New York native Robert Gioia has been confirmed to the International Joint Commission (IJC), which was established by the Boundary Treaty of 1909 to prevent and resolve disputes over the U.S. and Canada’s shared waterways, including the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Read the full story by the Finger Lakes Daily News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240505-ijc-commissioner

Theresa Gruninger

Parks Canada broke ground on Saturday on the new Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area Administration and Visitors Centre. The center is being constructed on the Nipigon Marina and will allow visitors to learn about some of the things Parks Canada does to keep the big lake healthy. Read the full story by SN News Watch.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240505-lake-superior-national-marine-conservation-area

Theresa Gruninger

In 2019, the state of Illinois confirmed what advocates had long suspected, coal ash from the Waukegan Generating Station had leached into nearby groundwater right next to Lake Michigan. Plans were submitted to clean up the operation, but those plans are still on hold. Read the full story by Grist.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240505-coal-ash

Theresa Gruninger

The Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener took place on Saturday and anglers were eagerly waiting to drop a line, hoping to reel in trout, bass, walleye and muskie. But the state’s unseasonably warm winter may have had an effect on fish hatch for some species. Read the full story by Minnesota Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240505-spring-fishing-mn

Theresa Gruninger

The disappearance of wolves from a large island on Lake Superior means the timing is good for restoring its caribou herd. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks says plans are underway to transport a dozen boreal caribou to Lake Superior’s Michipicoten Island. Read the full story by SN News Watch.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240505-caribou

Theresa Gruninger

Ohio’s environmental regulators will have until the end of June to finish a plan to aimed at combating toxic algae blooms that have flourished in Lake Erie since the late 1990s. The deadline is part of the settlement agreement a federal judge approved Thursday. Read the full story by AP News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240505-lake-erie

Theresa Gruninger

One-fifth of the planet’s surface freshwater sits in our Great Lakes. Demand for it will only grow, which gives us both an opportunity and a responsibility to speed the pace of water innovation. Over the next 10 years, a bipartisan coalition called Great Lakes ReNEW will invest millions of dollars in new technologies to recover and recycle valuable minerals, such as nickel, cobalt and lithium, from our water, and remove toxic chemicals such as per- and polyfluorinated substances, known as PFAS. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240506-pritzer

Beth Wanamaker

New Interagency Agreement Supports Water Tribal Water and Sanitation Projects

By Native News Online Staff, Native News Online

This article originally appeared on Native News Online. Founded in 2011, Native News Online reaches millions of Native and non-Native readers annually including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and others interested in Native American concerns.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/05/new-interagency-agreement-supports-water-tribal-water-and-sanitation-projects/

Native News Online

Look for strong thunderstorms to continue developing across east-central and northeast Wisconsin through the early evening hours. The strongest storms will have hail up to one half inch and locally heavy rainfall. Stay tuned to noaa weather radio or commercial radio or tv for updates on these storms.

Original Article

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.b1bed49badbcf8e1881c8923ba1a125cf4a750af.001.1.cap

NWS

Cells from an invasive algae known as didymo or “rock snot” have been found in the Au Sable River in Oscoda County, Michigan. Didymo can create thick mats that cover river and stream bottoms which alters habitat, recreation, and food resources for fish. Read the full story by WDIV – TV – Detroit, Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-invasive-didymo-found

Nichole Angell

St Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway have agreed a deal to deploy a new Voyage Information System from Global Spatial Technology Solutions to enhance joint management of the bi-national waterways between Canada and the United States. Read the full story by the Smart Maritime Network.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-ai-seway-traffic-assistance

Nichole Angell

Early indications and forecasts from the International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board, which maintains outflow from Lake Ontario for the International Joint Commission, show that the normal mid-summer high point for Lake Ontario levels will remain slightly below average. Read the full story by WROC – TV – Rochester, NY.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-ontario-water-levels

Nichole Angell

A feasibility study released in 2022 by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority did not support the placement of turbines in Lakes Erie and Ontario. This was thought to be the end to future consideration but a recent proposal from Pennsylvania says otherwise. Read the full story by The Post-Journal.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-wind-turbine-dispute

Nichole Angell

After 12 years and $7.5 million, the habitat restoration of a large wetland preserve in the very southeast corner of Michigan is now complete, just in time for the migratory birds heading this way. Read the full story by WJBK – TV – Detroit, Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-wetland-restoration

Nichole Angell

Efforts to kill sea lamprey larvae in Conneaut Creek in Pennsylvania were conducted in late April at the start of a six-month-long lampricide program slated for the entire Great Lakes. Read the full story by Outdoor News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-lampricide-treatments-underway

