Glasgow, Scotland, for the United Nations’ 26th annual climate change summit, called the Conference of the Parties, or COP26.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/bringing-fight-dams-cop26/

High Country News

On:
In: Canada and Transboundary Waters, Public Trust, Water Law Reform

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Mississippi’s claims of state ownership of groundwater within its territorial boundaries. Mississippi v. Tennessee, 595 U.S. 15 (2021). Chief Justice Roberts authored a unanimous opinion for the Court. The Court rejected state ownership of groundwater and instead, as a matter of first impression, extended the equitable apportionment doctrine for flowing waters and resources to the disputed Memphis aquifer.

Over two decades of litigation in federal courts, Mississippi has pressed its claim of sovereign ownership of groundwater in the aquifer within its state boundaries. Based on its claim of state “ownership,” Mississippi has sought hundreds of millions of dollars for the alleged unlawful conversion of its groundwater by neighboring Tennessee. This claim of ownership is at odds with a line of Supreme Court doctrines, starting with equitable apportionment, as Chief Justice Roberts writes for the Court (slip. op., at 9-10):

Mississippi contends that it has sovereign ownership of all groundwater beneath its surface, so equitable apportionment ought not apply. We see things differently. It is certainly true that “each State has full jurisdiction over the lands within its borders, including the beds of streams and other waters.” Kansas v. Colorado, 206 U. S. 46, 93 (1907). But such jurisdiction does not confer unfettered “ownership or control” of flowing interstate waters themselves. Wyoming v. Colorado, 259 U. S. 419, 464 (1922). Thus, we have “consistently denied” the proposition that a State may exercise exclusive ownership or control of interstate “waters flowing within her boundaries.” Hinderlider v. La Plata River & Cherry Creek Ditch Co., 304 U. S. 92, 102 (1938). Although our past cases have generally concerned streams and rivers, we see no basis for a different result in the context of the Middle Claiborne Aquifer…. Mississippi’s ownership approach would allow an upstream State to completely cut off flow to a downstream one, a result contrary to our equitable apportionment jurisprudence.

Thus the Chief Justice succinctly ended the Court’s discussion of the issue and Mississippi’s nearly two-decade legal quest for ownership of groundwater within its territory as property. It is a resounding win for neighboring Tennessee, Memphis, and the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division, vindicating their long-standing legal position that the dispute must be plead as a request for equitable apportionment before arguing the merits of their water use and impacts.

How might the opinion in Mississippi v. Tennessee shape water law? The Court is explicit that it is deciding as a matter of first impression “whether equitable apportionment applies to interstate aquifers.” (slip op., at 7.). While the Chief Justice attempts to narrow the discussion to the Middle Claiborne Aquifer at issue in this dispute, the Court’s equitable apportionment holding would apply to (1) any interstate resource with (2) a measurable flow that (3) allows one state to interfere with the resource without trespassing into another state’s territory.

Mississippi v. Tennessee thus makes clear that states do not own the groundwater within their territory, and that interstate disputes over groundwater are subject to the Court’s equitable apportionment doctrine and procedures. However, the case makes no mention of the legal basis for denying state ownership and the long-standing alternative to state ownership of waters – the public trust doctrine. The Court’s silence on this background principle is striking, especially as public trust advocates are pushing to clarify and expand the doctrine in federal courts.

In my view, the Court’s holding on the equitable apportionment doctrine is logical and sound but could have gone further. I filed an amicus brief with a small crew of water law professors (Joe Regalia, Robert Abrams, Burke Griggs, and Jesse Richardson) to share with the Court the doctrines and implications beyond equitable apportionment in considering claims of state ownership of water as property. Beginning with a law review article in 2013 (Interstate Groundwater Law in the Snake Valley: Equitable Apportionment and a New Model for Transboundary Aquifer Management, with Benjamin L. Cavataro, 2013 Utah L. Rev. 1553) and again in 2016 (Interstate Groundwater Law Revisited: Mississippi v. Tennessee, with Joseph Regalia, 34 Virginia Environmental L. J. 1520), I have advanced and detailed how equitable apportionment should and can apply to groundwater. The more difficult question is what then explains the state’s relationship to waters within its territory, if not ownership? Joe Regalia and I explored this question, with implications for public water rights and protections, in our most recent article Waters of the State (59 Nat. Res. J. 59 2019). In short, it comes back to the public trust doctrine. And with a succinct opinion in Mississippi v. Tennessee, fundamental questions about the scope and power of the public trust doctrine for our waters remain unanswered.

