Ohio residents voiced concerns about potential water pollution, air pollution and air quality Thursday night during an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency webinar addressing the issuance of a draft air pollution permit for a proposed pig iron plant in Ashtabula Harbor. Read the full story by the Star Beacon.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200508-iron
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C1CAB70.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C1E0970WI.GRBSPSGRB.c7af4845f2e9eb88e57e1747a63d15f5
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C1C9914.FreezeWarning.125F4C2BC510WI.GRBNPWGRB.c06ba20bf13691d5770cef02a6e7355a
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news//news/hurricanes-take-heavy-toll-mental-health-survivors
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/hurricanes-take-heavy-toll-mental-health-survivors
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C1BCB9C.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C1BCB9C.FreezeWarning.125F4C2BC510WI.GRBNPWGRB.c06ba20bf13691d5770cef02a6e7355a
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/05/08/quarantine-renews-teacher-appreciation/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C1ABAF4.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C1ABAF4.FreezeWatch.125F4C2BEC20WI.GRBNPWGRB.1dfc9449c9d178e51c99f4797ed1a1ba
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesotans should fish close to home to help curb the coronavirus pandemic when the walleye season opens this weekend, avoiding overnight stays and driving no further than they can go on one tank of gas, Department of Natural Resources officials said Wednesday.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/ap-minnesota-fish-business-covid-19-coronavirus/
Two major bills that boost water infrastructure investment were unanimously reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday, a major step forward in ensuring that all communities have access to clean and safe drinking water, as well as healthy ecosystems, the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition said. The bipartisan America’s Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2020 and Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 provide more than $4 billion in new funding for water infrastructure and almost $1 billion targeted at helping low-income, rural and tribal communities.
“This is a great start toward addressing some of the issues that have unfortunately prevented many in the Great Lakes region from accessing the basic need of clean drinking water,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “The nation is facing a water infrastructure crisis. Communities are facing unsafe water from toxic pollutants like lead and PFAS, while seeing their water rates skyrocket. These federal investments are urgently needed to help provide clean and affordable drinking water to everyone – especially those people in communities which have historically borne the brunt of pollution and injustice. We urge the Senate to pass these bills now, because the longer we wait, the more costly and difficult these projects become.”
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition delivered a letter to Congress, which over 65 organizations signed, supporting key provisions in the bills such as:
The bills now head to the full Senate for consideration.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has urged the U.S. Congress to boost water infrastructure for the last several years, as water affordability and poor quality continues to plague communities across the region. Great Lakes cities such as Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit have seen water rates increase dramatically over the last ten years, in large part due to inadequate federal investment.
The U.S. EPA estimates that the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin need more than $179 billion over the next 20 years to fix, update, and maintain their wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.
According to a Michigan State University report, if water rates continue to rise as they have, more than 35 percent of people in the United states will struggle to afford their water bills by 2022.
The post Bills to Inject $4 Billion in New Water Infrastructure Funding, Start Confronting Environmental Injustices appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/bills-to-inject-4-billion-in-new-water-infrastructure-funding-start-confronting-environmental-injustices-2/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C0E3B58.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C0E3B58.FreezeWatch.125F4C2BEC20WI.GRBNPWGRB.1dfc9449c9d178e51c99f4797ed1a1ba
Two major bills that boost water infrastructure investment were unanimously reported out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday, a major step forward in ensuring that all communities have access to clean and safe drinking water, as well as healthy ecosystems, the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition said. The bipartisan America’s Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2020 and Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 provide more than $4 billion in new funding for water infrastructure and almost $1 billion targeted at helping low-income, rural and tribal communities.
“This is a great start toward addressing some of the issues that have unfortunately prevented many in the Great Lakes region from accessing the basic need of clean drinking water,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “The nation is facing a water infrastructure crisis. Communities are facing unsafe water from toxic pollutants like lead and PFAS, while seeing their water rates skyrocket. These federal investments are urgently needed to help provide clean and affordable drinking water to everyone – especially those people in communities which have historically borne the brunt of pollution and injustice. We urge the Senate to pass these bills now, because the longer we wait, the more costly and difficult these projects become.”
