On:
In: Uncategorized
...LAKESHORE FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Some shoreline erosion and minor flooding of low-lying areas along the southern shore of Green Bay. The greatest threat for flooding is expected Saturday morning. * WHERE...Brown and Southern Oconto County Counties.

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=WI125F76111588.LakeshoreFloodAdvisory.125F76206E70WI.GRBCFWGRB.7c8cd631c9fe0687885a65a67b439033

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN... .Rain and snow will move into east central Wisconsin tonight and change over to mainly snow overnight. The majority of the snow accumulation is expected late tonight through early Saturday afternoon. A rain snow mix is likely to continue near Lake Michigan until later Saturday morning. Gusty northeast to north winds are

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=WI125F76111394.WinterWeatherAdvisory.125F761FF940WI.GRBWSWGRB.72d85101291f397f0669681d61404eea

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN... .Rain and snow will move into east central Wisconsin tonight and change over to mainly snow overnight. The majority of the snow is expected Saturday morning, and then snow will end Saturday afternoon. A rain snow mix is likely to continue near Lake Michigan. Gusty northeast to north winds are also expected which

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=WI125F760491A0.WinterWeatherAdvisory.125F761FF940WI.GRBWSWGRB.3020ae71ee7fd0b110060f4c08e89113

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...LAKESHORE FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Some shoreline erosion and minor flooding of low-lying areas along the southern shore of Green Bay. * WHERE...Brown and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 9 PM CST Saturday.

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=WI125F760491A0.LakeshoreFloodAdvisory.125F76206E70WI.GRBCFWGRB.7c8cd631c9fe0687885a65a67b439033

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: archive, Buoys, Communication, data, Great Lakes, historic, IOOS, Modeling, NCEI, NDBC, NOAA
With a network of experimental buoys that are constantly recording new data every few minutes, the amount of data the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) has collected in the past 15 years is massive – and prepping it … Continue reading →

Original Article

NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

https://noaaglerl.blog/2020/12/11/new-science-with-historic-data-15-years-of-great-lakes-environmental-data-archived-in-noaa-data-repository/

Gabrielle Farina

On:
In: Collaboration, Commercial Fishing, COVID-19, Cruise Ships, cruises, industry, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ontario, Policy, Waterfront Development
Family-owned fishing businesses displaced by waterfront developments on Great Lakes

By Hannah L. Harrison, University of Guelph, The Conversation

 is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

For three generations, the Minor family — today brothers Carson and Landon and their father Paul — have been up before first light to board their fishing tug and make their way to their fishing grounds on Lake Erie.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/family-owned-fishing-businesses-displaced-waterfront-developments-great-lakes/

The Conversation

On:
In: Uncategorized
...LAKESHORE FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Some shoreline erosion and minor flooding of low-lying areas along the southern shore of Green Bay. * WHERE...Brown and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 9 PM CST Saturday.

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=WI125F76041630.LakeshoreFloodAdvisory.125F76206E70WI.GRBCFWGRB.7c8cd631c9fe0687885a65a67b439033

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Daily News

The International Joint Commission’s Triennial Assessment of Progress Report calls on the U.S. and Canada to study nutrient runoff entering Lake Superior and its role in the formation of blue-green algae blooms on the Lake. The chair of the IJC called Lake Superior a “canary in the coal mine” regarding climate change in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-superior-habs

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

Legislation that would have helped Michigan and other states force the U.S. Department of Defense to comply with stringent state laws governing military pollution cleanup has been stripped from an annual defense bill moving through Congress. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-pfas

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

Enbridge Energy’s attempts to get the permits it needs to build a new section of its controversial Line 5 oil and natural gas pipeline were stymied yesterday as an administrative law judge will now reconsider the scope of the permit application. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-line5

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

For decades, tourism-oriented development and high-end waterfront housing have slowly been supplanting working waterfront infrastructure, threatening local family businesses that rely on easy access to the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Conversation.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-coastal-gentrification