Nichole Angell

The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) once again called on Canada and the U.S. to decommission the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline. Indigenous communities on both sides of the border have repeatedly called for the decommissioning to protect a broad range of human rights. Read the full story by the Center for International Environmental Law.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-line5-opposition

Nichole Angell

A 195-foot wooden steamship that vanished in 1909 on Lake Superior has been found. The vessel, The Adella Shores, was found with sonar technology in more than 650 feet of water about 40 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Read the full story by The Detroit News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-shipwreck-found

Nichole Angell

Lucas County in Toledo, Ohio, and the Environmental Law and Policy Center filed a lawsuit that alleges that the EPA’s does not measure the actual amount of phosphorus from sources like manure primarily from unregulated large-scale animal feeding operations called CAFOs. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240503-epa-lawsuit

Nichole Angell

Energy News Roundup: Federal money pours in to accelerate energy transition

There’s been plenty of federal attention aimed at the Great Lakes region over the past couple of weeks. The Biden administration last Thursday announced four new “workforce hubs” in Upstate New York, Michigan, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. The hubs — which join the five announced last year in Columbus, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Augusta, and Phoenix — are intended to help communities access training for jobs in the clean energy space.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/05/energy-news-roundup-federal-money-pours-in-to-accelerate-energy-transition/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

Lake Superior is running for president. 

The self-proclaimed #GLOAT (Greatest Lake Of All Time) is running on a “Water First Agenda.” The lake is active on X (formerly known as Twitter) and maintains a campaign website. 

The post Lake Superior runs for president, ponders running mate first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/05/03/lake-superior-runs-for-president-ponders-running-mate/

Elinor Epperson

A Detroit renter’s quest for drinking water clarity

By Meghan Rutigliano

This article was republished here with permission from Planet Detroit.

This story is from Planet Detroit’s Neighborhood Reporting Lab, where community reporters write about health and climate issues in their neighborhood. Neighborhood Reporting Lab is supported by the Americana and Kresge Foundations.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/05/a-detroit-renters-quest-for-drinking-water-clarity/

Planet Detroit

Indigenous peoples rush to stop ‘false climate solutions’ ahead of next international climate meeting

By Maria Parazo Rose

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.”

This story is published as part of the Global Indigenous Affairs Desk, an Indigenous-led collaboration between Grist, High Country News, ICT, Mongabay, Native News Online, and APTN.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/05/indigenous-peoples-rush-to-stop-false-climate-solutions-ahead-of-next-international-climate-meeting/

Grist

Scientists and experts at the U.S. Geological Survey now have access to historic natural resource investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with approval of $7 million for science support of wildland fire management. 

Original Article

Midcontinent Region

Midcontinent Region

https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funds-stoke-wildland-fire-science-investments?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news

lrussell@usgs.gov

By Wajeeha Kamal Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories coming out of a recent meeting of the Society of Environmental Journalists in Philadelphia. Communities are suffering in silence. There’s no question that mainstream media doesn’t cover the systemic inequalities exposed and exacerbated by environmental habits, said Evlondo Cooper, senior writer for […]

The post Reporting on climate change impacts on marginalized communities first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/05/02/reporting-on-climate-change-impacts-on-marginalized-communities/

Wajeeha Kamal

New study: Great Lakes beaches are littered with plastic trash

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/05/new-study-great-lakes-beaches-are-littered-with-plastic-trash/

Bridge Michigan

The murky process of reopening Palisades and why it’s a turning point for nuclear

There are a lot of eyes on Michigan’s Palisades nuclear power plant as the public and private sectors try, together, to bring it back from the dead.

Plenty of nuclear reactors in the United States have successfully started back up after prolonged stretches of inactivity. The difference is that every other nuclear plant that restarted after an extended outage retained its operating license, meaning that it had to comply with strict federal maintenance standards, even at the times when it wasn’t sending electricity out onto the grid.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/05/the-murky-process-of-reopening-palisades-and-why-its-a-turning-point-for-nuclear/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

April Ends with Four Additional Launches Adopted

The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Adopt a Launch Program is off to its fastest start in years! As we end the month of April, we have had four new launches be adopted across the watershed.

