Mercury pollution remains a problem in many parts of the Great Lakes, but new research from Canada’s Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario shows that efforts to reduce the amount of mercury going into a lake can have quick and dramatic effects on the levels of the pollutant in fish populations. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-mercury
In Detroit and Flint, Michigan, one in 10 households spend more than a quarter of their income, outside of other essentials like food and utilities, on water services. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-water-cost
A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-satefy-standards
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will soon begin charging visitors entrance fees for the first time in the 55-year history of the tourist destination in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-pictured-rocks
Michigan Department of Natural Resource officials reported 12 elk died after falling through the ice on a private lake in northern Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-elk
Enbridge Energy moved to shift a Michigan lawsuit to federal court, seeking the shutdown of an oil pipeline that runs beneath a channel linking two of the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-pipeline
Testing revealed more evidence of groundwater contaminated with dioxane in residential areas in southeast Michigan. This comes just more than a month after officials announced the discovery of the toxic chemical pollution. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-dixoane
An appeals court is ruling on a lawsuit filed in White Earth Tribal Court attempting to stop the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from issuing a permit to Enbridge Energy to pump water from trenches dug to lay the pipe for the Line 3 oil pipeline. Read the full story by MPR News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-tribal-court
State testing shows a drop in toxic lead levels in the west Michigan community of Benton Harbor due to a corrosion treatment at the water plant. However, community advocates remain skeptical of the results due to concerns with previous testing efforts. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211217-lead-levels
By Scott Bauer, Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state appeals court on Thursday refused to reinstate a permit for a proposed $75 million frac sand operation in western Wisconsin, a victory for environmentalists who have been fighting for years to protect the 16 acres (6.5 hectares) of pristine wetlands.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-court-frac-sand-plant/
THIS WEEK: Give the Gift of Helping to Ensure the Healthy Future of Our Great Lakes Waters! + Manufacturing Giant Dumps Over 400 Gallons of Oil into Wisconsin’s Menomonee River + Ontario Study: Laundry Filter Can Reduce Plastic Pollution + Lead in Drinking Water Have You Worried?
Do you have someone on your holiday list that already has it all? Why not make a donation in honor of family and friends to Freshwater Future this holiday season. The recipient gets to be a part of helping more people and communities in the Great Lakes Region access clean and safe water resources. Freshwater Future will also send a greeting card acknowledging your gift. Click HERE to make a donation today!
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin a 400 gallon spill of oil was dumped into the stormwater sewage line that leads into the Menomonee River. Milwaukee Riverkeeper was frustrated with the slow response because delay can allow oil to sink and increase the potential for long term impacts. This is yet another example of the need for stronger oversight and monitoring to ensure these events don’t happen and keep human life and aquatic life alike safe with clean water.
Research undertaken by the University of Toronto and Georgian Bay Forever found that installing a filter on household washing machines can significantly reduce the amount of microfibers in waste water. Microfibers are shed from synthetic fabrics (polyester) and treated natural fabrics (wool, cotton) every time they are washed. These microfibers flow through the wastewater system and enter lakes and rivers. Microfibers are now the most common type of microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes and are present in water samples, sediment, fish and humans. In spring 2021, opposition MPPs introduced a private members bill that would require filters in new washing machines in the province of Ontario, but it has not progressed to second reading. France will require filters on all washing machines by 2025 and California is considering similar legislation.
Are you worried about whether you have lead in your drinking water? Lead materials in pipes, solder or faucets increase the risk that lead can leach into your water. But it isn’t always easy to know what materials are in your pipes. It can seem overwhelming to understand what to do and how to keep your family safe. To help you–here are some simple steps to turn that worry into actions.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-december-17-2021/
By John Flesher, Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A new federal regulation requires higher safety standards for pipelines carrying oil and other hazardous liquids through the Great Lakes region, marine coastal waters and beaches, officials said Thursday.
The rule issued by the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration designates those locations as “high consequence” zones where pipeline operators must step up inspections, repairs and other measures to avoid spills.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-safety-standards-pipelines/
Denia Djokić first got interested in nuclear engineering because of climate change. That was nearly two decades ago when she was a college student at UC Berkeley and learned how energy issues were central to create a more sustainable planet.
