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In: Policy, Press Releases, Washington Update

Ann Arbor, Mich. (August 31, 2021) —The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is pleased to see the Trump Administration’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule vacated by the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona because the rule causes environmental harm. Restoring protections for streams and wetlands has been a priority of the Coalition.

“This decision is a victory for millions of people who depend on streams and wetlands for their drinking water and their health,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “With so many of our cities and towns living with unsafe drinking water, we need more – not less – protections for clean water. We look forward to working with the Biden Administration to put in place solid clean water protections to protect our drinking water, public health, and Great Lakes.”

The ruling comes as the result of a lawsuit by six federally recognized Indigenous tribes (Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Tohono O’odham Nation, Quinault Indian Nation, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) represented by Earthjustice, who sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for passing a rule that eliminated Clean Water Act protections for thousands of miles of streams and wetlands.

The Navigable Waters Protection Rule was a significant step backward for the health of the Great Lakes region’s waterways. The Trump Administration’s interpretation of the Clean Water Act ignored the overwhelming scientific evidence of the connectivity of waterways that we all rely on; discounted the negative impacts of unregulated pollution in ephemeral and intermittent streams; disregarded the importance of wetlands; and placed our drinking water and the waters that drive our economy at great risk.

The Coalition now urges the Biden Administration to move ahead immediately to restore and implement the regulatory definition in effect prior to the Navigable Waters Protection Rule and begin the rulemaking process on its replacement by the end of the year.

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.

###

CONTACT:
Jordan Lubetkin, LubetkinJ@nwf.org, (734) 904-1589
Lindsey Bacigal, BacigalL@nwf.org, (734) 887-7113

The post Court Decision Victory for Clean Water, Great Lakes appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.

Original Article

Healing Our Waters Coalition

Healing Our Waters Coalition

https://healthylakes.org/court-decision-victory-for-clean-water-great-lakes/

Lindsey Bacigal

On:
In: Adam Bechle, Beverly Shores, Chin Wu, Lake Michigan erosion, Mequon, Miles Tryon-Petith, nature-based shorelines, Robert Enright, social justice circles, south haven

It’s not often that a Sea Grant research project proposal contains the word “forgiveness.” However, that’s one of the missions of a multi-Sea-Grant-program endeavor taking place in three communities along the Lake Michigan coast.

Record-high water levels, severe storm surges and shoreline armoring have caused significant erosion to the bluffs and beaches in many areas along the 1,460-mile Lake Michigan shoreline. The ground beneath houses and garages on the shore is washing away, causing some structures to topple into the lake.

Along with this physical breakage comes emotional breakage, with neighbors blaming neighbors and community organizations for these problems.

Project lead Chin Wu, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said he is working to strengthen broken relationships and soothe anxiety. For example, tensions have run high in Mequon, Wisconsin, following Concordia University’s 2008 bluff stabilization project, including a lawsuit against the school brought by neighbors.

“There are people mad about every different aspect [of erosion],” Wu said. “But instead of blaming each other when natural forces take place, it’s the high-water levels that we need to cope with.”

The two-year joint project that began in 2020 is co-led by Wu, Guy Meadows with Michigan Technological University and Cary Troy with Purdue University. With funding by Sea Grant programs in Illinois-Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, the project seeks to address complex erosion issues through an integrated physical, social and community approach.

Although their joint project has the capacity to impact the whole of the lake and lakeshore communities, the research team is concentrating on three locations that are all experiencing erosion: Mequon, Wisconsin; the dunes at Beverly Shores, Indiana; and the shoreline of South Haven, Michigan.

For the physical aspect, they are working to identify coastal areas with high erosion potential, characterize areas where sediment is trapped or diverted by using historical aerial photos, and compile an inventory of coastal sediment budgets in Lake Michigan – how much sediment is coming into the lake, how much is going out, and how much is being stored. The team will also assess the cumulative impacts of shoreline protection structures through historical aerial images and different computer model scenarios of varying lake levels and storm events.

For the social aspect, the team will assess public attitudes and perceptions about different shore protection options and examine variables that affect community relationships.

For the community aspect, the team will develop a community of practice to guide decision-making for what coastal stabilization measures to use and communicate the information learned through the project back to the communities. A community of practice is a group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or an interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals.