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition delivered a letter to Congress, which over 65 organizations signed, supporting key provisions in the bills such as:
The bills now head to the full Senate for consideration.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has urged the U.S. Congress to boost water infrastructure for the last several years, as water affordability and poor quality continues to plague communities across the region. Great Lakes cities such as Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit have seen water rates increase dramatically over the last ten years, in large part due to inadequate federal investment.
The U.S. EPA estimates that the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin need more than $179 billion over the next 20 years to fix, update, and maintain their wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.
According to a Michigan State University report, if water rates continue to rise as they have, more than 35 percent of people in the United states will struggle to afford their water bills by 2022
The post Bills to Inject $4 Billion in New Water Infrastructure Funding, Start Confronting Environmental Injustices appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/bills-to-inject-4-billion-in-new-water-infrastructure-funding-start-confronting-environmental-injustices/
Plans are underway to open the locks for the 2020 navigation season, but Governor Evers safer at home order will delay the official opening until Saturday, May 30. Originally several of the busier locks were scheduled to be open by mid-May, but the official opening to full navigation is tentatively scheduled for 5.30.20.
“As a state authority, we need to adhere to the Governor’s orders,” said CEO Jeremy Cords. “We also need the appropriate amount of time to interview and hire lock tenders for the season.” Cords added that as conditions changes due to coronavirus, the opening date may change.
The locks typically operate with 1-5 lock tenders stationed at the nine locks that will be open this summer. Those locks are; the four Appleton locks, Cedars, Little Chute, Combined Locks, Little Kaukauna, and De Pere. The five locks in Kaukauna are scheduled to open in 2021 pending repairs to the Memorial lift bridge in Kaukauna.
Blog – Fox Locks
http://foxlocks.org/2020/05/07/2020-locks-schedule/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C0DCBA0.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C1AAE10WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Enbridge’s application for an oil pipeline tunnel beneath a Great Lakes channel can’t be processed without more information, including an analysis of alternatives to the project, Michigan state regulators say. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-Enbridge
Heavy wave action and shifting sands have again brought a piece of the Jennie and Annie wreckage to float at the shoreline along Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near Traverse City, Michigan. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-shipwreck
The U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation announced that five U.S. ports in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System received the agency’s Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for registering increases in international cargo tonnage shipped through their ports during the 2019 navigation season. Read the full story by WDIO -TV – Duluth, MN.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-cargo-award
Work to reroute a storm sewer line through RACER Trust’s Buick City property in Flint, Michigan, which was postponed due to COVID-19 nonessential business restrictions, will resume shortly after May 7. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-Flint-river
The city of Port Clinton, Ohio, is still looking to find potential funding sources to address the issues with high water and flooding that have been plaguing the downtown area. Read the full story by the Port Clinton News Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-port-clinton
In New York, Rochester Institute of Technology scientists recently developed a 3D mass estimate to show where microplastic pollution is collecting in Lake Erie. Read the full story by the Monroe County Post.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-erie-plastics
In Ontario, officials with the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority are welcoming the Chatham-Kent Lake Erie Shoreline Study which will help protect residents and businesses in the future. Read the full story by Chatham This Week.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-erie-shoreline
Even under the wettest models, Lake Ontario water levels are expected to remain below the flood stages experienced in recent years, according federal regulators, but are likely to stay well above the 100-year average. Read the full story by Oswego County News Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200507-ontario
Joe Naughton is broadening his horizons even while working from his Washington, D.C., apartment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Naughton is one of 68 fellows in the 2020 class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program. The prestigious program places early-career professionals in one-year fellowships working in federal government offices. The program is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Sea Grant Office.
Joe Naughton at home in Washington with his work-at-home buddy, Suki, his roommate’s dog. (Submitted photo)
After being chosen through a competitive state and national process last July and then receiving his placement in the fall, Naughton began his post in early February 2020. Like many, he shifted from days spent in the office to telework in mid-March.
Naughton serves as the Interagency Ocean Policy Coordinator within NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). His role is a mix of science and communication, and his primary responsibility is as Executive Secretary of the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (SOST).
Explained Naughton, “The SOST is a federal coordinating body that sits under the NSTC (National Science and Technology Council), so it’s under White House purview. It coordinates all federal work related to ocean science and technology. I do a lot of work across these different agencies, coordinating communication, working on various reports, and then I communicate all of this correspondence up to the co-chairs of this Subcommittee. The co-chairs are from NOAA, the National Science Foundation and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and I serve as the SOST liaison to these agencies. But also, within the SOST, there are these technical working groups, which I really enjoy, since it’s a little more science-focused.”