Original Article

Great Lakes Law

Great Lakes Law

https://www.greatlakeslaw.org/blog/2021/11/supreme-court-rejects-states-claim-of-ownership-of-groundwater-extends-equitable-apportionment-doctr.html

Noah Hall

On:
In: aquatic invasive species, Eva Ryan, Tim Campbell, Welland Canal, Wisconsin Sea Grant 50th anniversary

By Eva Ryan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

In 2022, Wisconsin Sea Grant will celebrate its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of work geared toward protecting ecosystems, addressing natural and economic disasters, supporting aquaculture industries, educating the public on related topics, and much more. Wisconsin Sea Grant has been a beacon of accurate, scientific information, and will continue to be so in the future.

To kick off the celebration, I interviewed Tim Campbell, aquatic invasive species (AIS) outreach specialist, to see how things have changed in his field in the past 50 years, and how he hopes they will progress. His story is first in an anniversary series we plan to continue on our blog.

Visitors learn about aquatic invasive species at an information stand hosted by Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant (right) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources during the Ghost Ships Festival, Milwaukee, 2013. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Campbell recounted a brief history of the study of invasive species: The creation of the Welland Canal, a human-made waterway that links Lake Ontario to Lake Erie in the mid-1800s sparked the idea of invasive species in the Great Lakes. Sea lampreys and alewives were able to travel through the Welland Canal into the Great Lakes, majorly impacting both people and fish.

While Great Lakes invasion science used to be primarily focused on managing sea lamprey and alewives for the benefit of commercial and recreational fisheries, Campbell noted that “now, what we think about in terms of invasive species in the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes region is so much more broad than just alewives and sea lamprey.” New invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels have expanded what requires management. Another task trying to be proactive in keeping other nonnative species from being introduced. Improvements in control programs give AIS managers alternatives and new prevention programs have helped reach wider audiences.

And while advancement in science and technology have bolstered our understanding of invasive species and the pathways they use to breach new areas, new pathways are continuously arising. Campbell cited online marketplaces as an example. These marketplaces, which allow customers to purchase species from anywhere in the world, have complicated AIS management in the past 10 years. Additionally, new segments of existing pathways – like recreational watercraft with ballast tanks – keep AIS managers readdressing pathways they thought were already sufficiently covered by their management plans.

“I think we’re starting to get more specific with pathways and how we can focus less on the actual invasive species and more on the people using the pathways – how we can work with them to stop unintentionally moving plants and animals around,” Campbell said. He went on to mention that “as we have gotten a better handle on some pathways, new ones are also emerging. We need to be aware of how these pathways function, how these species and goods are moving around, and how we can make sure that only things that we want are being introduced into the environment.”

So where does invasion science go from here? Through the eyes of Campbell, the “limiting factor” of his field is often not new biological facts about invasive species, but rather “getting people to understand the impacts of their actions and getting them to take action.” In terms of progressing the field of invasion science, Campbell has high hopes that the approach of shifting toward social science and trying to incorporate more of it into invasive species management will bode well.

“In the next 50 years, I hope we keep going down this track of interdisciplinary work and trying to use all of the different scientific disciplines to address our problems” in order to, “leave no stone unturned for potential improvements,” Campbell said.

When asked for final comments, Campbell left me with this: “It [the Sea and Land Grant College approach] has historically been very important in managing our agricultural problems and natural resource issues, and I think we will be even more important in the future because of where we sit between science and communities. Especially in this age of finding anything on the internet, no matter the accuracy, I think that it’s important to have this trusted source of scientific information to help communities make the best decisions possible.”

The post Invasive Species: Then and Now first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/invasive-species-then-and-now/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=invasive-species-then-and-now

Marie Zhuikov

On:
In: COVID-19, Echo, holidays

A beloved German holiday tradition, Christkindlmarket, will return to Chicago this year and celebrate its 25th anniversary after being cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The post Christkindlmarket returns to Chicago, the wait continues in Milwaukee first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/11/23/christkindlmarket-returns-to-chicago-the-wait-continues-in-milwaukee/

Guest Contributor

On:
In: Call to Action, News

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

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

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

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

Freshwater Future

On:
In: algal blooms, cyanobacteria, Department of Health Services, DHS, HABs, Jordan Murray, Public Health

Jordan Murray is no stranger to the effects of harmful algal blooms (HABs). A native of Toledo, Ohio, she vividly remembers the period in 2014 when a major bloom in Lake Erie meant that residents were warned not to drink—or even touch—the water coming out of their taps. No cooking with it, no bathing, no brushing of teeth—all the things that most of us take for granted with our municipal water supply.