  • Fred Miller Park Boat Launch, City of Omro – Girl Scout Troop 2147
  • Telulah Park Kayak Launch, City of Appleton – Valley New School
  • Lutz Park Boat Launch, City of Appleton – Fox River Academy
  • 1000 Islands Kayak Launch, City of Kaukauna – Julie Eddy & Linda Olson

With several more launch adoptions underway, 2024 is shaping to be one of the largest increases in boat launches adopted in the Program’s history. The Fox-Wolf Adopt-a-Launch Program works to improve and clean up the lakes and rivers by engaging community members through volunteer efforts at boat launches. Volunteers are helping to identify new introductions of aquatic invasive species (AIS), prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by removing plant and debris at launch sites, improve and protect habitat and water quality by removing garbage, help ensure recreational boating facilities are maintained by reporting issues, and develop a sense of pride and ownership for the waterways. Want to get involved? Here’s how to join our amazing volunteers!

Photo Credit: Chris Acy

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator covering Brown, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Check out the Keepers of the Fox Program at https://fwwa.org/watershed-recovery/lower-fox-recovery/

Reporting invasive species is a first step in containing their spread. Maintaining and restoring our waters and landscapes can reduce the impacts even when we don’t have other management options to an invasive species.

The post Adopt a Launch Program Flourishes Early in 2024 appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/05/01/adopt-a-launch-program-flourishes-early-in-2024/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=adopt-a-launch-program-flourishes-early-in-2024

Chris Acy

Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition

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

Great Lakes Bill Advances out of Senate Committee

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (May 1, 2024)—New bipartisan federal legislation boosting investments in Great Lakes restoration and protection advanced out of a U.S. Senate committee today, paving the way for the full chamber to vote on legislation authorizing $500 million to be spent annually to clean up toxic pollution, curb farm and urban runoff, restore habitat, and confront invasive species.

The bill, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2024, was passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by voice vote. The next step is for the full Senate to vote on the bill, which is sponsored by Great Lakes Taskforce co-chairs, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio).

Passage of the bill is a top priority for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, which sent letters of support to Senate and House leadership today in anticipation of the committee’s vote.

“We thank U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) for their bipartisan leadership and standing up for the 42 million people who depend on the Great Lakes for their drinking water,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We also thank Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) for making Great Lakes restoration and protection a national issue and for moving this bill out of committee. Federal investments to restore the Great Lakes have been producing results for our drinking water, public health, jobs, and quality of life. But serious threats remain. We look forward to working with the Great Lakes congressional delegation to pass this bipartisan bill to tackle serious threats to our waters, before the problems get worse and more expensive to solve.”

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 reauthorizes the successful federal program for five more years, from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, to invest up to $500 million annually to restore and protect the Great Lakes and the streams, rivers and wetlands that feed them, by restoring habitat, cleaning up toxic pollution, reducing urban and farm runoff, and managing invasive species, with an increased focus on reaching those most impacted by pollution and addressing the growing threats of climate change.

Senate co-sponsors of the bill, in addition to Sens. Stabenow and Vance, include Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).       

Companion legislation in the U.S. House has been put forward by Great Lakes Taskforce co-chairs, Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). 

Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 180 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at HealthyLakes.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads @HealthyLakes.

Original Article

Latest Updates - Healthy Lakes

Latest Updates - Healthy Lakes

https://www.healthylakes.org/latest-updates/great-lakes-bill-advances-out-of-senate-committee

Lindsey Bacigal

When reporting in rural communities, journalists must “listen and shut up.”

That was the advice of former Native News Online managing editor and author Valerie Vande Panne, a panelist at a session of the recent Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference in Philadelphia.

The post Rural reporting needs trust, common ground first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/05/01/rural-reporting-needs-trust-common-ground/

Guest Contributor

In Ohio, the Lucas County Commissioners, along with Toledo’s mayor, are set to announce a lawsuit Wednesday aimed at preventing pollution in Lake Erie. The lawsuit aims to compel the U.S. EPA to comply with its obligations under the Clean Water Act to prevent harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie. Read the full story by WTOL-TV – Toledo, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-erie-lawsuit

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Last August, the dry-bulk vessel Algoma Niagara released thousands of gallons of oily bilge water into Lakes Superior, Erie, and Michigan. The discharges are among numerous reported violations that have landed the ship’s owner before a federal judge in Buffalo, New York. Read the full story by The Buffalo News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-bilge-discharge

Taaja Tucker-Silva

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society announced today that it has found the final resting place of a 735-ton wooden steamship, the Adella Shores, which sank in Lake Superior in 1909. The group located the ship in 650 feet of water, about 40 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Read the full story by MLive.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-shipwreck-found

