Several Great Lakes ships are being sidelined for the rest of the season due to COVID-19 pandemic-related declines in business.Read the full story by the Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-shipping
Massive buildups of wipes and hygiene products congealed with greases and oils can cause significant damage to sewer systems and recently prompted the Public Works Commissioner in southeast Michigan’s Macomb County to file a suit in circuit court against nine different manufacturers of so-called flushable wipes. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-flushable-wipes
The ecosystems of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are in fair condition, according to the 2019 State of the Great Lakes report released by the Governments of Canada and the United States. Read the full story by the Manitoulin Expositor.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-lake-huron
Multiple Michigan state agencies say they want to keep the public informed about what is going on with the Line 5 pipeline that runs under the Straits of Mackinac, so they have launched a website designed to provide information on proposed pipeline projects. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-line-5
New research shows that climate change may make it easier for bighead and silver carp to grow and thrive in Lake Michigan if the invasive fish is introduced into the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-asian-carp
The Ohio Division of Wildlife recently proclaimed that Ohio’s portion of Lake Erie is the epicenter of the world’s largest population of walleye. Read the full story by The Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-lake-erie
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department has issued a public health advisory for the Maumee River in downtown Toledo, Ohio, due to a recent harmful algal bloom. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200708-algal-bloom
By Beth Edwards, Indiana Environmental Reporter
Once known as the City of Mineral Water for the healing power of its spring-fed spas, Martinsville, Indiana, now faces the specter of health threats caused by the contamination of its water supply.
For the past 20 years, slow-moving groundwater plumes contaminated with potentially dangerous chemicals have seeped into the city’s municipal well field and drinking water plant.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/contaminated-indiana-water-health-threats/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F5807D194.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F58082978WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F58076F24.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F58082978WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (July 7, 2020)—The Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition is strongly supporting the U.S. House Interior and Environment funding bill, which contains substantial increases in clean water priorities, including Great Lakes restoration, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and lead-reduction in drinking water. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies today approved by voice vote its fiscal year 2021 bill. The bill’s modest year-over-year increases are bolstered substantially by more than $11 billion in emergency supplemental funding for clean water programs that were added to the bill.
“The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition fully supports the House Interior and Environment funding bill,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “The bill substantially boosts federal investments in clean water priorities that will accelerate progress in restoring the Great Lakes, protecting our drinking water, improving access to affordable water, safeguarding public health, and bolstering the economy. The priorities in this bill have been long-term Coalition priorities, and we look forward to working with bipartisan members in the House to pass this legislation to better our environment and economy, and to protect our public health.”
The Interior and Environment funding bill, which was favorably reported by the subcommittee today is headed for full committee vote on Friday, includes:
Regular Appropriations:
Additional Emergency Supplemental Funding:
The clean water priorities in the bill have been long-standing priorities for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. The bill includes funding for fiscal year 2021, which begins October 1, 2020, and ends September 30, 2021.
The post $11 Billion Boost for Drinking Water, Great Lakes in House Interior Bill appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/11-billion-boost-for-drinking-water-great-lakes-in-house-interior-bill/
I’m a memoir junkie and also a fan of cooking shows (though I don’t cook much myself—go figure). These interests dovetail in books written by chefs, food critics and others chronicling their personal journeys to and through the professional world of food.
Along these lines, I greatly enjoyed Amy Thielen’s 2017 book “Give a Girl a Knife,” her tale of growing up in the small town of Park Rapids, Minnesota, and, for the latter part of high school, the Twin Cities suburbs. After finishing college in St. Paul, she headed to New York for culinary school and spent several years in the trenches of high-end restaurants there, eventually returning to her home state and the even smaller town of Two Inlets.
More precisely, though: even during her New York years, Thielen and her artist husband bounced between Brooklyn and the Northwoods, where, over the years, they improved on a rustic home he had begun building. Eventually, they found their nomadic lifestyle too unwieldy—and the lure of home too strong—and committed full-time to Minnesota.
I first became aware of Thielen from her former Food Network program, The Heartland Table, and later stumbled upon her blog post about the joys of eelpout (aka burbot or lawyer, an often underrated fish) after finally getting to try some at a fish market in northern Minnesota.
Not only is Thielen a vivid and engaging narrator whose willingness to follow her passions has paid off, I appreciate her resolute pride in the traditions and flavors of the Upper Midwest. While there is some truth to the jokes about gloppy casseroles and Jello salads, the Midwest does have rich and varied food traditions of its own—including many surrounding the freshwater fish found here—that reflect the heritage of its people, from original inhabitants to immigrant populations.