With a background in water resources engineering from his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Marquette University—where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively—Naughton is finding that the fellowship is pushing him in some new directions. While he previously focused on hydrology and urban water issues, now he’s learning more about ocean concerns. “That’s a whole new world for me,” he said.
He’s also found unexpected benefits on the communication side: “One really great thing is I’ve worked a lot on my writing, which I didn’t foresee initially. I’ve been getting my hands on a lot of reports, and that’s a huge change.”
Like many professionals these days, Naughton spends a good chunk of his days interacting with his colleagues on a screen. “I have a lot of video calls, whether it’s hopping on these technical working groups or having quick tag-ups with NOAA, NSF or whatever other agency it may be. A lot of it is expressing concerns; these agencies have their missions, and they want that vocalized in whatever federal, coordinated ocean science work is being done.”
Naughton is also gaining exposure to some NOAA-specific efforts, such as the Ambassadors Initiative, in which someone like a fellow or an administrator goes to present in a school or other setting. Naughton helps assemble collections of materials for the ambassador’s visit.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on some of the travel, conference and professional development aspects of the Knauss Fellowship experience, Naughton is hopeful that some of those things will be possible towards the latter part of his one-year commitment.
In the meantime, he said, he’s found a supportive climate in his contacts with Wisconsin Sea Grant, the National Sea Grant Office and the other members of his Knauss class, who have been connecting virtually, whether to discuss each other’s research or simply have coffee.
Naughton is also enjoying the company of his roommate’s new puppy, a rescued Lab/beagle mix named Suki. While the pet adoption was in motion before the pandemic hit, it’s been a silver lining to be home with the new pup and help her get acclimated, or simply take a walk at lunchtime and get some fresh air.
Despite this highly unusual Knauss Fellowship year, Naughton and others in his cohort are making the most of it. Said Naughton, “The amount I’m able to touch in this fellowship is really great, and something I didn’t expect.” And despite the adjustments necessitated by the pandemic, said Naughton, “I’m definitely still fortunate to have this experience.”
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsins-knauss-fellow-broadens-horizons/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C0D75B0.FreezeWarning.125F4C1CA9E0WI.GRBNPWGRB.1a313a7ac614bd9f89a8de20f3c4b50b
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C0D75B0.FreezeWatch.125F4C2BEC20WI.GRBNPWGRB.1dfc9449c9d178e51c99f4797ed1a1ba
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4C0D27F4.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C0DDCD0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/05/07/michigan-customers-support-favorite-businesses-during-covid-19-crisis/
Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Brown (WIC009) Wisconsin Issued by the National Weather Service
https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=WI125F4BFEA774.SpecialWeatherStatement.125F4C0B44C0WI.GRBSPSGRB.3b77a733acfe35fc01f412b80021d336
As auto plants shut down and consumer spending slows down to a near-standstill during the coronavirus pandemic, steel production in the Great Lakes region is now down 11% for the year. Read the full story by the Times of Northwest Indiana.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-steel-down
Endangered piping plovers are back for a 14th straight year at Sauble Beach along the southern Bruce Peninsula in Ontario. Reduced beach traffic due to the coronavirus has benefited plovers looking for safe nesting spots along the beach. Read the full story by The Sun Times.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-plovers
A community group formed in Oscoda, Michigan, called on the Air Force to stop the flow of PFAS contaminants from Wurtsmith Air Force base into Oscoda area surface waters by no later than 2023, and to immediately begin remediation of the PFAS plumes. Read the full story by the Iosco News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-pfas
The 96th sailing of the Bayview Mackinac race, a Michigan summer tradition on Lake Huron, remains scheduled, although the coronavirus pandemic continues to force the race to adapt. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-bayview-mackinac-race
Great Lakes Learning lessons and activities created by Great Lakes Now offer an opportunity to engage younger learners with the Great Lakes issues and science. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-freshwater-learners
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news//news/national-climate-202004
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202004
The Community Foundation of St. Clair County is planning a construction project to shore up the Bluewater River Walk from high water. Read the full story by the Port Huron Times Herald.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-blue-water-porth
Ohio governor Mike DeWine warned that large gatherings along Lake Erie’s beaches during the coronavirus pandemic may result in beach closures. Read the full story by TV – WJW – Cleveland, OH.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-oh-beaches
While Lake Michigan beaches typically receive more attention, Lake Huron’s coastline also offers spectacular views. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-mi-thumb
Lake Michigan and Huron will see water levels rise 10 inches above average levels recorded at the same time last year and 2 inches higher than the highest monthly average on record for May. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-levels
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/05/06/new-title-brings-new-responsibilities/
National Park Service rangers issued citations Sunday to stop contractors working on repairs to seawalls along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Odgen Dunes, Indiana. The Park Service said the contracts had not received necessary permits for the construction. Read the full story by The Times of Northwest Indiana.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20200506-nps-odgen
You searched for flood - The Press
You searched for flood - The Press
https://gopresstimes.com/2020/05/06/chief-litton-gives-update-on-covid-19-city-flooding/
LUDINGTON, Mich. (AP) — A portion of a shipwreck was recently discovered on a Lake Michigan beach near Ludington State Park and historians are working to identify the wreckage.