“When we’re 21, we want to go out and save the world,” she said.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/nuclear-waste-great-lakes-region/
The report’s findings were shared at the December meeting of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Regional Body and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Compact Council. Since 1988, the eight states and two provinces in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin have submitted water use data to the Great Lakes Commission. The GLC compiles and summarizes these datasets into an annual report, which is presented to the Regional Body and Compact Council.
“The water use data published annually by the Great Lakes Commission helps to ensure that regional decision-makers protect and use the waters of our Great Lakes wisely,” said Timothy Bruno, Great Lakes Commissioner, chief of the Office of the Great Lakes at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and designated chair of the Regional Body. “With the growing effects of climate change and extreme weather on the basin, carefully managing our resources will be even more critical in the years to come.”
To read the report, visit waterusedata.glc.org.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/news/water-use-database-121721
A key factor in understanding lead risks for your family from drinking water is knowing whether the pipes that bring water to your home and the pipes and faucets inside your home contain lead.
If you are unsure about your plumbing, you can test your water for lead. Remember this is just a snapshot of the water at that time, and lead levels can fluctuate. Using the first and fifth liter testing methods can help determine if you have lead pipes inside and outside your home.
If you know that you have a lead service line, all water in the home should be treated as a potential risk for high lead. This means using the 4 step approach below.
Until you are able to determine the makeup of your pipes and faucets, you can still protect your family by assuming they are lead. The following will help reduce your exposure to potential lead in drinking water:
For a good overview of what testing results mean, check out this fact sheet.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/drinking-water/does-lead-in-drinking-water-have-you-worried/
Researchers are studying a long-vanished village near southern Lake Michigan that a World War II arsenal helped preserve.
The post Great Lakes region WWII armory preserves Indigenous village first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/12/17/great-lakes-region-wwii-armory-preserves-indigenous-village/
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/grb/121521_severe_wind_event
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5CEE94.WindAdvisory.1261CA5D2670WI.GRBNPWGRB.a92bb8ee8b557fa8d6627a7ae8fe2d37
It’s the contributions from water researchers and managers that help us all understand and protect these precious assets. Here is a year in review of University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute projects, along with others by our sister organization, the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program.
The post 2021 Year in Review first appeared on WRI.
News Release | WRI
https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/2021-year-in-review/
This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.
By Nicholas Simon, Great Lakes Echo
Efforts by politicians to create a hunting season for eastern sandhill cranes in both Wisconsin and Michigan are stirring debates among hunters, farmers and birders.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/eastern-sandhill-cranes-hunt/
By Michael Phillis, Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The amount of lead in Benton Harbor, Michigan’s drinking water has declined, new testing shows, after three straight years of elevated results compelled residents to consume bottled water and prompted a hurried effort to replace old pipes.
Lead levels in the majority Black city’s drinking water are now just within standards set by the state that if exceeded, force a utility to take corrective action and inform residents of a problem, according to state officials.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-tests-lead-benton-harbor/
By John Flesher, Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Enbridge Energy moved Wednesday to shift to federal court a Michigan lawsuit seeking shutdown of an oil pipeline that runs beneath a channel linking two of the Great Lakes.
The Canadian company argued that a 2019 lawsuit filed in a state court by Attorney General Dana Nessel should be heard by U.S.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-enbridge-federal-jurisdiction/
CONTACT:
Lindsey Bacigal, BacigalL@nwf.org, (734) 887-7113
Jordan Lubetkin, Lubetkin@nwf.org, (734) 904-1589
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (DECEMBER 16, 2021)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition and 63 of its members are urging the Biden Administration to fully fund Great Lakes restoration efforts that clean up toxic pollution, restore wildlife habitat, reduce runoff pollution, and fight invasive species. In a letter sent yesterday to the director the Office of Management and Budget, the Coalition is urging the Biden Administration to request $400 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in the president’s annual budget, expected in February. Read the letter on our website.
“Federal investments to restore and protect the Great Lakes have been producing results in communities across the region,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “However, urgent problems remain, and much work still needs to be done to ensure that everyone in the region has access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water. We hope that the Biden Administration shows its support for the Great Lakes and our drinking water by fully funding this important program.”