Baskets of crispy coated whitefish and eelpout on a summer’s day in northern Minnesota, 2019. (Photo: Jennifer Smith)
Here at Wisconsin Sea Grant, one of our efforts is the Eat Wisconsin Fish project, which encourages consumers to think local when they buy fish, whether that means wild-caught in the Great Lakes or sustainably farmed by Wisconsin fish farmers. (And, of course, we support those who like to catch their own fish!)
As someone who eats fish often and prefers it over many other proteins, I have found that Eat Wisconsin Fish has nudged me to shop more carefully and seek out Wisconsin (or other Great Lakes states’) products when possible. I even find that I now try more carefully to buy other local food products, too, from eggs to local coffee roasters. Especially in a volatile economy, I like knowing my choices are supporting regional companies and jobs.
In “Give a Girl a Knife,” Thielen offers a thoughtful approach to the flavors and landscapes of the Upper Midwest. Even better, she’s just plain entertaining to read. (For more from Amy Thielen, check out her James Beard award-winning cookbook, “The New Midwestern Table: 200 Heartland Recipes“, or find some of the recipes from her Food Network show online, like this one for Crispy Trout with Kitchen Butter Sauce.)
Happy reading and eating!
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/amy-thielens-give-a-girl-a-knife/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57F9B3E8.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57FA3B10WI.GRBSPSGRB.67e3eb939793527d055157bea4165466
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57F9B3E8.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57FA3B10WI.GRBSPSGRB.4f170506e1f75e4d7de5ba3e21cd862a
Fatbergs — massive buildups of wipes and hygiene products congealed with greases and oils — make for a cringe-worthy topic. And the damage they cause to sewer systems can be a huge amount of trouble for the people in charge of those sewer systems.
That includes Candice Miller, the Public Works Commissioner in southeast Michigan’s Macomb County.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/legislation-flushable-wipes-court-law-fatberg/
The Soo Locks had to be shut down for more than five hours early Sunday after a 736-foot Canadian freighter lost power as it approached the system’s big Poe Lock, striking the west center pier. According to officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the impact damaged the freighter and the pier. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-soo-locks-shut-down
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at The Ohio State University will hold a news conference on Thursday to provide their Lake Erie harmful algal bloom forecast. Read the full story by This Week Community News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-algal-bloom
Scientists have predicted that warmer, wetter and wilder weather is coming and that this will be one of the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st Century. These high water levels are putting a human face on climate change in our region. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-warmer-wetter-wilder-weather
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth have been monitoring frog song along the Great Lakes for a decade as part of the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program. Read the full story by the Superior Telegram.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-frogs-and-wetland-health
A massive cleanup is underway in Wisconsin’s Sheboygan County after a freight train derailed and spilled tons of coal into the Black River. Read the full story by WISN-TV – Milwaukee, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-coal-spill
The executive director of A Greener Future plans to paddle from Kingston to Niagara-on-the-Lake during July to raise awareness about garbage in Lake Ontario. Read the full story by Belleville Intelligencer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-paddling-for-a-cause
The Invitational Mills Trophy Race, one of the most prestigious and history-laden sailing races on the Great Lakes, was officially canceled this week due to COVID-19. Read the full story by the Toledo Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-mills-race-cancelled
State officials say a boat that sunk last month must be removed from the bottom of Grand Traverse Bay in northern Michigan. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-boat-at-bay-bottom
Residents of Torch Lake in Michigan are volunteering their time to clean up after 4th of July partiers. Read the full story by WWUP-TV – Cadillac, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-lake-clean-up
A Loyola University professor’s newest book looks at how lighthouses, navigational aids, and harbors transformed the Great Lakes and America. Read the full story by Capital News Service.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200707-lighthouse-harbor-book
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57F784EC.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57F7A300WI.GRBSPSGRB.d65efe55088dd94d9c460efb2df919a6
Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television.
Scientists have predicted that warmer, wetter and wilder weather is coming and that this will be one of the greatest environmental challenges of the 21st Century.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/water-levels-climate-change-warmer-wetter-wilder/
Crystal M.C. Davis, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Director for Policy and Strategic Engagement
July 19, 2020
The sounds of vibrant fireworks, smoky barbecues and patriotic parades make people across the nation excited about celebrating the 4th of July and our nation’s freedom from Great Britain’s rule. However for many African Americans, Juneteenth (June 19) is celebrated as Freedom Day.