Now, as a Wisconsin Water Resources Science-Policy Fellow, Murray is working to protect the public from the effects that HABs can have. The fellowship springs from a partnership between the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Aquatic Sciences Center—which houses Wisconsin Sea Grant and the UW Water Resources Institute—and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS).

“This public health issue is very personal to me,” she said, “so it’s fulfilling to do work around an issue that has so greatly affected my home and community.”

As Murray explained, the blue-green algae (also called cyanobacteria) behind HABs are natural organisms found in all water bodies in Wisconsin. Their presence, in and of itself, is not bad. Trouble arises when they grow to high levels and form blooms that pose health hazards to humans and pets.

Jordan Murray gestures at some blue-green algae that has accumulated along the shoreline of Lake Monona at Brittingham Park in Madison. (Submitted photo)

What’s more, a changing climate means the issue is growing in importance. “In Wisconsin, we have data to show that two factors that affect bloom intensity, temperature and rainfall events, are increasing. In other words, Wisconsin is getting warmer and wetter,” noted Murray. In turn, this means more chances for people and pets to come into contact with a bloom.

While that’s concerning, the good news is that Murray joins a robust program working to address these challenges. She is stationed at DHS’ Hazard Assessment Section in the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health, where DHS health educator Amanda Koch serves as her mentor.

There, Murray’s fellowship blends three roles in one: program manager, epidemiologist and outreach specialist.

In terms of program management, Murray helps ensure that the HABs program is meeting its goals and Center for Disease Control requirements. To that end, she works with a wide range of partners at the local, state and federal levels, such as local health and parks departments, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service and many more.

The epidemiology side of her role draws on Murray’s graduate training. She holds a master’s degree in public health, with a concentration in epidemiology, from the University of Toledo. After beginning her fellowship in late May, this aspect of her role took center stage over the summer, the most active season for blooms.

She follows up with blue-green algae-related health complaints that are reported to DHS. As a designated state disease investigator, she then gathers and analyzes case data and looks for trends in data. Sometimes that includes working with partners so that water samples are collected and tested at a particular water body; at other times, visual observation is sufficient. While not every human or animal illness suspected to be the result of a bloom actually is, Murray helps make those determinations so that people can take necessary steps to protect their health.

Finally, on the outreach side, she helps health departments around the state with signage, press releases, social media messaging and other tools for communicating vital information to the public. One product in the works is a dog safety sign to be posted at dog swim areas throughout Wisconsin. Once approved, this sign will inform dog owners about what to be on the lookout for and what practices they should adopt to protect their canine friends.

In addition to working with her mentor Koch at DHS, Murray also works with Sea Grant’s Julia Noordyk, who is based in Green Bay as a water quality and coastal communities outreach specialist. One future project they hope to tackle is a blue-green algae workshop in the Green Bay/Fox River area. More details about that will be forthcoming.

While Murray is thriving on the diverse duties and partnerships involved in her fellowship, she’s also finding time to explore the Madison area after moving to the capital city in July. She enjoys being out on the water or trying new activities like rock climbing. A former college volleyball player, she’s interested in both indoor and beach volleyball opportunities. And she’s also a dog owner, with a rottweiler named Leo to accompany her on adventures.

Once her fellowship period concludes, she’d be happy to find a permanent role doing similar work, she says, since she finds it so rewarding. “I wake up every day and I look forward to going to work,” said Murray. “The public health sector is incredible. It’s been a dream working here, so definitely something in this field would be the goal.”