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has supported more than 6,000 projects in the eight-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in support of clean drinking water, heathy communities, and recreational opportunities. These efforts are helping communities clean up toxic pollution to protect the health of people, reduce farm runoff to safeguard drinking water, and restore fish and wildlife habitat to support outdoor recreation.
“The Great Lakes still face urgent problems, and much work needs to be done,” the Coalition writes in its letter to OMB. “Dwindling habitat, invasive species, and toxic pollutants threaten the region, endangering human and wildlife health, lowering property values, and hurting the region’s economy. Moreover, emerging contaminants and a changing climate continue to exacerbate the challenges we face, many of which disproportionately impact people that have historically borne the brunt of environmental injustice. Allowing these problems to get worse will only put our communities at risk and make them more expensive to solve.”
Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 170 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at HealthyLakes.org or follow us on Twitter @HealthyLakes.
###
The post Coalition Urges Biden Administration to Support Great Lakes in 2023 Budget Request appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/coalition-urges-biden-administration-to-support-great-lakes-in-2023-budget-request/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5BCA64.WindAdvisory.1261CA5D2670WI.GRBNPWGRB.a92bb8ee8b557fa8d6627a7ae8fe2d37
The seemingly endless process of crafting, negotiating and passing the infrastructure legislation is over.
The bill topped out at a trillion dollars, and $1 billion of that funding is coming to the Great Lakes region for continued restoration of the lakes. That’s in addition to the ongoing federal funding of over $300 million annually the lakes have received since 2010.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/epa-toxic-sediment-funding/
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/humans-ncei-jason-cooper
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5B0778.HighWindWarning.1261CA5BEDF0WI.GRBNPWGRB.88e12791e51c0ed7d10c10a9ec232e0d
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5AB890.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261CA5B307CWI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Michigan farms that offer agricultural tourism opportunities have seen record-breaking attendance over the past two years.
The post ‘Organic growth’ fuels record-breaking agritourism season, experts say first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/12/16/organic-growth-fuels-record-breaking-agritourism-season-experts-say/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A7C04.HighWindWarning.1261CA5BEDF0WI.GRBNPWGRB.b152675b37e976e5b58a342e2ecc9e22
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A7C04.HighWindWarning.1261CA5BEDF0WI.GRBNPWGRB.b152675b37e976e5b58a342e2ecc9e22
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A736C.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261CA5B0390WI.GRBSPSGRB.f28f78ea0a3bc4c27478ddeb32b12f81
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A6F20.SevereThunderstormWatch.1261CA5AB570WI.GRBWCNGRB.87b37f884e50d9a2da85753ebc520407
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A5620.SevereThunderstormWatch.1261CA5AB570WI.GRBWCNGRB.c47b86d48770daf1190f7e6f055b9b4b
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A2998.SevereThunderstormWatch.1261CA5AB570WI.WNSWOU7.73a56a8da128979d45ec2928e6fbc141
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA5A0094.HighWindWarning.1261CA5BEDF0WI.GRBNPWGRB.12d3cd2527f503c191dbd7389d26e2fb
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA4D4B74.HighWindWarning.1261CA5BEDF0WI.GRBNPWGRB.12d3cd2527f503c191dbd7389d26e2fb
MUNISING, Mich. (AP) — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will soon begin charging visitors entrance fees for the first time in the 55-year history of the tourist destination in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Park officials announced Monday that the park along Lake Superior will start charging visitor fees starting March 1, 2022, and that camping fees and lighthouse tour fees will increase as of Jan.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/ap-pictured-rocks-entrance/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI1261CA4D1014.HighWindWarning.1261CA5BEDF0WI.GRBNPWGRB.12d3cd2527f503c191dbd7389d26e2fb
Reducing mercury pollution to lakes can lower methylmercury contamination in fish within just a few years according to research reported today in the online version of the journal Nature. The findings suggest efforts to control mercury emissions can reduce the risk of human exposure through fish consumption.
