Live fire weapons demonstrations will be part of a day’s worth of World War II reenactments, held aboard the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum, the historic warship docked at 560 Mart St. in downtown Muskegon, on Saturday, July 25. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200724-muskegon-reenactors
During Erie’s early waterfront years, Rufus and Charles Reed maintained a monopoly hold on the local docks and shipping. The current dock iteration began with the creation of the Bayfront Parkway which provides access to portions of Erie, Pennsylvania’s waterfront that had never been seen by residents and made it possible for commercial ventures to open on or near the water. Read the full story by the Erie Reader.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200724-erie-docks
The Government Accountability Office released a study Thursday saying that Plan 2014 needs to be fixed. The report says the IJC has taken steps to adjust if necessary. Read the full story by WROC – Rochester, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200724-ijc-plan
Since taking office in May 2019, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has emphasized that her environmental priorities are focused on the social justice issues of access to drinking water and clean air.
“The mayor is deeply committed to putting environmental justice at the forefront of her environmental agenda,” spokesperson Hali Levandoski told Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/chicago-mayor-environmental-priority-neglected-communities/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/07/24/fish-farmers-find-new-applications-for-old-dairy-farming-equipment/
Madeline Island Yacht Club has been certified as a Wisconsin Clean Marina. As such, the yacht club promotes environmentally responsible business practices to minimize pollution and improve water quality.
The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program was launched in 2010, and 20 Wisconsin marinas have since taken steps to voluntarily adopt practices to become certified.
Madeline Island Yacht Club (Submitted photo)
“We commend Madeline Island Yacht Club for following the best management practices set by the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program at their marina,” said Theresa Qualls, Wisconsin Clean Marina Program coordinator.
“We love the lake. We as a club, the membership, the staff and the board felt it was important because we value the great resource that we have been lucky enough to enjoy. Whether having grown up in the area or traveling great distances to get here for a summer get away, we love the lake and call it home,” said Alan Hardie, assistant service manager, Madeline Island Yacht Club.
Marinas, related industries and services contribute more than $2.7 billion to Wisconsin’s economy. Through the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program, marinas will prevent pollution and protect fish, wildlife and public health. They know that clean water is important to boaters and Wisconsin’s coastal communities.
The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program is administered by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Program in partnership with the Wisconsin Marine Association, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Fund for Lake Michigan.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/madeline-island-yacht-club-is-wisconsins-newest-clean-marina/
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer criticized Enbridge Inc. on Wednesday for what she described as the company’s refusal to make an airtight pledge to pay for damages caused by a potential oil spill from its pipeline beneath a Great Lakes channel.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/ap-whitmer-enbridge-dodging-responsibility-line-5-oil-spill/
With two segments in the latest episode of the Great Lakes Now monthly program, producer David Ruck is bringing audiences insight about two major issues in the Great Lakes region: how pollution from farmland impacts water quality and what financial cost current high water levels are having for communities around the region.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/water-great-lakes-now-producer/
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer criticized Enbridge Energy for refusing to take financial responsibility for any damages caused by a potential oil spill from its pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WTTV–TV – Indianapolis, IN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-enbridge
New standards limiting how much toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS can be in Michigan’s public drinking water will take effect August 3 after a legislative committee adjourned without taking action to block or change them. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-carp
A decade ago, the disastrous oil spill on the Kalamazoo River in Michigan raised awareness about the dangers of piping oil throughout the Great Lakes region. The spill’s impact continues to be felt in communities along the Kalamazoo River and around the Great Lakes. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-kzoo-spill
A new collective of community foundations called the Smart Citizen Science Initiative wants to combine big data and smartphones to grow community interest in protecting Lake Erie and its tributaries. The group hopes to deploy a small gadget that can be connected to a smartphone to measure algae in the lake and connecting waterways. Read the full story by WBFO – Buffalo, NY.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-smartphones-in-lakes
The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its grand opening, an event that connected Indiana to the world economy. Today, the Port of Burns Harbor supports over 30,000 jobs and contributes $4.6 billion in economic activity to the local economy each year. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-indiana-burns-harbor