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

A new report by the International Joint Commission found that public concern about climate change is escalating in the Great Lakes region. Chemicals of mutual concern and runoff were also among the top concerns for residents. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-ijc-public-opinion

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewerage District agreed modify a $3 billion plan to reduce sewage in waterways following rainstorms. The plan saves costs for construction of tunnels around Cleveland that would remove polluted storm water and raw sewage and prevent untreated flows from entering Lake Erie and its tributaries. Read the full story by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-neorsd

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

Several lawmakers from New York requested the IJC immediately authorize the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board to deviate from Plan 2014 water level management procedures through October of 2021 to mitigate risks of flooding and protect shoreline communities. Read the full story by the Oswego County Today.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-ijc-deviation

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

Federal, state and local officials on Wednesday celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative that’s pumped $2.75 billion into cleaning up toxic hotspots and restoring habitat along the region’s most degraded waterways. Read the full story by the Superior Telegram.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-glri-10yr

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

A bipartisan bill to address rising water levels and shoreline erosion in the Great Lakes has passed the Senate. The bill would provide support for local communities facing rising water levels, coastal erosion, and flooding that have put homes and property at risk, and caused millions of dollars in damages. Read the full story by WSYM – TV – Lansing, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201212-senate-bill

Ned Willig

On:
In: Daily News

Members of Congress touted the passage of the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2020 as a victory in preventing the introduction of invasive carp into the Great Lakes. The bill authorizes a greater federal cost-share of funding for Brandon Road lock and dam project in Joliet, Illinois. Read the full story by the Herald News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201211-wrda

Ned Willig

On:
In: AP, Climate change, Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Latest News, News, Wisconsin
Wisconsin climate task force releases its recommendations

By Scott Bauer, Associated Press Writer

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A bipartisan task force that brought together environmentalists, the energy industry and others released its recommendations Wednesday for how Wisconsin might bolster its economy while addressing climate change.

The report from the task force, which was led by Lt.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/ap-wisconsin-climate-task-force-recommendations/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Uncategorized
...LAKESHORE FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Some shoreline erosion and minor flooding of low-lying areas along the southern shore of Green Bay. * WHERE...Brown and Southern Oconto County Counties. * WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 9 PM CST Saturday.

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=WI125F7602E4B8.LakeshoreFloodAdvisory.125F76206E70WI.GRBCFWGRB.7c8cd631c9fe0687885a65a67b439033

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: water

The U.S. Coast Guard wants to retire its oldest cutter on the Great Lakes, the 57-year-old cutter Buckthorn.

The post Oldest Coast Guard cutter with smallest crew and largest Great Lakes responsibility needs replacing first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/11/oldest-coast-guard-cutter-with-smallest-crew-and-largest-great-lakes-responsibility-needs-replacing/

Eric Freedman

On:
In: COVID-19, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, Grassroots Groups at Work, Public Health

MEDIA STATEMENT  – Monica Lewis-Patrick, President and CEO, We the People of Detroit – 

It has been a long time coming, but We the People of Detroit is pleased that Mayor Mike Duggan is taking a step in the right direction with his announcement today regarding the creation of a water affordability plan on behalf of the residents of Detroit. This is an important first step in safeguarding public health and delivering water affordability for all Detroit residents. We must thank all of the Water Warriors who have been fighting for water equity and justice in Detroit for more than a decade. We also thank Dr. Abdul El-Sayed for his leadership in working with water justice advocates and Detroit city administrators. He has been a true champion for public health and water security. Lastly, we thank Governor Gretchen Whitmer for her bold leadership toward water equity and for implementing an Executive Order in March to end water shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New research from We the People of Detroit Community Research Collective this year showed a strong link between the number of COVID-19 cases and the areas of our city impacted by water shutoffs. The impact of COVID-19 on Detroit’s most vulnerable populations serves as a stark reminder of how essential water access is for public health. The pandemic has made it impossible to deny that water shutoffs are a public health hazard.