Taaja Tucker-Silva

The historic suite of power plant pollution standards announced last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency include a rule that will force power plant owners to clean up their coal ash pollution. There are more than 100 coal ash waste sites along the shores of the Great Lakes. Read the full story by The Chicago Sun-Times.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-coal-ash

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Swimmer’s itch, which is caused by a snail and bird parasite, can be reduced by relocating merganser ducklings to beaches where snails are absent. A recent study found that after three years the new method can prevent up to 99% of swimmer’s itch cases. Read the full story by Bridge Michigan.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-swimmers-itch

Taaja Tucker-Silva

Researchers forced to cut short an annual survey of wildlife on Isle Royale, Michigan, in Lake Superior this winter due to unusually warm weather announced that they managed to gather data that shows the wolf population is stable. Read the full story by The Associated Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-isle-royale

Taaja Tucker-Silva

On Tuesday, Enbridge announced it has retained a joint venture partnership between two construction companies to lead construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge is preparing to begin construction as soon as possible following the receipt of environmental permits for the tunnel project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read the full story by WWTV-TV – Cadillac, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-tunnel-contractors

Taaja Tucker-Silva

In a recent editorial, The Toledo Blade sparked controversy by implying the International Joint Commission (IJC) supported the lawsuit between Ohio municipalities and federal regulators regarding Lake Erie water pollution, though the IJC maintains neutrality. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20240501-blade-editorial

Taaja Tucker-Silva

We are excited to unveil the inaugural honorees of the Alliance for the Great Lakes 2024 Wavemaker Awards. As we launch this esteemed recognition for the first time, we celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations who have been instrumental in conserving and elevating the Great Lakes. These Wavemakers have not only dedicated themselves to our cause but have also inspired a wave of proactive engagement across our communities. Their efforts embody the deep commitment required to safeguard the environmental integrity of our cherished Great Lakes region. Join us in honoring their enduring impact at the 2024 Great Blue Benefit, themed “Celebrating Wavemakers: Bridging Communities and Conservation.”


Meet the 2024 Wavemakers (in Alphabetical Order)

Gerald (Jerry) W. Adelmann
President Emeritus of Openlands

Jerry Adelmann has been a pivotal figure in conservation since he joined Openlands in 1980, coordinating groundbreaking projects like the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor. His leadership has resulted in significant conservation achievements including the creation of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and the preservation of the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve.

Michael S. Davidson
President and CEO of Openlands

Michael Davidson, with over 25 years in mission-driven leadership, has significantly shaped environmental strategies in the Chicago region. His notable contributions include leading initiatives that integrate community engagement with environmental sustainability, advancing urban conservation and local food system projects.

Mary Peterson
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Volunteer

Mary Peterson has dedicated over a decade to the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, coordinating volunteer efforts and enhancing visitor experiences. Her leadership in volunteer coordination and community engagement has been instrumental in maintaining and protecting the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Brenda Santoyo
Illinois Water Justice Coalition member, and Water Justice Program Manager at the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)

Brenda Santoyo advocates for clean water and healthy living conditions in Chicago’s underserved communities. Her leadership in the Water Justice Program at LVEJO has been crucial in shaping policies and practices for environmental justice and sustainability.

Asiana Spaw
Documentary Filmmaker
: Microplastics: Not a Small Problem
Asiana Spaw has used her filmmaking to spotlight environmental issues, particularly microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Her documentary “Microplastics: Not a Small Problem” has raised awareness and prompted discussions on sustainable environmental practices.

Iyanna Simba
Illinois Water Justice Coalition member, and City Programs Director at the Illinois Environmental Council

Iyanna Simba leads citywide initiatives at the Illinois Environmental Council, focusing on water policy and environmental advocacy in Chicago. Her efforts in coalition building and policy development have been key to advancing environmental justice and sustainable urban practices.

Join Us in Celebration


On Thursday, June 13, 2024 our Great Blue Benefit takes place at the beautiful Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago, Illinois. This special event is not just an opportunity to recognize the incredible efforts of our honorees but also a time to enjoy the camaraderie of those who share our commitment.

Supporting Our Mission
All proceeds from the Great Blue Benefit will directly support the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ ongoing initiatives to ensure our waters are clean, safe, and accessible for all generations.

The post Announcing Our 2024 Wavemaker Honorees appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/05/announcing-our-2024-wavemaker-honorees/

Michelle Farley

Sea Grant research and outreach projects took center stage in the latest issue of “Oceanography,” the official journal of The Oceanography Society. Published yesterday, the issue features 36 articles contributed by Sea Grant authors across 29 programs and the National Sea Grant Office.