A young man from Kettle & Stony Point First Nation and the Saugeen Ojibway Nationis on a 28-day canoe journey along the shore of Lake Huron to help others understand the importance of the lake and the complex and troubled relationship between the water, First Nations, and settler populations. Read the full story by Anishinabek News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-anishinaabe-journey
As the Great Lakes approach record high temperatures this summer, warmer waters in Lake Erie increase the likelihood of toxic algae growth that impacts drinking water and recreation on the lake. Read the full story The Buffalo News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-warm-lake-habs
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is presenting a series of virtual workshops this summer and fall on green stormwater infrastructure to promote stormwater management options in Cheboygan, Michigan, and is offering residents rain barrels to reduce stormwater runoff. Read the full story by the Cheboygan Daily Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-tip-of-the-mitt
A new report prepared for Environment and Climate Change Canada revealed the extent of garbage floating around the Great Lakes. Microfibers from clothing and cigarette butts are the most common types of trash found in the lakes. Read the full story by Soo Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-trash
Scientists predict that warmer temperatures in Lake Huron associated with climate change will harm ecosystems and biodiversity in the lake. Fish populations are sensitive to temperature fluctuations and warm waters harm reproduction in many fish species. Read the full story by Soo Today.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200722-huron-temps
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/grb/PedestalSLEPupgrade
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F58DF77D4.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F58EBB184WI.GRBSPSGRB.6e531d1a6a7226481fdabd9f691e869c
Large-scale dairy and animal farms fuel the annual toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie — are regulation loopholes contributing? Record-high water levels are costing lakefront towns millions of dollars, and the Midland dam breach came after years of warning from regulators.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/water-damage-episode-1016/
By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior
Tackling the challenge of developing resilience in coastal communities across the Great Lakes region is a two-way process that combines both science and policy.
Through the J. Philip Keillor Wisconsin Coastal Management Sea Grant Fellowship, the recipient, Lydia Salus, plans to do just that by building on what past fellows have accomplished, which includes writing and editing a coastal processes manual and outreach to local stakeholders.
Lydia Salus. Submitted photo.
“I am looking for some real-world policy experience to see water management on a broader scale,” Salus said. “There are a lot of different facets and opportunities for water management in Wisconsin, especially being placed between two Great Lakes.”
The fellowship is a full-time, yearlong position that will allow Salus to help communities build coastal resilience and make informed decisions. It places a recent master’s or doctoral graduate alongside mentors who will assist in developing water resource management and technical skills regarding water issues. In this case, Salus will be working closely not only with Sea Grant mentors but also with staff at the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.
When asked what drew her to this fellowship Salus said, “This fellowship is a lot about actionable science, which is very attractive to me. It is going to allow me to take those technical skills and actually be able to do something with them and give that information to communities who will be able to solve problems and make themselves more resilient to coastal processes.”
During the fellowship, Salus hopes to develop her career and focus her career goals. Previously, she worked as a restoration field technician in southeastern Wisconsin to restore areas anywhere from prairie fields to coasts. Since then, her career goals have been focused on water resource management.
“Often, there is a gap between science and decision making and with this position, one of my goals is to be the bridge for that gap and connect science and decision making, especially in the Great Lakes communities,” Salus said.
During her graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Salus was also presented the opportunity to work with Sea Grant as a project assistant on the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Project. Before that, Salus worked to gain an extensive water resource and environmental science background but said having that direct experience with coastal management with Sea Grant drove her to a new section of water resource management, science and policy, and has launched her into this fellowship.
After completion of the fellowship, Salus wants her “future work to be less about the actual position I have and more about the work that I’ll be doing. I want to be able to connect scientific knowledge to fit the needs of different communities and to help them use that knowledge to make informed decisions about the area they live in.”
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-keillor-coastal-management-fellow-hopes-to-bridge-the-gap-between-science-and-policy/
By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior
Tackling the challenge of developing resilience in coastal communities across the Great Lakes region is a two-way process that combines both science and policy.