Ph.D. student, Miles Tryon-Petith, installs a real-time camera to track erosion on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Mequon, Wisconsin. Submitted photo.

Miles Tryon-Petith, Wu’s civil and environmental engineering Ph.D. student from UW-Madison, said the community of practice will include local and regional organizations, such as the Department of Natural Resources as well as community leaders.

The forgiveness aspect of the project enters with factors that affect community relationships. Robert Enright, psychology professor, and his Ph.D. student, Lai Wong, at UW-Madison will employ social justice circles, a scientifically verified program that works to address issues about which people feel strongly. This method convenes opposing parties in a dialogue with the goals of fostering understanding and mutual problem-solving.

“Developing strong community relationships and introducing the social justice circles seemed very important because people’s homes and livelihoods are threatened by this ongoing problem. These are people living through the situation,” said Tryon-Petith.

The hope is that after working through the understanding and forgiveness exercises, communities can move on to discussing erosion-control solutions.

Wu emphasized that solutions lie with shoreline protection structures that employ engineering principles, which work with natural processes. He calls these nature-based solutions. These may include features that are completely natural, such as planting native vegetation on dunes, and those that are “hard,” such as concrete structures like seawalls. Multiple types of nature-based features are often combined within a project. Wu said the features would also be attractive to wildlife.

Adam Bechle, coastal engineering outreach specialist for Wisconsin Sea Grant and project team member, said, “There is growing interest in nature-based shorelines in the Great Lakes. We are eager to explore what types of these features can work at these sites and hopefully bolster their use in the region.”

Tryon-Petith said the project team met recently with community members in Mequon and Concordia University. “People were excited about moving forward – about what they could do or how we could work with each other, rather than lingering on what happened in the past. So, I’m optimistic about that.”

The goal of this project is not to actually build erosion-control structures but to identify which ones would work in different locations along the lake. Then, communities could seek funding for building them and implementing other erosion control measures.

“The dream is that we’re able to approach changing shorelines better,” said Tryon-Petith. “Erosion is such a behemoth of an issue. I’m starting to feel very excited working to find ways to tackle shoreline erosion around the lake. It’s not going to be the same solution everywhere . . . It’s very special to work on this issue with colleagues from Michigan and Illinois-Indiana. You can tell this isn’t a chore for them. This is clearly a passion for everyone involved.”

Read more details about the work going on in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan by following the links.

Other project personnel include Todd Breiby and Kate Angel with the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program; Pengfei Xue, Michigan Technological University; Sean Vitousek, United States Geological Survey; Stuart Carlton and Aaron Thompson, Purdue University; Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant; and Sarah Peterson, Boyuan Lu, Yuli Liu and Josh Anderson with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Additional funding is being provided by the Michigan Coastal Management Program and a NOAA Coastal Resilience grant.

The post Project tackles broken coastlines by strengthening community relationships on Lake Michigan first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/project-tackles-broken-coastlines-by-strengthening-community-relationships-on-lake-michigan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=project-tackles-broken-coastlines-by-strengthening-community-relationships-on-lake-michigan

Marie Zhuikov

On:
In: Daily News

Michigan state conservation officials say boaters, anglers, and hunters are spreading an invasive aquatic plant. The European frog-bit has been messing up Lake Erie and Michigan coastal areas and inland lakes in the central Lower Peninsula for almost 30 years, but its now popping up in new areas. Read the full story by Michigan Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

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

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

More toxic lead pipes than any other region of the country. An unmatched legacy of abandoned, highly polluted industrial sites. Dozens of corporations chronically in trouble for poisoning air and water. All of these maladies face whomever President Joe Biden picks to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency office that oversees Illinois, five other Midwestern states and the Great Lakes. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

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

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

In Michigan, locals prevailed in an impassioned effort to save a local beach and dunes from development, fueled by a large state grant and more than 800 donors. Cherry Beach grew from a tiny 253 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline to 657 feet, a 404-foot expansion onto sand that locals had already been using for a century. Read the full story by the South Bend Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

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

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Daily News

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

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

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

Beth Wanamaker

On:
In: Bud Harris, Hallet J. "Bud" Harris, Vicky and Bud Harris, Vicky Harris, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

Both provide service on Sea Grant advisory bodies

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation named Vicky and Hallet J. “Bud” Harris as conservationists of the year at a recent annual banquet. Both serve on Sea Grant advisory bodies — Vicky Harris serves on the Advisory Committee on Outreach and Education. She is also the retired water quality and habitat restoration specialist from Sea Grant. Bud Harris is on the advisory council and is a former chair of the body.