The post Public health is personal for fellow working on harmful algal blooms first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/public-health-is-personal-for-fellow-working-on-harmful-algal-blooms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=public-health-is-personal-for-fellow-working-on-harmful-algal-blooms

Jennifer Smith

On:
In: Daily News

There are mystery holes that are one of the only pieces of physical evidence that indicates what almost became a reality. In the age of canal building during the industrial revolution, the proposed Georgian Bay Ship Canal megaproject connecting the St. Lawrence River to the Georgian Bay was being exhaustively evaluated. Read the full story by Collingwood Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211122-shipping

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

Installing filters on washing machines could be a simple and effective way to catch the microscopic particles our clothes shed, according to a study released this week by the University of Toronto and nonprofit Georgian Bay Forever. Read the full story by CBC News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211122-microfiber-pollution

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

In late 2011, the Minnesota Department of Health released a study about levels of mercury in the blood of infants born in the Lake Superior watershed. The study showed that 10% of the infants in the Minnesota portion of the watershed had mercury levels that exceeded health limits. Read the full story by Duluth News-Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211122-mercury-minnesota

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

A $17.8 million federal grant will help complete the final 17 segments of a 60-mile continuous trail that connects Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. The US Department of Transportation awarded the Marquette Greenway project a 2021 RAISE grant, which will be managed by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. Read the full story by Northwest Indiana Business.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211122-trail

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

A U.S. Navy warship won’t be dropping anchor in Erie anytime soon. While efforts are ongoing to bring a decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate to Presque Isle Bay and turn it into a floating naval museum, a steep fundraising goal and an arduous Navy approval process could slow the project for years. Read the full story by Erie Times-News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211122-ship-museum

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ohio, outdoor recreation, recreational fishing, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Tourism
Walleye Windfall: Lake Erie bait and tackle is big small business

Scott Stecher would like it if all baits, or lures, were Reefrunners. He’s been manufacturing and selling his series of Ripshads, Rippers, Cicadas and Wiglsticks baits for decades, and they hold sway in the walleye community.  

Stecher, who lives in Marblehead, Ohio, said his lures have landed walleye (and other fish) in places like South America, Europe and Asia.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/walleye-windfall-lake-erie-bait-and-tackle-is-big-small-business/

James Proffitt

On:
In: Policy, Washington Update

On Monday, November 15, President Biden signed into law a sweeping bipartisan infrastructure package, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), paving the way for historic investments in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, Great Lakes restoration, and core clean water priorities. This historic legislation is a big step forward in addressing the water infrastructure crisis threatening our communities and accelerating the restoration of the Great Lakes. But what are these investments and how can they help communities most impacted by pollution? 

What can this mean for the region?  

The new law has the potential to be transformative for the 8-state Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New York) and the nation, potentially investing over $1.2 trillion in a broad range of infrastructure priorities from roads and bridges to broadband and water infrastructure. Some of the key topline investments with the potential to aid our states and communities in making progress on clean water and environmental restoration priorities include: 

  • $1 billion in supplemental funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) over 5 years 
  • $50 billion in clean water and drinking water infrastructure through key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs, including: 
    • $11.7 billion for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF & DWSRF) programs 
    • $15 billion for lead service line replacement through the Drinking Water SRF program 
    • $10 billion to address emerging contaminants through the Small and Disadvantaged Communities program, the Drinking Water SRF, and the Clean Water SRF 
  • Billions in potential additional funding for existing and new water infrastructure programs over the next 5 years with up to: 
    • $22.8 billion for the Clean Water SRF 
    • $20 billion for the Drinking Water SRF 
    • $1.4 billion for EPA’s Sec. 221 Sewer Overflow grant program 
    • $700 million for EPA’s Reducing Lead in Drinking Water and Lead in Schools programs 
    • $250 million for a new EPA Individual Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System grant program 

Why is this important and how does this help my community? 

Our communities have been grappling with crumbling and unsafe drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for decades. At minimum, it is estimated that the Great Lakes region needs a staggering $188 billion over the next 20 years to improve, upgrade, and repair systems, showcasing the need for a transformational federal commitment in this critical infrastructure. This work has also become increasingly unaffordable for communities and residents, as the federal contribution to water infrastructure declined precipitously over the last four decades, falling from 63 percent of water infrastructure spending in the 1970s to 9 percent today. This new package will nearly double traditional federal contributions to the SRF program over the next 5 years with a further $25 billion in targeted investments to address lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants. 

How do these funds help the communities most in need? 

Despite this significant investment, far too often the costs of repairing and replacing critical water infrastructure are being passed on to those who can least afford it. A lack of investment that has disproportionately impacted communities that have historically borne the brunt of pollution and now are faced with water utility bills that have doubled or tripled over the last decade. How does this increased investment begin to address some of the existing financial barriers to entry for investing in the most underserved communities?