On June 19, 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been issued over two years earlier on January 1, 1863, was read to enslaved African Americans in Texas who were among the last to learn of their freedom. In commemoration of that historic day, African Americans celebrate our freedom from the bondage of slavery and liberation as a people. Juneteenth is now getting attention like never before, precisely because it has never been clearer how far we have yet to go in the pursuit of true liberation.
The tragic incidents with George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Christian Cooper gave the world a glimpse of the fears, risks and struggles that people of color endure daily. These fears are front and center – even today over 150 years later – and are felt regardless of socioeconomic status. The story of Christian Cooper, the black bird watcher who was threatened by a white woman in Central Park, especially resonates with me. Not only am I an unapologetically black woman – I’m also a proud environmentalist.
I have built a career around my belief that black liberation and environmental justice are intimately tied together. I am inspired and motivated by the unique ways that communities of color practice sustainability – making full meals of food waste and passing clothes down from one generation to the next. Sustainability was a cultural practice way before it was cool.
For me, the racist threats against Christian Cooper underscored two American realities: that racial minorities are often unwelcome in white-dominated spaces, and the unspoken understanding that the “outdoors” are really only for white people in the first place.
This realization isn’t new to me. I know the feeling of sitting in big rooms of environmentalists where I’m the only person of color, getting cold stares when I mention racial equity. I’ve had external colleagues insinuate that I am valued more for my ability to provide diversity to experts rather than as an expert myself. It is isolating. It is frustrating. But it’s also inspiring. Inspiring because my team of water warrior sisters – my beloved black women colleagues – understand that we’re in this together and insist on lifting each other up. Inspiring because my kids deserve a different world than the one I inherited and I am determined to deliver it for them.
As a first-generation college graduate from a working class family, I’m living my grandparents’ wildest dreams. Advocating for environmental justice is my passion and purpose. But fighting for change isn’t just the responsibility of people that look like me. We need everyone united in this movement for environmental and racial justice.
To my white colleagues: you’ve asked black and brown people to serve on your equity committees, to mentor you through authentic community engagement practices, and spend countless hours strategizing on ways to champion equity in environmental policies. We have obliged but now, right now, is your time to stand up and put actions behind thoughts and prayers. Equity should not be an afterthought.
For so many, the great outdoors is a symbol of freedom. On Juneteenth, Freedom Day, I am reminded that all are not free to share in nature’s gifts…free to bird watch, free to jog in their neighborhoods, free of worry about exorbitant bills for water that may or may not be safe to drink. And, I am reminded in my work each day that many are not free to enjoy the precious natural resources the Great Lakes offer. The Alliance for the Great Lakes’ leadership has designated Juneteenth as a paid annual holiday which will afford our staff the time to reflect and commit to advancing equity and justice. I’m grateful to work for an organization committed to using their privilege, voice and platforms to support marginalized communities. And, I also know that the work is not done.
As in years past, I will spend Juneteenth with family. We will dance to tunes created by our black musical legends, eat food that warms the soul, and dress the family in shirts that celebrate the pride of our people. While even being “okay” is tough these days, I still celebrate Juneteenth. I celebrate the resilience, ingenuity and brilliance of my people. I celebrate the opportunity to be a force in many movements fighting for change, understanding that they are all inextricably linked. I celebrate that the best is still yet to come.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/environmental-justice-is-more-than-just-us-the-continued-quest-for-freedom/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57EA432C.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57EA8F58WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Amid the ongoing summer heat, the Great Lakes are warming up faster than usual and predicted to rise several degrees in early July. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-temps
A Michigan judge Wednesday allowed Enbridge to resume pumping oil through the Line 5 pipeline in the Great Lakes. The pipeline was shut down for nearly a week after Enbridge reported damage to a structure anchoring the pipeline along the bottom of the lake. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-line-5
With renewed focus on the dangers of Line 5 to the Great Lakes, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer faces significant political, legal, and economic challenges as she works towards fulfilling her campaign promise to shut down the oil pipeline. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-whitmer
For the first time in 103 years, the Manitou Island Transit ferry service is not sailing to North and South Manitou Islands in Lake Michigan. High water levels caused unsafe and poor dockage on the islands, causing the company owners to cease operations for 2020. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-manitou-ferry
Wisconsin Coastal Management Program awarded more than $100,000 to support coastal management and restoration projects along the Lake Michigan coastline near Kenosha and Racine. Read the full story by the Kenosha News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-kenosha
NOAA is interested in extending the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary into part of the St. Lawrence River to protect two shipwrecks not currently covered within the boundary. Read the full story by North Country Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-st-lawrence-ships