The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is made up of more than 200 conservation groups, meaning it is the largest non-governmental agency in the state with a mission to promote conservation.

Keith Pamperin, chair of the federation’s Great Lakes Committee, nominated the Harrises for the honor. Pamperin is a longtime public servant in Green Bay, so he has a strong familiarity with Vicky and Bud Harris’s contributions to conservation of the bay of Green Bay, its surrounding wetlands and the open waters of Lake Michigan.

“Over the past 50 years, we have been fortunate to work with so many talented people dedicated to restoring and protecting Green Bay and Lake Michigan,” said Vicky Harris. “It’s not that our work is so extraordinary, we’ve just stayed the course for a long time.”

Hallet J. “Bud” and Vicky Harris. Submitted photo.

In addition to her role with Sea Grant, Vicky Harris worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), where she led efforts to protect and rehabilitate the Green Bay ecosystems.

Bud Harris enjoyed a 30-year career at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where he taught environmental courses and mentored 15 graduate students, most studying some aspect of Green Bay coastal wetlands.

Through the university, he also kicked off Sea Grant’s Green Bay-campus-based subprogram. The subprogram’s research laid the groundwork for bay and wetlands restoration plans. Over the years Bud amassed a collection of more than 1,400 publications, reports and theses on the bay’s ecology, which is housed in the UW-Green Bay library archives.

“It is gratifying to see how foundational research can result in positive changes. However, in some cases it took 40-plus years for political will to catch up with the science,” Bud Harris said.

The pair worked with the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission, Great Lakes scientists, Green Bay resource managers and stakeholders to create an ecosystem restoration case study, which became the forerunner to the DNR Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for lower Green Bay and the Fox River. The plan was the first of 43 restoration plans in the Great Lakes basin to be approved and set the bar for stakeholder engagement, involving more than 100 people on eight technical and citizen advisory committees.

Vicky Harris helped lead public engagement and served as the DNR Green Bay/Fox River RAP coordinator for 10 years until joining Sea Grant in 1999. Bringing scientists, resource managers and community leaders together to tackle serious long-term environmental problems has been the hallmark of the Harrises careers. Even after retirement, both Harrises have remained active with Green Bay advisory committees and restoration projects to this day.

The efforts leading up to the Remedial Action Plan are only a part of extensive, and ongoing, involvement of the Harrises in northeastern Wisconsin, and wider, conservation work. Other highlights include:

  • Baseline PCB studies that led to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PCB mass balance study, which later informed Fox River cleanup success.
  • Leadership in the International Association for Great Lakes Research organization and the EPA’s Lake Michigan Forum.
  • Long-term efforts to restore a chain of island habitats in southern Green Bay.
  • Contributions toward a plan for reducing nutrient and sediment runoff to the river and bay.
  • Securing $1.8 million for a water-monitoring and data collection program that engaged high school educators and students.
  • Formation of the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program that educates and assists marinas in keeping Wisconsin boating waters clean.
  • Service on the Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Site Selection Committee.

“For as long as we’re able, we hope to continue pushing for restoration of this vibrant ecosystem so important to the Green Bay community and the Great Lakes region,” Vicky Harris said. “It’s encouraging to see the progress that’s been made, and the enthusiasm of the next generation of scientists and managers.”

“That’s great”, quipped Bud, “because at 85, I am beginning to look for a smooth landing field.”

Earlier this year, Sea Grant awarded Vicky and Bud its first-ever Actionable Science Award.

 

The post Vicky and Bud Harris named Wisconsin Wildlife Federation conservationists of the year first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/vicky-and-bud-harris-named-wisconsin-wildlife-federation-conservationists-of-the-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vicky-and-bud-harris-named-wisconsin-wildlife-federation-conservationists-of-the-year

Moira Harrington

On:
In: Uncategorized
The National Weather Service in Green Bay has issued a * Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory for... Northeastern Calumet County in east central Wisconsin... Manitowoc County in east central Wisconsin... Southern Brown County in northeastern Wisconsin... * Until 300 AM CDT.