Despite this significant investment, far too often the costs of repairing and replacing critical water infrastructure are being passed on to those who can least afford it. A lack of investment that has disproportionately impacted communities that have historically borne the brunt of pollution and now are faced with water utility bills that have doubled or tripled over the last decade.3 How does this increased investment begin to address some of the existing financial barriers to entry for investing in the most underserved communities?  

This legislation will require that half of the funds provided for the SRF program be used to provide 100% principal forgiveness or be distributed as grants, a significant increase over the previously capped level of permitted subsidy in the program. Moreover, the $25 billion in targeted funds for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants is mandated to be fully distributed as loans with 100% principal forgiveness or as grants. This subsidization can dramatically reduce the cost burden of repairing or replacing failing infrastructure for many of communities in the region. 

It is important, though, to be clear that this is only a start. Much of the challenge of equitable implementation will fall on the state, which will receive most of these funds to distribute through existing systems. These systems are often a challenge for many small or low-income communities and utilities to navigate. Moving forward, it is essential to continue to engage the federal-state-local partnership to enhance public engagement, invest in technical assistance, and make sure our most vulnerable communities are centered in this implementation process.

How much money will flow to my state? 

With billions expected to flow through new and existing programs, federal and state agencies are rushing to prepare to administer these investments over the next 5 years. For state administered SRF programs, this could mean preparing for millions in additional funding, which can have significant impacts for communities. 

While we don’t have exact figures, projecting out funding for non-targeted SRF funds consistent with previous year allocations, we can theorize that the Great Lakes states could see the following increases in the federal contribution to their respective CWSRF and DWSRF programs. The “Minimum IIJA Investment as Enacted” reflects what is expected to flow to each state from the funds directly provided by the bill upon signing, but the “Maximum IIJA Investment” reflects the potential maximum if Congress supports the amounts authorized to be appropriated in addition to the initial funding in future years: 

(All figures are approximate and do not include state match or other contributions) 

What’s next? 

This historic victory is a leap forward in investing in the communities of the region and in the Great Lakes, themselves, but it is only the first step in the process. More work is needed to empower communities to invest these funds where they are most needed and ensure that all have access to safe, clean water. 

Moreover, in Congress the job is not done. The passage of the IIJA begins to address our regional water infrastructure crisis. But these issues cannot be addressed in the long–term without acting on the climate crisis. Climate change threatens communities as more intense storms lead to more flooding, overwhelming sewer systems, contaminating drinking water sources, and pushing current infrastructure past its limits. The good news is that there is an immediate opportunity to build on the passage of the IIJA by taking long-overdue action on climate change through the Build Back Better Act. In the coming days and weeks, we will see the House and the Senate continue consideration of this package, which could result in over $550 billion in climate investments to help the nation transition to a more sustainable future while helping communities adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of a warming climate. The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition urges our Great Lakes delegation to work together to quickly reach a final agreement as the failure to address climate change will only make existing problems worse and limit the long-term impact of this historic infrastructure victory. 

The post What Does the Infrastructure Act Mean for the Great Lakes Region? appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.

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Healing Our Waters Coalition

Healing Our Waters Coalition

https://healthylakes.org/what-does-the-infrastructure-act-mean-for-the-great-lakes-region/

Lindsey Bacigal

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In: Catch of the Day, Echo, weather

By Hannah Brock Author Timothy Kneeland was 14 years old when snow piled 20 to 30 feet high over four days in his small town outside of Buffalo, New York. The Great Lakes’ snow belt brought havoc to the Buffalo area on Jan. 28, 1977. The storm was the first to be declared a federal […]

The post The drive for bare pavement shaped winter roads public policy first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

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Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/11/22/the-drive-for-bare-pavement-shaped-winter-roads-public-policy/

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...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * WHERE...Calumet, Manitowoc, Winnebago, Brown, Kewaunee, Outagamie, Southern Marinette County and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...Until 9 PM CST this evening. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4B30154.WindAdvisory.1261C4BFC5B0WI.GRBNPWGRB.3f6828931b630dfb952cdacc3323e258

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

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...QUICK MOVING BANDS OF SNOW AND STRONG WIND GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTHEAST WISCONSIN... Bands of scattered snow showers are expected for the next few hours across northeast Wisconsin, which could cause a brief period of low visibility and slippery stretches on area roads. Additionally, strong west to northwest winds of 30 to 45 mph can

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4B300F0.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261C4B369A0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

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...QUICK MOVING BANDS OF SNOW AND STRONG WIND GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON... Bands of scattered snow showers are expected for the next few hours which could cause a brief period of low visibility and slippery stretches on area roads, especially across northern Wisconsin.