The fragment was revealed by waves amid high water levels on the Great Lakes. It was spotted by people walking on the beach, the Ludington Daily News reported.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/shipwreck-fragment-emerges-along-lake-michigan-beach/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/05/06/online-grocery-shopping-is-a-coronavirus-legacy/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-may-5-2020/
As the author of Great Lakes Now’s Collection of Lesson Plans, educational consultant Gary Abud Jr. is now providing more support for parents, teachers and caregivers who want to incorporate Great Lakes learning into their time with children and students. His series of writings can be found HERE along with the lesson plans and a Virtual Field Trip.
Great Lakes Now
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/05/great-lakes-learning-younger-learners-2/
Information provided by Melanie Perello, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
CHAOS has come to Lake Superior. However, it’s organized chaos, so that’s a good thing.
CHAOS stands for the Coastal Hazards of Superior. The group, organized by the Coastal programs and Sea Grant programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management and the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, is a community of practice for sharing knowledge and resources about natural hazards that affect Lake Superior coastal communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
It provides an opportunity for local community leaders, managers, researchers and communicators to engage over concerns about coastal hazards across western Lake Superior. Recent storms, flooding and shoreline erosion have strained local communities, making CHAOS’ goal of building collaborations among groups impacted by these hazards even more important.
Membership is free and open to all. To join or for more information, contact Melanie Perello at Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program: melanie.perello@state.mn.us.
Storm damage to a boathouse on Devil’s Island in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Image by Gene Clark, Wisconsin Sea Grant.
The group hosted its first event on April 29, a webinar attended by more than 70 participants, featuring presentations on Lake Superior water levels and lakeshore flood modeling and forecasting. Deanna Apps, a physical scientist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District, explained historical and recent lake levels, the drivers of water level fluctuations and how the Army Corps forecasts future conditions.
Joseph Moore, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service-Duluth Office, highlighted efforts to model and forecast lakeshore flooding events and explained the need for reports of lakeshore flooding storm damages.
Following the presentations, webinar participants had the opportunity to network in small breakout groups to discuss actions they will take in response to the information shared.
A recording of the presentations is being edited and will soon be shared on the Wisconsin Sea Grant’s YouTube Channel.
Apps highlighted several resources available from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Water Level Forecasts: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/Water-Level-Forecast/
Water Level Observations: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Water-Level-Data/
Basin Conditions & Great Lakes Information: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Basin-Conditions/
Living on the Coast: https://publications.aqua.wisc.edu/product/living-on-the-coast-protecting-investments-in-shore-property-on-the-great-lakes/
Moore highlighted the importance of observational data for lakeshore flood modeling and projections. The NWS seeks reports of damages attributed to recent and past storm events — cost estimates and photos or videos are extremely valuable. These reports are useful not only for current modeling but will become part of the official storm record and help improve future modeling.
To learn more about efforts to model lakeshore flooding: https://www.weather.gov/dlh/lakeshoreflooding
Want to help? Anyone can make a report using this online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd87gub2R_vCVCZkZ5GaPC88LIFfVhd0d7paSXjRbiD5GCZ7A/viewform
With projections of higher water levels on Lake Superior this summer, these additional resources may be helpful.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/new-community-of-practice-focuses-on-western-lake-superior-hazards/