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=WI1261B33A3438.FloodAdvisory.1261B33A7380WI.GRBFLSGRB.332db3053e6b924a54a48aa841368dd3

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
The National Weather Service in Green Bay has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Brown County in northeastern Wisconsin... Outagamie County in northeastern Wisconsin... * Until 400 AM CDT. * At 1234 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing

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=WI1261B33A0B98.FlashFloodWarning.1261B33A9A90WI.GRBFFWGRB.cd79a99451ea5d215e8c89cf7e244cfb

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of south central Brown, Calumet, eastern Winnebago, southeastern Outagamie and Manitowoc Counties through 1100 PM CDT... At 959 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Brillion to 6 miles west of St Anna. Movement was east at 30 mph.

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=WI1261B339A02C.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261B339D740WI.GRBSPSGRB.296e6a4d454fcc32d4dbd012d7a1f3d6

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of southwestern Brown, Calumet, Winnebago, southern Outagamie and northwestern Manitowoc Counties through 1000 PM CDT... At 907 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Menasha to 8 miles northeast of Rush Lake. Movement was east at 30 mph.

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=WI1261B3398C40.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261B339B030WI.GRBSPSGRB.296e6a4d454fcc32d4dbd012d7a1f3d6

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of eastern Wood, northern Brown, Portage, southeastern Marathon, northern Kewaunee, southern Menominee, northwestern Winnebago, northern Waushara, Waupaca, south central Oconto, Outagamie and Shawano Counties through 800 PM CDT... At 647 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong

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=WI1261B32D8D8C.SpecialWeatherStatement.1261B3396210WI.GRBSPSGRB.dadb1b0de2db6ddacb10ae04bac59eb4

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Uncategorized

Comments submitted by the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center seeks greater protections for rural communities increasingly impacted by pollution from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The comment, submitted to the Agriculture Commission and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, was drafted in response to a request for public comment on proposed 2022 Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices. In an oral comment presented at a virtual public meeting on August 25, 2021 and in a formal written comment submitted on Aug 27, 2021, GLELC attorneys highlighted the ongoing degradation of air and groundwater quality near CAFO facilities and sites where the enormous volume of animal waste they produce is sprayed or injected onto fields. Specifically, the comments stress the severe impacts this pollution has on the health and quality of life of nearby residents.

The entire comment can be read below.

Original Article

News - Great Lakes Environmental Law Center

News - Great Lakes Environmental Law Center

https://www.glelc.org/our-blog/2021/9/14/glelc-attorneys-urge-state-to-protect-health-of-rural-michiganders-from-cafo-pollution

Great Lakes Environmental Law Center

On:
In: Freshwater Weekly

August 27, 2021

This week: Support Freshwater Future by donating to our Walk, Paddle, and Roll Event + Ontario and U.S. residents share why #WeAreLakeErie + Upgrades Require Temporary Change in Flint Water Supply + Water is Life Festival, Saturday September 4th

 

Support Freshwater Future by donating to our Walk, Paddle, and Roll Event

Freshwater Future’s staff and board are raising an additional $10,000 by walking, paddling, biking, swimming, and other great activities around the Great Lakes to further our work helping people access safe, clean water resources. 

We need your help because everyone deserves safe, clean water resources from source to tap. You can make a difference today by donating to our Freshwater Future’s Walk Paddle and Roll Fundraising Challenge, which can be found here.  With YOUR support, Freshwater Future will make sure that community groups across the Great Lakes have the tools and resources they need to help make their water sources safer and cleaner.

 

Ontario and U.S. residents share why #WeAreLakeErie 

August 25th was the 5th annual celebration of #WeAreLakeErie, creating a virtual wave of support to push for actions to reduce phosphorus pollution that feed toxic algae blooms. Hundreds of users from various social media platforms participated through posting wonderful pictures and stories to highlight the importance of Lake Erie and the urgency to restore and protect this Great Lake. Freshwater Future as one of the founders of this movement is grateful for the massive participation of #WeAreLakeErie. To view the stories and photos, you can visit Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and search: #WeAreLakeErie

 

Water is Life Festival

On September 4th the Water is Life Festival will be back to host the celebration of water and our responsibility to keep it clean, safe, and accessible. The 2021 Water is Life Festival will be in Conkling Park, Mackinac Island, MI. The Festival boasts an amazing lineup of musicians and speakers, as well as a host of other fun activities! Register now for the event for a chance to win exciting door prizes.