We the People of Detroit continues to advocate for policies that make water affordability a reality for all. We are building a diverse coalition dedicated to training and mobilizing the citizens of Detroit and beyond to improve their quality of life. Ensuring that all communities have a seat at the table as our city combats water injustice is essential to safeguarding the future of all residents. We look forward to working with the City Council, the Administration, the Governor’s office, and other Water Warriors to usher in clean, safe, affordable access to water and sanitation for Detroiters and Michiganders.

 

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/mayor-duggans-detroit-water-affordability-plan-announcement/

Leslie Burk

On:
In: Uncategorized
Joel Brammeier
Joel Brammeier, President & CEO, Alliance for the Great Lakes

Thanks for all you did to support and protect the Great Lakes this year. We made progress together during what was for many of us our most difficult year ever.

Here are a few highlights:

You organized Adopt-a-Beach cleanups on all 5 Great Lakes despite challenging logistics related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Events were held on beaches as well as in neighborhoods and parks this year, recognizing that litter anywhere in the region can end up in the lakes.

You got involved during the 2020 elections, using our nonpartisan Great Lakes Voter Toolkit to ask candidates questions about clean water issues and our Great Lakes Voter Information Center to get state-specific voting information to help safely cast your ballot.

You supported our efforts to halt drinking water shut-offs that disproportionately hit low-income communities and communities of color across urban and rural parts of the Great Lakes region. With partners in Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, and elsewhere, the Alliance focused on the essential connection between clean water and health, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You joined hundreds of parents and teachers who used our new H.O.M.E.School curriculum. As families and students stayed home due to COVID-19, online lessons helped kids in K-8th grade learn about the Great Lakes, from food webs to watersheds.

Your strong voices helped secure critical bipartisan Congressional support for stopping invasive Asian carp. Legislation in Congress authorized the first steps toward construction of new Asian carp protections and funding to support the project.

Last but certainly not least, the Alliance for the Great Lakes celebrated our 50th anniversary this fall.

Looking back to our founding in 1970, I’m proud to report that the Great Lakes are far healthier and better protected than they were 50 years ago. Plus, more people like you support the Alliance today than ever before in our history. To me that is no coincidence.

Thank you for all you did to help the Great Lakes in 2020, a year that we can say without exaggeration is unlike any other we’ve experienced.

Together, you and the Alliance have big opportunities to advance safe and clean water for the Great Lakes in 2021. I’m looking forward to it!

The post 2020 Accomplishments – Thanks to Our Supporters appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News – Alliance for the Great Lakes

News – Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2020/12/2020-accomplishments-thanks-to-our-supporters/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Energy, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Ian Wendrow, indigenous communities, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, renewable energy
Great Lakes Energy News Roundup: Recognition of tribal treaties, Michigan Green Bank, former Upper Peninsula mine sites

Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

In this edition: Environmentalists in Wisconsin sue EPA over regulation rollback favoring coal plants, bankruptcy plan for Ohio nuclear power company upheld by appeals court, Prairie Island tribe prepares for massive investment in renewable energy, and Ford Motors to invest millions for electric vehicle construction in southeast Michigan

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Michigan:

  • Oft Ignored, Tribal Treaties Are Seeing Greater Recognition and Influence – The Daily Yonder

Across the United States, tribal treaties are becoming more and more influential in shaping legislative policy while also seeing greater recognition in courthouses, potentially reshaping the entire landscape of environmental justice.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/great-lakes-energy-michigan-tribal-green-mine/

Ian Wendrow

On:
In: Can Water Be Sticky, Elizabeth White, Kristen Rost, Wisconsin Water Library

As 2020 winds down, we asked staff members at Wisconsin Sea Grant what their favorite project was this year. Although work was a bit more challenging than usual due to our altered work circumstances, everyone managed to stay productive, and even find fulfillment.

Our editor, Elizabeth White’s favorite project is her work on a story hour lesson plan for Anne Moser and the Wisconsin Water Library titled, “Can Water Be Sticky?”