Through the J. Philip Keillor Wisconsin Coastal Management Sea Grant Fellowship, the recipient, Lydia Salus, plans to do just that by building on what past fellows have accomplished, which includes writing and editing a coastal processes manual and outreach to local stakeholders.
Lydia Salus. Submitted photo.
“I am looking for some real-world policy experience to see water management on a broader scale,” Salus said. “There are a lot of different facets and opportunities for water management in Wisconsin, especially being placed between two Great Lakes.”
The fellowship is a full-time, yearlong position that will allow Salus to help communities build coastal resilience and make informed decisions. It places a recent master’s or doctoral graduate alongside mentors who will assist in developing water resource management and technical skills regarding water issues. In this case, Salus will be working closely not only with Sea Grant mentors but also with staff at the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.
When asked what drew her to this fellowship Salus said, “This fellowship is a lot about actionable science, which is very attractive to me. It is going to allow me to take those technical skills and actually be able to do something with them and give that information to communities who will be able to solve problems and make themselves more resilient to coastal processes.”
During the fellowship, Salus hopes to develop her career and focus her career goals. Previously, she worked as a restoration field technician in southeastern Wisconsin to restore areas anywhere from prairie fields to coasts. Since then, her career goals have been focused on water resource management.
“Often, there is a gap between science and decision making and with this position, one of my goals is to be the bridge for that gap and connect science and decision making, especially in the Great Lakes communities,” Salus said.
During her graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Salus was also presented the opportunity to work with Sea Grant as a project assistant on the Southeastern Wisconsin Coastal Resilience Project. Before that, Salus worked to gain an extensive water resource and environmental science background but said having that direct experience with coastal management with Sea Grant drove her to a new section of water resource management, science and policy, and has launched her into this fellowship.
After completion of the fellowship, Salus wants her “future work to be less about the actual position I have and more about the work that I’ll be doing. I want to be able to connect scientific knowledge to fit the needs of different communities and to help them use that knowledge to make informed decisions about the area they live in.”
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-keillor-coastal-management-fellow-hopes-to-bridge-the-gap-between-science-and-policy/
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently passed legislation authorizing the construction of a multilayered system to prevent the spread of invasive species at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. Read the full story by The News-Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-carp
Since the beginning of the pandemic, shipboard workers have worried about the virus spreading on board. Four months later, no outbreaks have been reported on any Canadian freighters. But it’s been anything but smooth sailing for the industry. Read the full story by The London Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-freighters
Steel production has dropped by 19.7% for the year, while steel capacity utilization is down more than 21 percentage points as compared to the same time last year, largely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that greatly gutted demand for steel in the short term. Read the full story by the Northwest Indiana Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-steel-production
As citizens across the United States continue to debate the pros and cons of piping oil across the country, a decade-old disaster in Michigan’s Kalamazoo River serves as an example of what can happen when things go wrong. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-oil-spill
There are now algae blooms in the Sandusky and Maumee bays of Lake Erie. The National Ocean Service said toxin concentrations have increased, but beaches remain open. Read the full story by WJW-TV- Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-algae-bloom
In Michigan, the oldest shanty in Leland’s historic waterfront Fishtown is slated to be lifted off its foundation this week so a higher, safer perch can be built for it this summer – part of a multi-million preservation project being undertaken at this picturesque spot that’s long been a favorite of Up North visitors. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-shanty-fishtown
Cargo moved on the 3,700-kilometre-long St. Lawrence Seaway in June was down 8.37 per cent compared to the same time last year. That’s a slight increase compared to this year’s April to May figures where cargo shipped was down 10 per cent compared to 2019. Read the full story by the Welland Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-shipping
Work is underway to restore nearly a mile of the Cuyahoga River, with floodplain excavation and in-stream habitat improvements for fish and aquatic wildlife. It’s supported by a $2.5 million award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Great Lakes Commission Regional Partnership. Read the full story by the Akron Beacon Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-park
Almost 4,700 kilotonnes of plastics are introduced into the Canadian market annually. Only nine percent of plastic waste is recycled and 86 percent ends up as waste in our landfills. A lot of that plastic waste ends up in our lakes and on our shorelines. Read the full story by the Manitoulin Expositor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-plastic-pollution
A million-dollar grant to study aquaculture aims to boost the number of fish farms in the Great Lakes region. The National Sea Grant office awarded the funds to a group that brings together scientists and educators from all eight states in the Great Lakes basin. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-aquaculture
Green Bay, WI
https://www.weather.gov/grb/KGRBUpperAirDown
A research project recently completed by Wisconsin Sea Grant found that there was no statistical difference between an experienced watercraft inspector removing aquatic plants and small-bodied invertebrates from a watercraft using hand removal or using a CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system. There was also no difference related to cleaning treatment duration. Study results are available in a recently finalized Wisconsin Sea Grant report authored by Tim Campbell, Molly Bodde and Titus Seilheimer.
A CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system is used to clean a small boat during an experimental trial. (Photo: Molly Bodde)
Experimental trials consisted of a researcher placing a known amount of Eurasian watermilfoil or a mixture of spiny water fleas and wetland plant seeds on a watercraft. Then the inspector used each cleaning treatment for 90 or 180 seconds. The researcher then collected the removed specimens and recovered the remaining specimens to determine the percentage of specimens removed for each trial.
The same inspector completed every trial—a trained Wisconsin Clean Boats, Clean Waters inspector with two summers of inspection experience. The inspector did not have any previous experience with the CD3 cleaning system.
A key finding from the study was that a trained, experienced inspector can be very effective removing plants and small-bodied organisms from watercraft, with the inspector removing between 93 to 99 percent of aquatic plants and 80 to 92 percent of small-bodied invertebrates with the treatments, with no statistical difference between the methods.
Compared to a previous, similar study that also used a trained inspector (but not a CD3 system for comparison), these new results show a slightly higher removal effectiveness. Future research should investigate the roles that training and experience have in the ability of inspectors and boaters to remove aquatic plants and small-bodied invertebrates from watercraft.
For more information, contact Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell or Southeast Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Molly Bodde.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/report-compares-ais-prevention-actions/
A research project recently completed by Wisconsin Sea Grant found that there was no statistical difference between an experienced watercraft inspector removing aquatic plants and small-bodied invertebrates from a watercraft using hand removal or using a CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system. There was also no difference related to cleaning treatment duration. Study results are available in a recently finalized Wisconsin Sea Grant report authored by Tim Campbell, Molly Bodde and Titus Seilheimer.
A CD3 waterless watercraft cleaning system is used to clean a small boat during an experimental trial. (Photo: Molly Bodde)
Experimental trials consisted of a researcher placing a known amount of Eurasian watermilfoil or a mixture of spiny water fleas and wetland plant seeds on a watercraft. Then the inspector used each cleaning treatment for 90 or 180 seconds. The researcher then collected the removed specimens and recovered the remaining specimens to determine the percentage of specimens removed for each trial.
The same inspector completed every trial—a trained Wisconsin Clean Boats, Clean Waters inspector with two summers of inspection experience. The inspector did not have any previous experience with the CD3 cleaning system.
A key finding from the study was that a trained, experienced inspector can be very effective removing plants and small-bodied organisms from watercraft, with the inspector removing between 93 to 99 percent of aquatic plants and 80 to 92 percent of small-bodied invertebrates with the treatments, with no statistical difference between the methods.
Compared to a previous, similar study that also used a trained inspector (but not a CD3 system for comparison), these new results show a slightly higher removal effectiveness. Future research should investigate the roles that training and experience have in the ability of inspectors and boaters to remove aquatic plants and small-bodied invertebrates from watercraft.