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/freshwater-weekly/freshwater-future-weekly-august-27-2021/

Freshwater Future

On:
In: Collaboration, diving, Lake Huron, Latest News, national marine sanctuary, News, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research
SCUBAnauts enjoy first Great Lakes dive in Alpena

By Darby Hinkley, The Alpena News

This article is part of a collaboration between The Alpena News and Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television to bring audiences stories about the Great Lakes, especially Lake Huron and its watershed.

ALPENA — These teens have a lot of experience diving, but, until this month, none of them had any experience diving in any of The Great Lakes.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/scubanauts-great-lakes-dive-alpena/

The Alpena News

On:
In: Deb DeLuca, Duluth Port Authority, Duluth Seaway Port Authority, maritime shipping, Sea Grant Association, Susan White

It’s always nice to have one’s praises sung, and Deb DeLuca, director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, helped communicate the value of Sea Grant during a recent Capitol Hill briefing. The virtual briefing was held July 29 and moderated by Susan White, director of North Carolina Sea Grant. (Watch video of the briefing here.)

Sponsored by the Sea Grant Association, the briefing for members of Congress, their staffs and other interested people was designed to demonstrate the impacts Sea Grant programs have in their home states.

Deb DeLuca (submitted photo).

While DeLuca provided a Great Lakes perspective, other speakers were Beth Ginter, executive director of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council in Maryland, and Seth Rolbein, director of the Cape Cod Fisheries Trust in Massachusetts.

Of course, it’s no surprise that DeLuca would be a dedicated advocate for Sea Grant; after all, she serves on the advisory councils of both Wisconsin Sea Grant and Minnesota Sea Grant. That dual commitment makes perfect sense, given that the “Twin Ports” nickname refers to Duluth and Superior.

After sharing some facts about her port—the largest by tonnage on the Great Lakes and one of the top 20 in the nation, also by tonnage—DeLuca outlined some of the challenges the maritime transportation industry is facing, as well as concrete ways Sea Grant is helping with those challenges.

Some of DeLuca’s observations:

  • There’s been gentrification of the working waterfront in the Duluth/Superior area, and it’s important to work on public perceptions and social license for the shipping industry. While it may seem like all 21st century jobs are going digital, that is not the case. Roughly 8,000 jobs in DeLuca’s region are tied to shipping, and they pay well. What’s more, “These jobs are accessible across a broad range of educational backgrounds,” she said.
  • With the boom in outdoor recreation spurred by the pandemic, Sea Grant programs jumped in to keep people safe while engaging in recreational boating, kayaking and the like, such as a “Paddle Safe” program about avoiding entries to the harbor, how to behave around ships, and—for swimmers—how to stay safe from rip tides. “We do want people to use the water and for these two uses”—industry and recreation—“to exist together. Sea Grant’s been fantastic for that.”
  • DeLuca’s port has 19 miles of navigational channel that need to be dredged to remain operational, and “it’s always an issue where to put that material,” she said, as well as to determine most accurately the window of time it can be done safely. Sea Grant has pulled together fish habitat and reproduction data, as well as stakeholder input, to inform those decisions.

These are just three areas among several DeLuca noted to illustrate Sea Grant’s value in guiding smart, science-based decisions for the Great Lakes that balance the needs of various users and protect the environment for generations to come.

Watch the full briefing online to hear more of DeLuca’s comments, as well as those of her counterparts along the Atlantic Ocean.

The post At a virtual Capitol Hill briefing, Duluth port director describes Sea Grant’s impact first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/at-a-virtual-capitol-hill-briefing-duluth-port-director-describes-sea-grants-impact/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=at-a-virtual-capitol-hill-briefing-duluth-port-director-describes-sea-grants-impact

Jennifer Smith

On:
In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The States, Water Withdrawals
Question of Diversion: Great Lakes governors group silent on future water threats

“Lake Michigan coming to Idaho.”