Elizabeth said, “It was quite a challenge explaining properties of water such as cohesion, adhesion and surface tension to a young audience. Freelance designer Kristen Rost’s illustrations did a lot of the work. I hope it’s not a bad thing that I learned a lot from curriculum for ages 3-9!”

One of Rost’s designs is below. The Wisconsin Water Library has many other lesson plans and activities available for teachers, parents and librarians at this link.

The post Sea Grant staff project faves, Elizabeth White first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/sea-grant-staff-project-faves-elizabeth-white/

Marie Zhuikov

On:
In: Algae Blooms, Asian carp, Climate change, harmful algal blooms, indigenous communities, invasive species, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, Natasha Blakely, News, toxic algae
Public Concern: Climate change, runoff and chemicals at the forefront of people’s worries about the Great Lakes

NOTE: The report will formally be presented in English at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 10. A French session will follow at 3:30 p.m. For more details about how you can watch or ask questions, click here.

Public concern about climate change is escalating in the Great Lakes region, according to a new report issued by a binational group that manages and protects the Great Lakes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/public-concern-climate-change-runoff-chemicals-ijc/

Natasha Blakely

On:
In: Climate change, lake erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water
Index: International Joint Commission’s 2020 Triennial Assessment of Progress Report

If you read the International Joint Commission’s 2020 Triennial Assessment of Progress Report or

watched the webinar where the IJC announced and discussed the findings, you might be curious about some of the other reports and documents referenced.

For the 2020 triennial report, go to the IJC’s website.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/index-international-joint-commission-2020-triennial-assessment-of-progress-report/

GLN Editor

On:
In: Daily News

Ducks Unlimited has joined with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and more than 40 other organizations to implement H2Ohio, a data-driven water quality plan to reduce harmful algal blooms, improve wastewater infrastructure and prevent lead contamination across Ohio. Read the full story by Richland Source.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-h2ohio

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

The small Michigan regulatory panel charged with deciding whether to let Enbridge build a tunnel-encased pipeline under the Mackinac Straits is shifting gears, announcing that it has ordered a rehearing for Enbridge’s application now that the company’s 1953 easement has been revoked by the state. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-enbridge-permit

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

Michigan lawmakers planned to begin swiftly passing a plan to borrow $600 million to fund the state’s proposed settlement with the residents of Flint, who sued after their municipal water supply was contaminated with elevated levels of lead for 18 months. Read the full story by The Associated Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-flint-water-settlement

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

The U.S. House voted to authorize the Brandon Road Lock & Dam project in Illinois as part of the final Water Resources and Development Act, an infrastructure bill that’s among several major year-end pieces of legislation moving right now through Congress. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-carp

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

Farmers use underground systems to manage rainwater, including many located where a massive swamp once made up the Ohio landscape. All those farms face challenges managing fertilizers and water in their fields with drainage systems. The level of success at managing those challenges can be seen in the size and severity of the yearly harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-field-tiles

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

The Great Lakes Water Authority will unveil a long-range, 40-year plan aimed at keeping more of the unmentionable stuff we flush out of our waterways while also keeping a lid on water and sewer rates. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-detroit-sewage

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

Flint has taken important steps toward resolving the lead contamination crisis that made the impoverished Michigan city a symbol of the drinking water problems that plague many U.S. communities, officials said earlier this week. Read the full story by The Associated Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-flint-water-crisis

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

A decision is near on whether the monarch butterfly, an iconic and beloved pollinator that migrates through the Great Lakes region each year, warrants listing as an endangered species in the U.S. as its population counts dwindle due to habitat loss. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-monarch-butterfly

Samantha Tank

On:
In: Daily News

With the announcement earlier this fall that Ontario’s Prince Edward County’s South Shore could be designated as a conservation reserve, the South Shore Joint Initiative (SSJI) hosted the first of a new webinar series where people learned not only what a conservation reserve is, but also what it’s not, and how it differs to a conservation area and a nature reserve. Read the full story by Countylive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201210-convservation-webinar

Samantha Tank

On:
In: animals, AP, Fish, Birds and Animals, News, recreational hunting, Recreational Hunting and Fishing, Wisconsin, wolves
Wisconsin says wolf season will be held next November

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin will resume its wolf season next November after the animal is dropped from the federal endangered species list, the state announced Friday.