For more information, contact Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell or Southeast Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Molly Bodde.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/report-compares-ais-prevention-actions/
Fish and Wildlife Service News
Fish and Wildlife Service News
http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ref=rattlesnake-master-borer-moth-does-not-warrant-endangered-species-act-&_ID=36743
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/07/22/multi-million-dollar-grant-funds-study-of-great-lakes-aquaculture/
By Jessica Heiges, University of California, Berkeley and Kate O’Neill, University of California, Berkeley, The Conversation
is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
COVID-19 is changing how the U.S. disposes of waste. It is also threatening hard-fought victories that restricted or eliminated single-use disposable items, especially plastic, in cities and towns across the nation.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/covid-19-single-use-plastics/
Rich Americans produce nearly 25% more heat-trapping gases than poorer people at home, according to a comprehensive study of U.S. residential carbon footprints.
Scientists studied 93 million housing units in the nation to analyze how much greenhouse gases are being spewed in different locations and by income, according to a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/ap-rich-american-more-carbon-pollution-poor/
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Sea Grant are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 class of the Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. Two of those finalists, Stephanie Houser and Rachel Johnson, applied to the program through Wisconsin Sea Grant; learn more about each of them at the end of this story.
The one-year fellowship places early career professionals in federal government offices in Washington, D.C. The 74 finalists in the 2021 class represent 27 of the 34 Sea Grant programs, including Wisconsin. Since 1979, over 1,400 fellows have completed the program, becoming leaders in science, policy and public administration roles.
Knauss finalists are chosen through a competitive process that includes several rounds of review at both the state Sea Grant program and national levels. Students who are enrolled in or have recently completed Master’s, Juris Doctor (J.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs with a focus and/or interest in marine and coastal science, policy or management apply to one of the 34 Sea Grant programs. If applicants are successful at the state program level, their applications are then reviewed by a national panel of experts.
The 2021 finalists are a class with diverse experiences that go beyond completing rigorous academic programs. Many have held campus leadership positions and served their communities as volunteers and mentors. Others have worked with a variety of federal agencies, such as the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These finalists have received impressive awards and scholarships (including ones from the National Science Foundation, National Geographic and Fulbright Program), speak multiple languages and have traveled or worked in 47 countries outside of the U.S. The class includes NOAA scholars, fisheries observers, former delegates for the U.N. Climate Change Conference of Parties, marine animal rescuers, outdoor adventurers, science communicators and an Olympic athlete.
“We are excited to welcome the 2021 class of Knauss fellows and look forward to the skill and perspective that they will provide towards addressing critical marine policy and science challenges,” said Jonathan Pennock, director of the National Sea Grant College Program. “As the government and the sciences adapt to new norms for working driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Knauss fellowship will create novel opportunities for the fellows to redefine how government and science interact and operate for the benefit of society.”
This fall, the 2020 finalists will participate in a virtual placement week to get to know each other and interview with potential host offices. Following placement, they will begin their fellowships in February 2021.
Executive appointments for the 2020 Knauss fellows included placements throughout the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as well as with the Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Navy and other agencies. Legislative placements included the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (Minority), the House Committee on Natural Resources (Majority), Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Majority and Minority), and several placements in both majority and minority personal offices (House and Senate).
The 2021 Knauss finalists will become the 42nd class of the fellowship and will join a group of over 1,400 professionals who have received hands-on experiences transferring science to policy and management through one-year appointments with federal government offices in Washington, D.C. For many fellows, this opportunity helps launch their careers at NOAA and other federal agencies, like alumni Emily Larkin and Stuart Levenbach.
Want to learn more about the Knauss fellowship? The Knauss blog shares stories from the 2020 Knauss class on fellowship experiences and their journeys to D.C.
Placement of 2021 Knauss finalists as fellows is contingent on adequate funding in Fiscal Year 2021.
Wisconsin Sea Grant 2021 Knauss finalists
Stephanie Houser
Stephanie Houser (submitted photo)
Houser completed her bachelor’s degrees at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, earning both a bachelor’s of science in civil engineering and a bachelor of arts in international relations. Next, she earned a master’s in environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently, she’s nearing completion of a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa.
Houser, who is from Orchard Park, New York, said she first became interested in the intersection of public policy and engineering while an undergraduate at Bucknell. “This sparked an interest in the economic and political challenges that we face in solving environmental challenges. It also points to the need for strong policy to use science to save our environment and promote the public’s health,” she said.