That’s a potential solution to Idaho’s drought conditions suggested by a Twin Falls radio commentator in June. He said Idaho’s current drought is in its second year and cited a previous drought in the not-too-distant past that lasted seven years. The commentator went on to talk about pipelines of Great Lakes water heading west and their feasibility.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/diversion-great-lakes-governors-future-water-threats/

Gary Wilson

On:
In: Uncategorized

By Anna-Lisa Castle, Water Policy Manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes 

Anna-Lisa

My Work. My Community
As a Water Policy Manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes and as a resident of the McKinley Park neighborhood on Chicago’s southwest side, I wear two hats.

I am a water policy professional working to develop and advance policy solutions to complex water infrastructure and governance challenges, like safely removing toxic lead drinking water pipes without burdening households already struggling with water affordability and quality challenges. This is especially urgent as there is no safe level of lead in water, which can cause irreparable harm to neurological development in children and myriad other health impacts to people of all ages.

I am also part of an environmental justice community – McKinely Park – of about 15,000 people, plurality Latino and Asian with majority low- and moderate-income households in older housing stock served by lead service lines. We have heavy truck traffic and industrial activity and our neighborhood have increasingly been targeted for development.

When the ground literally shakes under semis and bulldozers, I think about the lead pipes delivering drinking water to all of us. I wonder if the corrosion treatment lining those pipes has been compromised or if toxic lead particles have shaken loose, leaching into the water we drink, cook with, and bathe our children in. I wonder if my multilingual neighbors are able to access information or resources to protect themselves against lead contamination. And I wonder how lead in water factors into the layers of other stressors on my neighborhood, including industrial pollution, rising housing and utility costs, and, recently, the havoc wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic. Cumulative impact is something my neighbors and I are deeply concerned about and work to address as part of our local, community-based organization, Neighbors for Environmental Justice. 

Illinois Taking Steps to Eliminate Lead-Contaminated Drinking Water
Aging lead service lines represent an unnecessary public health liability even when they sit undisturbed and largely invisible to the public, connecting millions of households to water mains around the country. The problem is national in scope, with an estimated 10+ million lead service lines in use, not to mention millions more made of “unknown materials”. Taken together, the Great Lakes – which provide drinking water to 30+ million people in the U.S. – are home to 7 of the top 10 states with the highest number of lead service lines.

Illinois is at the top of that list, with Chicago the epicenter of this national crisis.. The Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (HB 3739), approved by the Illinois General Assembly earlier this year, is due for the governor’s signature within days. Illinois will become the second U.S. state to pass lead service line replacement legislation, following Michigan. Leaders at Metropolitan Planning Council, Illinois Environmental Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, and many others deserve a lot of credit in getting us here. Communities, water utilities, state agencies, and nonprofit partners will need to be diligent to ensure the law is implemented equitably.

Many states have required inventories to identify lead service lines, but more of our Great Lakes states should step up to support full replacement and safe, affordable, lead-free drinking water. Communities don’t have to wait for state legislation. We can look to cities like Cincinnati, Ohio, Madison, Wisconsin, and Denver, Colorado which has taken on full lead service line replacement with cost-sharing options or no cost to homeowners.

Congressional Action Needed
And Congress must step up, too. The Great Lakes Congressional delegation must continue to prioritize lead service line replacement in the federal infrastructure package and keep or increase proposed funding levels to address the multibillion-dollar backlog of drinking water infrastructure needs. According to the American Water Works Association, an estimated $1 trillion is needed to repair, replace, and expand drinking water systems over the next two decades. Water infrastructure funding must also include support for technical assistance to community water systems that most need it to develop robust, equitable lead service line replacement programs and strategies to engage the people they serve in that process.

US EPA Must Take Clear and Decisive Action
At the same time, the US Environmental Protection Agency must take a strong, science-backed, and health-based approach to revise and update the federal Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). A strong federal LCR is essential for driving action and setting a high bar for communities around the country, including my hometown of Chicago, where I have worked with valued colleagues on the city’s Lead Service Line Replacement Working Group. Even as US EPA continues to review and revise the LCR, the anticipated rule is already serving as an impetus for cities like Chicago to start on lead service line replacement and get ahead of federal action. Clear and decisive action by US EPA on the federal lead rule is needed to safeguard public health.