Mercury released because of human activity can find its way into aquatic ecosystems, where it is converted into methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin that accumulates in fish and poses a health threat to humans. There is limited understanding of the effectiveness of controls on mercury emissions in removing methylmercury from the food chain.
Researchers in the Experimental Lakes Area of Canada adding mercury isotopes to study lake. Contributed photo.
A 15-year study on the effects of mercury control efforts on the recovery of fish contamination was conducted on a remote, undisturbed Canadian lake and its watershed. Wisconsin Sea Grant Director Jim Hurley was part of the research team that also included scientists from binational regulatory agencies and other academic institutions in the U.S. and Canada.
“This study shows the value of long-term multi-disciplinary, consistent research. We were able to observe the impacts of both an increase and decrease in contaminant loading over several years. Both showed rapid responses in the chemistry and biology of the lake and its watershed,” Hurley said.
Jim Hurley (left) and Todd Kuiken, Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans, homogenize the mercury isotope solution to ensure the carboys on each boat have the same concentration. Photo: Chris Babiarz
This whole-ecosystem experiment for seven years supplied specific isotopes of mercury to the ecosystem. During this period, the researchers recorded an increase in the uptake of this isotopically labelled mercury as methylmercury in the fish. Methylmercury concentrations increased by 45–57% in invertebrates (plankton, for example) and small fish (such as yellow perch), and by more than 40% in large fish, such as pike and whitefish.
Then, mercury additions ceased and the effects on the food chain were observed for eight years. Labelled methylmercury quickly diminished in the smaller fish, with concentrations dropping by at least 85% by the end of the study period. This triggered a subsequent reduction of labelled methylmercury in the larger fish, with concentrations declining by 76% in pike and 38% in whitefish.
The rapid reductions in methylmercury contamination observed in these experiments demonstrates the potential for mercury emission controls to improve the safety of fish for human consumption, the authors concluded.
The post Study in Nature shows reduction of mercury pollution in waterways reaps relatively quick benefit first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.
News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/study-in-nature-shows-reduction-of-mercury-pollution-in-waterways-reaps-relatively-quick-benefit/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-in-nature-shows-reduction-of-mercury-pollution-in-waterways-reaps-relatively-quick-benefit
Mercury pollution remains a problem in many parts of the Great Lakes, but new research from Canada’s Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario shows that efforts to reduce the amount of mercury going into a lake can have quick and dramatic effects on the levels of the pollutant in fish populations.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/fish-recover-mercury-pollution/
Midwest governors and Congressional delegates are advocating for funding to speed along the fortification of a chokepoint lock and dam near Chicago that would become the last line of defense against invasive carp reaching the Great Lakes when completed. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-carp
A group of Democratic U.S. Senators from Great Lakes states wants President Joe Biden to prioritize projects that benefit the region when he allots dollars from the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal adopted earlier this year. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-infastructure
According to newly released data, Minnesota has lost an average of 10 to 14 days of lake ice over the past 50 years — a change officials say is hurting local economies, the environment and the Minnesota way of life. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-minnesota
Lake Michigan’s high waters in recent years have limited beach access and damaged amenities at state parks along the Wisconsin shoreline. The state Department of Natural Resources is weighing a fundamental question: Preserve land or let nature take its course? Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-wisconsin
The Biden administration has invited Great Lakes tribes for input on upcoming talks with Canada over the fate of Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5. Read the full story by E&E News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-line-5
The historic wooden-hulled snow-brig U.S. Brig Niagara has been out of the water for the first time in years, sitting in Cleveland for some much needed repairs. But after two months away, Erie’s beloved tall ship is returning home. Read the full story by WICU-TV – Erie, PA.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-brig
Road salt is affecting everything in Lake Erie, including suppressed reproduction, low survival rates, and reduced growth rates of fish and macroinvertebrates. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-salt
When we wash our clothes, they shed up to hundreds of thousands of microfibers, some of which will enter our waterways. Now a two-year-long study into washing machine filters in an Ontario community shows something can be done. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-microfibers
Efforts by politicians to create a hunting season for eastern sandhill cranes in both Wisconsin and Michigan are stirring debates among hunters, farmers and birders. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20211215-cranes