While at the University of Iowa, she learned more about policy issues through her coursework. Now, with the expected completion of her doctorate a few months away, she is ready to begin her next chapter. “All of my experiences led to the decision that I wanted a career in the [policy] field and, as a result, I searched for opportunities that allowed me to gain firsthand experience in the policy sector,” she said. “The Knauss Fellowship is a perfect fit to bring together my policy interests, my science and engineering background, and my career goals.”
Rachel Johnson
Rachel Johnson (submitted photo)
Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree at Carleton College in Minnesota, majoring in geology and minoring in Spanish. She then continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she completed a master’s in water resources management earlier this year and will soon complete a second master’s in biological systems engineering.
She is also a Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellow in Water Resources and has served on the executive committee of Water@UW-Madison, a group that connects water-related activity and research across campus, since 2017.
Originally from Woodbury, Minnesota, Johnson said that “research on land management and water quality for both of my master’s degrees has shown me how we live today with decisions made decades ago, and how policies–or the lack thereof–have long-lasting and far-reaching influences on our aquatic ecosystems.”
Looking ahead to her Knauss experience, “I’m excited to gain experience at the federal level in translating science into policy decisions,” Johnson said.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-announces-2021-finalists-for-the-john-a-knauss-marine-policy-fellowship-program/
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Sea Grant are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 class of the Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. Two of those finalists, Stephanie Houser and Rachel Johnson, applied to the program through Wisconsin Sea Grant; learn more about each of them at the end of this story.
The one-year fellowship places early career professionals in federal government offices in Washington, D.C. The 74 finalists in the 2021 class represent 27 of the 34 Sea Grant programs, including Wisconsin. Since 1979, over 1,400 fellows have completed the program, becoming leaders in science, policy and public administration roles.
Knauss finalists are chosen through a competitive process that includes several rounds of review at both the state Sea Grant program and national levels. Students who are enrolled in or have recently completed Master’s, Juris Doctor (J.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs with a focus and/or interest in marine and coastal science, policy or management apply to one of the 34 Sea Grant programs. If applicants are successful at the state program level, their applications are then reviewed by a national panel of experts.
The 2021 finalists are a class with diverse experiences that go beyond completing rigorous academic programs. Many have held campus leadership positions and served their communities as volunteers and mentors. Others have worked with a variety of federal agencies, such as the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These finalists have received impressive awards and scholarships (including ones from the National Science Foundation, National Geographic and Fulbright Program), speak multiple languages and have traveled or worked in 47 countries outside of the U.S. The class includes NOAA scholars, fisheries observers, former delegates for the U.N. Climate Change Conference of Parties, marine animal rescuers, outdoor adventurers, science communicators and an Olympic athlete.
“We are excited to welcome the 2021 class of Knauss fellows and look forward to the skill and perspective that they will provide towards addressing critical marine policy and science challenges,” said Jonathan Pennock, director of the National Sea Grant College Program. “As the government and the sciences adapt to new norms for working driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Knauss fellowship will create novel opportunities for the fellows to redefine how government and science interact and operate for the benefit of society.”
This fall, the 2020 finalists will participate in a virtual placement week to get to know each other and interview with potential host offices. Following placement, they will begin their fellowships in February 2021.
Executive appointments for the 2020 Knauss fellows included placements throughout the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as well as with the Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Navy and other agencies. Legislative placements included the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (Minority), the House Committee on Natural Resources (Majority), Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Majority and Minority), and several placements in both majority and minority personal offices (House and Senate).
The 2021 Knauss finalists will become the 42nd class of the fellowship and will join a group of over 1,400 professionals who have received hands-on experiences transferring science to policy and management through one-year appointments with federal government offices in Washington, D.C. For many fellows, this opportunity helps launch their careers at NOAA and other federal agencies, like alumni Emily Larkin and Stuart Levenbach.
Want to learn more about the Knauss fellowship? The Knauss blog shares stories from the 2020 Knauss class on fellowship experiences and their journeys to D.C.