Looking to the Future
Safe, affordable, lead-free water is essential for everyone in the region, but too many are living without this basic water security. Public policy governing our drinking water must take a health-based, equity-driven approach that speeds up, not slows down, removal of toxins from our water. The Alliance looks forward to continuing to work with our partners, US EPA, and the Great Lakes Congressional delegation to ensure that communities have the tools they need to realize safe, clean affordable water for all.

Tell Congress: It’s Time To Fix Our Failing Water Infrastructure

No one should be without clean, affordable water in their home. No one should have to worry about sewage backing up into their basement or community flooding from failing wastewater systems.

Take Action

The post Illinois shows leadership for lead-free drinking water; further action is needed across the Great Lakes region 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/2021/08/illinois-shows-leadership-for-lead-free-drinking-water-further-action-is-needed-across-the-great-lakes-region/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Daily News

Much of the history regarding the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald surrounds what was lost, but there is an important item that was found — and it’s now on full display. In the summer of 1995, months before the 20th anniversary of the ship’s sinking in November 1975, a mission was started to recover the bell on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Read the full story by KSAT-TV- Paradise, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210827-fitzgerald

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

The proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary has been in the planning stages for years and would include hundreds of square miles of Lake Ontario off Cayuga, New York. As officials continue narrowing options for a possible marine sanctuary, a series of public information sessions has been scheduled. Read the full story by The Citizen.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210827-sanctuary-ontario

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

Great Lakes steel production dipped by 2,000 tons last week, though U.S. steel mills remained at 85% capacity utilization. National steel output is up more than nearly 20% so far this year and more than 27% higher than at the same time last year. Read the full story by the Northwest Indiana Times.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210827-steel

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Daily News

Erosion, flooding and high water levels are some of the most concerning issues across the Great Lakes region. But communities lack the funding, knowledgeable staff and support from government agencies to face these issues. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210827-coastal

Ken Gibbons

On:
In: Budget, Climate change, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Coastal Concerns: Communities lack skilled staff and funding to tackle erosion and flooding

Erosion, flooding and high water levels are some of the most concerning issues across the Great Lakes region, according to a recent survey.

But communities lack the funding, knowledgeable staff and support from government agencies to face these issues.

Water levels in the Great Lakes basin change naturally with recurring high and low water levels.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/coastal-resilience-communities-funding-erosion-flooding/

Taylor Haelterman

On:
In: AP, Climate change, Forests and Plants, isle royale, Michigan, News
Fire on Michigan’s remote Isle Royale 15 percent contained

ISLE ROYAL, Mich. (AP) — A wildfire on Michigan’s remote Isle Royale has been about 15% percent contained and crews have saved some historic cabins from encroaching flames, an official said Wednesday.

The fire began Aug. 10, apparently sparked by a lightning strike on the drought-stricken wilderness island, said Liz Valencia, a spokeswoman for Isle Royale National Park.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-fire-michigan-isle-royale-15-percent-contained/

The Associated Press

On:
In: AP, enbridge, Enbridge Line 5 and Other Pipelines, indigenous communities, line 3, Minnesota, News, oil pipelines
Line 3 opponents descend on Minnesota Capitol to seek a stop

By Mohamed Ibrahim, Associated Press/Report for America

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Protesters descended upon the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday to rally against Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline as the project nears completion.

The rally, part of a series of events called Treaties over Tar Sands organized by Indigenous and environmental activists, called on Gov.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/ap-line-3-opponents-minnesota-capitol/

The Associated Press

On:
In: Uncategorized
...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR VILAS, ONEIDA, FOREST, FLORENCE, MARINETTE, LINCOLN, LANGLADE, MENOMINEE, OCONTO, DOOR, MARATHON, SHAWANO, WOOD, PORTAGE, WAUPACA, OUTAGAMIE, BROWN, AND KEWAUNEE COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution which will remain in

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=WI1261B31D0390.AirQualityAlert.1261B32ABC10WI.GRBAQAGRB.a99a1adb33cd2194593c574ec8b79cde

w-nws.webmaster@noaa.gov

On:
In: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Success Stories

After years of clean-up efforts, the Ashtabula River in Ohio is no longer considered one of the “most environmentally degraded” areas in the Great Lakes Region thanks, in part, to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding. The cleanup was a large integrated effort between the EPA, U.S. Corps of Engineers, Ohio EPA, the Ashtabula City Port Authority, and others, and included the removal of massive amounts of contaminated sediment from the bottom of the river, the installation of 2,500 feet of fish habitat, and remediation of the Fields Brook Superfund site.