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a reminder to residents avoid eating fish from the Huron River and avoid foam on Michigan lakes and rivers known to have per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the water. Read the full story by WEYI – TV – Saginaw, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-pfas
Michigan closed 11 beaches over contamination concerns linked to an unexplained spike in the bacteria count in the water of one inland lake beach, and possible toxic algal blooms in multiple spots in the Upper Peninsula. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-beaches
A new farm water management system installed in Monroe County, Michigan will help conserve water on the farm field and keep Lake Erie cleaner this summer. Read the full story by the Monroe News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-farm-management-system
Habitat managers at Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve in Ohio are fighting the spread of invasive phragmites and flower rush to ensure the park maintains its unique biodiversity of flora and fauna. Read the full story by The News Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200706-mentor-marsh
Please find below the available recordings from previous AAW webinar sessions.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/session-recordings/
This week: Public Health and Water Affordability Focus of All About Water Webinar + Lake Erie Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast Program + Illinois Announces Two Funding Sources for Improving Water Quality + Michigan House Passes Bill For Toxic Firefighting Foam To Be Reported And Disposed + Potential for Mirages on Lake Michigan from Weather Conditions
It is no secret, but access to clean, safe water is essential to prevent public health problems. This week’s first All About Water Webinar featured amazing presentations on contaminated drinking water and connections to public health problems, including research in Detroit on mapping the water crisis that revealed the inequities that illustrate the impact of water shutoffs on public health.
Limited space available in webinar next week:
Policy & Water Affordability Webinar, Wed, July 8, 10 am to Noon ET
Strategy Session & Water Affordability, Thurs, July 9, 2020, 2-4 pm ET
Video recordings, presentations, and resources from the first four sessions featuring equity and community roles in water affordability will be available on our website.
Lake Erie Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast ProgramAn Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory webinar on July 9 will discuss the forecast for harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie for 2020. Less rainfall that distributes nutrient pollutant into the rivers connected to Lake Erie may lessen the severity of the blooms in 2020 compared to 2019. However there is no accurate prediction of the level of toxicity of harmful blooms until they occur. Register for the webinar here. Illinois Announces Two Funding Sources for Improving Water QualityThe Illinois EPA announced the availability of $9.5 million in grants to improve the quality of water. The Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan provides $5 million in grants to build green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and green roofs, to reduce pollution from stormwater. An additional $4.5 million of federal funds are available to address water quality issues directly related to polluted runoff or nonpoint source pollution. Michigan House Passes Bill For Toxic Firefighting Foam To Be Reported And DisposedMichigan House approved a bill that mandates fire departments and chiefs to report their use of firefighting foam with toxic PFAS within 48 hours of use. The state environmental department is required to accept the foam and dispose of it properly. State funding support is anticipated so fire departments will not incur disposal costs. Weather Conditions Right for Mirages on Lake MichiganGhostly ships and buildings may be visible this week on Lake Michigan due to the warm temperatures and calm conditions. The mirages, called superior images appear reversed and floating above the water. |
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/lake-erie-algae/11747/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/07/06/podcast-slowing-the-gypsy-moths-spread/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57DBE82C.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57E7F748WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57DB6F14.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57DBE958WI.GRBSPSGRB.ce9aff1e31b2c13b2de74e04136c553a
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57DB6F14.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57DBE958WI.GRBSPSGRB.8f404176e2635f595a7a4c5559b08343
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57DB4610.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57DB955CWI.GRBSPSGRB.4120790e4d4d3e26eb84dcf356d20efc
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F57BD171C.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F57BD91C4WI.GRBSPSGRB.4c2cad415c84659344a1a5d9c8d5d0d5
The U.S. headed into the Fourth of July weekend with many parades and fireworks displays canceled, beaches and bars closed, and health authorities warning that this will be a crucial test of Americans’ self-control that could determine the trajectory of the surging coronavirus outbreak.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/ap-july-fourth-weekend-covid-19/
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer doesn’t need another crisis.
For six of her 18 months in office she’s been grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic that grips Michigan and shows few signs of abating. Then came a May rain deluge that contributed to the failure of an already dangerous dam that displaced 10,000 people.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/07/whitmer-michigan-dilemma-line-5-northern-michigan/
Michigan has reviewed soil and sediment sample data collected in follow-up to the recent Midland and Saginaw area flooding event and are not recommending additional soil clean-up or management requirements beyond those already in place. Read the full story by WEYI – TV – Flint, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200702-midland-dam-soil