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4B2B9D8.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261C4B34290WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

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...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. * WHERE...Calumet, Manitowoc, Winnebago, Brown, Kewaunee, Outagamie, Southern Marinette County and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...From 1 PM this afternoon to 9 PM CST this evening.

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4B244A8.WindAdvisory.1261C4BFC5B0WI.GRBNPWGRB.3f6828931b630dfb952cdacc3323e258

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...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CST THIS EVENING... * WHAT...West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. * WHERE...Calumet, Manitowoc, Winnebago, Brown, Kewaunee, Outagamie, Southern Marinette County and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...From 1 PM this afternoon to 9 PM CST this evening.

Original Article

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service

https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261C4B10FAC.WindAdvisory.1261C4BFC5B0WI.GRBNPWGRB.3f6828931b630dfb952cdacc3323e258

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THIS WEEK: Special Focus Edition: Multi-Nation Negotiations

Indigenous Governments Invoking Their Treaty Rights in Line 5 Talks

In the ongoing battle to ensure the twin, five-mile pipelines that run under the Straits of Mackinac, carrying 23 million gallons of petroleum liquids daily, don’t leak into Lakes Michigan and Huron, twelve Michigan tribes have asked for representation at the Canada/United States treaty discussions recently invoked by the Canadian government.  The treaties between the tribes and the U.S. government of course far predate the 1977 treaty between the U.S. and Canada on the free flow of oil between the two countries.

Trudeau and Biden to Discuss Potential Nuclear Waste Storage In Great Lakes

The leaders of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are meeting on November 18, with discussions to include, among many critical issues, the siting of Canada’s permanent nuclear waste repository – which could be on the shores of Lake Huron.  Michigan Congressional Representatives Kildee, Levin and Meijer are asking “President Biden to work with Prime Minister Trudeau to ensure that no nuclear waste is permanently stored in the shared Great Lakes water basin. In the 1980s, when the United States was exploring sites to permanently store our nuclear waste, the Canadian government opposed any potential sites that were in our shared water basins. Ultimately, the United States did not pursue this permanent storage site out of respect for our Canadian friends. Now, we urge our Canadian neighbors to extend us this same courtesy. We must work together to protect the Great Lakes.”

Great Lakes Reflections from COP26

Stephanie Smith, Freshwater Future’s Board Chair and principal at Zephyr Mangata, a consultancy accelerating positive change for people and the planet, traveled to Scotland for the COP26 Climate Change Conference.  Read about Stephanie’s reflections on the conference, both positive results and clear needs for more urgent and accelerated actions. For more on the results of the governments’ actions at the conference, click here.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-november-19-2021/

Alana Honaker

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

by Stephanie Smith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

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

Freshwater Future

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In: AP, Budget, Drinking Water, infrastructure, Lead, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Whitmer proposes $300M in water funding for communities

By David Eggert, Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday proposed $300 million in water spending to help local utilities address elevated lead levels, plan for pipe replacement and connect users of contaminated wells to municipal supplies.

The governor said the funding would expand her $500 million MI Clean Water Plan, some of which has been authorized since it was unveiled more than a year ago.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/ap-whitmer-300m-water-funding-communities/

The Associated Press

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In: Feature Homepage, fish, Fish, Birds and Animals, Kathy Johnson, Lake sturgeon, Latest News, Michigan, News, Research, Data and Technology, science, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Sturgeon Restoration: Drawing in the public with a festival

This story is the fourth in a four-part series looking at sturgeon restoration efforts. 

Lake sturgeon restoration efforts are taking place across the Great Lakes basin.  

But what that restoration looks like is entirely dependent on location and other factors, such as whether or not any lake sturgeon remain in the area. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/11/sturgeon-restoration-public-festival/

Kathy Johnson

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In: Daily News

Four members of Congress believe that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should continue to play a role in protecting fish and wildlife in the Great Lakes region and have introduced bipartisan legislation in support of this idea. Read the full story by Dearborn Press and Guide.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211119-bill

Samantha Tank

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In: Daily News

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general urging the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee to take action on federal health and environmental protections to address per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS. Read the full story by Midland Daily News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211119-pfas

Samantha Tank