“This is a clear example of how federal funding is producing results in local communities toward safe, clean drinking water, increasing recreational opportunities, and accelerating clean-up efforts in some of the most polluted communities in the region,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We are thrilled with the delisting and realize that there are other toxic sites around the region that continue to pollute the water, poison drinking water, and make the fish unsafe to eat. The additional $1 billion for the GLRI in the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill will continue and expand this important work for the health and safety of the region.”

The post Ashtabula River in Ohio Removed from Areas of Concern List appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.

Original Article

Healing Our Waters Coalition

Healing Our Waters Coalition

https://healthylakes.org/ashtabula-river-in-ohio-removed-from-areas-of-concern-list/

Jordan Lubetkin

On:
In: American Players Theater, Anne Moser, Ginny Carlton, NOAA Marine Debris Program, The Play's the Thing

Plastic pollution at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area on Lake Erie demonstrates the problem of marine debris in the Great Lakes. Image credit: NOAA

Wisconsin Sea Grant is leading one of six projects recently funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program. The projects, announced today, focus on preventing the introduction of marine debris (trash, fishing gear and microplastics) into coastal and Great Lakes environments.

Wisconsin’s project is, “The Play’s the Thing: Using Drama as an Introduction to Marine Debris Prevention and Meaningful Stewardship Experiences.” Led by Ginny Carlton with help from Anne Moser and Jim Hurley, the project will harness the power of storytelling to engage, educate and inspire performing artists and community members to be committed stewards of their Great Lakes watershed.

The team will work with the American Players Theater to pilot a theatrical piece about marine debris science to educate and motivate change in two Lake Michigan communities (Racine and Egg Harbor, Wisconsin). In addition to the performance, the project includes marine debris prevention workshops, cleanup events, and public outreach and education activities. The script from the play will be available for use for Great Lakes education after the project is completed.

The other five projects are coming from Sea Grant programs in Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Illinois-Indiana and Puerto Rico. They were awarded $300,000 in federal funds, matched by nonfederal contributions, bringing the total investment to approximately $600,000. The activities begin this summer and continue for up to two years.

See the full list of projects.

“The continued effort between Sea Grant and the Marine Debris Program leverages the strengths of both programs to effectively address marine debris challenges nationwide,” said National Sea Grant College Program director Jonathan Pennock. “We look forward to seeing these new and creative strategies for marine debris prevention.”

This is the second year that Sea Grant and the Marine Debris Program offered a joint funding opportunity. Projects funded in the first year were aimed at reducing marine debris across the U.S.

The post Using drama as an introduction to marine debris prevention first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/using-drama-as-an-introduction-to-marine-debris-prevention/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=using-drama-as-an-introduction-to-marine-debris-prevention

Marie Zhuikov

On:
In: Daily News

U.S. and Canadian researchers completed a reference genome, or digital genetic map, for lake trout. The feat should boost efforts to rebuild populations of the prized fish in the Great Lakes and other North American waters where they’ve been hammered by invasive species, overfishing and pollution. Read the full story by The Associated Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-trout-genome

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

The western region of Lake Superior has seen increases in precipitation intensity of around 35-40% since the mid-1900s. These heavy rains wash loads of sediment and nutrients directly into the lake and into surrounding rivers that lead into the lake, providing a banquet for blue-green algae. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-algal-bloom

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

Aerial surveys conducted by Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission wildlife biologists in northern Wisconsin have indicated that 2021 may be one of the worst wild rice crop years since a 2010 disease outbreak. Read the full story by WXPR–TV – Rhinelander, WI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-wild-rice

Patrick Canniff

On:
In: Daily News

Environmental groups are calling on the Air Force and the State of Michigan to get serious about cleaning up PFAS from decades of training and firefighting foam around the site of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Read the full story by NPR.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20210825-pfas

Patrick Canniff