Placement of 2021 Knauss finalists as fellows is contingent on adequate funding in Fiscal Year 2021.
Wisconsin Sea Grant 2021 Knauss finalists
Stephanie Houser
Stephanie Houser (submitted photo)
Houser completed her bachelor’s degrees at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, earning both a bachelor’s of science in civil engineering and a bachelor of arts in international relations. Next, she earned a master’s in environmental engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently, she’s nearing completion of a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa.
Houser, who is from Orchard Park, New York, said she first became interested in the intersection of public policy and engineering while an undergraduate at Bucknell. “This sparked an interest in the economic and political challenges that we face in solving environmental challenges. It also points to the need for strong policy to use science to save our environment and promote the public’s health,” she said.
While at the University of Iowa, she learned more about policy issues through her coursework. Now, with the expected completion of her doctorate a few months away, she is ready to begin her next chapter. “All of my experiences led to the decision that I wanted a career in the [policy] field and, as a result, I searched for opportunities that allowed me to gain firsthand experience in the policy sector,” she said. “The Knauss Fellowship is a perfect fit to bring together my policy interests, my science and engineering background, and my career goals.”
Rachel Johnson
Rachel Johnson (submitted photo)
Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree at Carleton College in Minnesota, majoring in geology and minoring in Spanish. She then continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she completed a master’s in water resources management earlier this year and will soon complete a second master’s in biological systems engineering.
She is also a Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellow in Water Resources and has served on the executive committee of Water@UW-Madison, a group that connects water-related activity and research across campus, since 2017.
Originally from Woodbury, Minnesota, Johnson said that “research on land management and water quality for both of my master’s degrees has shown me how we live today with decisions made decades ago, and how policies–or the lack thereof–have long-lasting and far-reaching influences on our aquatic ecosystems.”
Looking ahead to her Knauss experience, “I’m excited to gain experience at the federal level in translating science into policy decisions,” Johnson said.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-announces-2021-finalists-for-the-john-a-knauss-marine-policy-fellowship-program/
A walking trail along the Milwaukee River is being extended thanks to easements donated by three adjacent commercial property owners, allowing additional public access along the west bank of the river. Read the full story by MIlwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-milwaukee-river-trail
A popular northern Michigan children’s museum will be postponing its reopening this spring as environmental testing mandated by the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy revealed contaminant soil gas vapors under the floor of the museum. Read the full story by UpNorthLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-museum-contamination
The Indiana Dunes National Park launched a coronavirus safety “Think Before You Beach” campaign urging visitors to the northwestern Indiana park to practice social distancing and other precautions when they hit the beach. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-indiana-dunes
Sewage spills that repeatedly fouled the Boardman River and kept swimmers out of the water at several Traverse City beaches have city leaders looking for solutions to Traverse City’s system of old sewage pipes that let groundwater seep in tandem with high lake levels and downpours. Read the full story by Record-Eagle.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-traverse-city-sewage
The vessel has been on a three-week journey through the Gulf of Mexico, around Florida, and up the Atlantic seaboard from the Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana, where it was constructed; the SEAWAY GUARDIAN will be the first new American-built tugboat to join the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation since the Seaway opened 61 years ago. Read the full story by Lake Superior News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-seaway-tugboat
The Ontario Government will not be charging resource-based tourism operations for certain licences and land use fees, as well as refunding revenue received for 2020, in an effort to encourage people to get outside and support businesses that rely on outdoor activities. Read the full story by Lake Superior News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-ontario-tourism
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) removed 18 invasive carp from the Little Sioux River watershed near the Iowa border in southwestern Minnesota July 8 during a capture operation; preemptive actions to install and monitor an electric barrier prevented these invasive carp from expanding into other waters. Read the full story by Montevideo American-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-carp-minnesota
Lake Huron is five degrees warmer than average for this time of year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, suggesting consequences for fish communities as temperature fluctuations may affect their spawning. Read the full story by The Sault Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200721-huron-temp