The Department of Natural Resources said wolf season will begin Nov. 6. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last month that it would delist gray wolves, citing thriving populations in the western Great Lakes region, Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/ap-wisconsin-wolf-season-next-november/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Press Releases

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (December 9, 2020) – The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 yesterday, paving the way for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers investments to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes and to prevent flooding in communities through nature-based solutions. The bill (S. 1811) also prioritizes better consultation with local communities—especially those that have historically borne the brunt of pollution, such as minority, low-income and indigenous communities—when carrying out projects. The bill does not re-authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the successful program that has been cleaning up toxic pollution, restoring wildlife habitat, and reducing runoff pollution.

Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, said:

“This bill advances important priorities for the Great Lakes and the millions of people who depend on them for their drinking water, health, jobs, and quality of life. We support many provisions in this bill and look forward to final passage by the Senate. However, we are disappointed the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act was left out of the final package. We look forward to working with bipartisan members of Congress to ensure that we re-authorize this important program that is producing results for the environment and economy. Serious threats remain, and it’s important to address these problems now, before they get worse and most expensive to solve.”

The bill now heads to the Senate for final passage. It includes several provisions that are important to Great Lakes communities, including:

  • Authorizing Brandon Road Lock and Dam to help prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes.
  • Expanding the Corps of Engineers Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study that will provide critical guidance to help protect communities, infrastructure and ecosystems from flooding and high lake levels.
  • Prioritizing nature-based features (vegetation such as wetlands, parks, rain gardens) in Army Corps projects.
  • New standards for consultation with local and vulnerable communities.
  • New technical assistance and pilot programs to address resiliency planning and flood risk reduction in economically disadvantaged and rural communities.

The Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition sent a letter to House and Senate leaders, supporting Great Lakes priorities in the bill, while urging Congress to enact the full five-year reauthorization for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative via some other method, as previously proposed and passed, with incremental increases to its original funding level of $475 million.

Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 160 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at www.healthylakes.org or follow us on Twitter @healthylakes.

The post U.S. House Passes Water Infrastructure Bill with Great Lakes Priorities appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.

Original Article

Healing Our Waters Coalition

Healing Our Waters Coalition

https://healthylakes.org/u-s-house-passes-water-infrastructure-bill-with-great-lakes-priorities/

Pavan Vangipuram

On:
In: AP, flint, Groundwater Contamination, Lead, Michigan, News
Michigan will borrow $600M for Flint water settlement

By David Eggert, Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan lawmakers on Wednesday planned to begin swiftly passing a plan to borrow $600 million to fund the state’s proposed settlement with the residents of Flint, who sued after their municipal water supply was contaminated with elevated levels of lead for 18 months.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/12/ap-michigan-borrow-600m-flint-water-settlement/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Daily News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the Niagara River ice boom installation is planned to begin December 10. Each winter, the Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom has been installed near the outlet of Lake Erie to reduce the amount of ice entering the Niagara River. Read the full story by WKBW-TV- Buffalo, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201209-ice-boom

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

New York’s two U.S. senators joined the call for faster outflows from Lake Ontario Tuesday, as the International Joint Commission met to discuss whether to grant permission to send more water down the St. Lawrence River. Read the full story by the Buffalo News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201209-ontario-outflows

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

In Michigan, the Superior Watershed Partnership Land Conservancy will be protecting and restoring a 4–mile stretch of the Sturgeon River, after being awarded $2.1 Million from the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund Board. Read the full story by WBUP-TV- Marquette, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201209-sturgeon-river

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

After four years in the making, a set of maps has been created to show what lies underneath the water in the Milwaukee Harbor and what restoration efforts could help get the harbor removed from the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration’s list of heavily contaminated Areas of Concern. Read the full story by the Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20201209-milwaukee-harbor

Ken Gibbons