“Sea Grant’s success and impact continues to rely on the power of collaboration,” said Jonathan Pennock, director of the National Sea Grant College Program. “This special issue showcases and celebrates the breadth of Sea Grant’s work.”

Articles cover a range of topics including aquaculture, marine debris research, green infrastructure, science communication and community partnerships, highlighting the wide scope of contributions Sea Grant makes to the environmental and marine sciences.

Tim Cambell, Julia Noordyk, Bonnie Willison and Marie Zhuikov with Wisconsin Sea Grant co-authored five articles with staff from other Sea Grant Programs across the country. Emma Hauser represented the Wisconsin program on the cover. Many other staff members helped review the articles, providing input and editing services.

Campbell, aquatic invasive species outreach specialist, contributed to two articles:

Examples of Sea Grant Efforts to Improve Aquatic Invasive Species Research, Outreach, and Management

SPOTLIGHT • Alien Language: Reflections on the Rhetoric of Invasion Biology

Noordyk, water quality and coastal communities outreach specialist, contributed to:

SPOTLIGHT • Advancing Stormwater Management at Great Lakes Marinas with Green Infrastructure: Outreach, Implementation, and Applied Research

Willison, video and podcast producer; and Zhuikov, senior science communicator; contributed to:

Storytelling in the Field with Sea Grant’s Science Communicators

Hauser, aquaculture education and outreach specialist, is featured in one of the cover images holding a net over an aquaculture tank.

Ultimately, this special issue is a reflection of Sea Grant’s scientific contributions and a look toward what is to come. Mona Behl, associate director of Georgia Sea Grant and a contributor to the special issue, said she hopes this issue will inspire new opportunities.

“Sea Grant is just one of many organizations that is committed to increasing the usefulness of science for societal good,” Behl said. “We invite readers of this special issue to join us in envisioning new pathways for collaboration, impact and innovation to propel toward a future where scientific advancements are accessible, equitable and transformative.”

The post Wisconsin Sea Grant staff contribute to special “Oceanography” journal issue first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsin-sea-grant-staff-contribute-to-special-oceanography-journal-issue/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Waves of Change: Meet educator and Friends of the Fox River president Gary Swick

Waves of Change is an online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.

This month, we spoke with Gary Swick, educator and president of Friends of the Fox River.

Listen to the full interview

The Fox River is a tributary of the Illinois River and flows over 200 miles from southern Wisconsin to Ottawa, Illinois.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/04/waves-of-change-meet-educator-and-friends-of-the-fox-river-president-gary-swick/

Great Lakes Now

Karmen Anderson was initially drawn to apply for a communications assistant job with the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program due to the organization’s focus on sustainability. An environmental policy and planning major at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Anderson was intrigued by the program’s mission to work with marinas in preventing pollution and protecting fish, wildlife and public health.

She got the job and for the past three years has been learning about the marina industry and gaining communications experience by handling the program’s social media accounts, newsletters and news releases. Anderson was also able to attend several Wisconsin Marine Association conferences and accompany her supervisor, Wisconsin Clean Marina Program Coordinator Theresa Qualls, on visits to marinas.

Karmen Anderson, Wisconsin Clean Marina Program communications assistant. She’ll soon be the village planner for the Wisconsin town of Plover. Submitted image.

“It was interesting learning about an industry I knew nothing about. I got to see all the different practices marinas do for clean marina certification, like implementing oil spill kits and landscaping for pollution prevention. I also loved meeting new people and learning from them,” Anderson said.

Notable among those she met was Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “We were at Saxon Harbor Marina, which was celebrating reopening after severe flood damage. Meeting the governor was a highlight.”

Marinas, related industries and services contribute more than $2.7 billion to Wisconsin’s economy. The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program was launched in 2010, and 23 Wisconsin marinas have since taken steps to voluntarily adopt practices to become certified.

One of Anderson’s favorite communications projects was helping develop a promotional video for the program. “I loved hearing the marina manager’s testimonial – that the community actually likes the work done through the clean marina program as well as the resources and benefits it provides to marinas.”

She also enjoyed working with Qualls. “You can definitely tell she loves what she does,” Anderson said. “The way she communicates with the marinas and the relationships she has with them are great.”

Anderson is set to graduate this spring and credits her clean marina experience with helping her nab a full-time job as a village planner for Plover, Wisconsin.

“This position gave me a lot of experience in communication and outreach. I definitely plan to bring that into my new job, which entails a lot of work with the community and developers,” Anderson said.

The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program is administered by University of Wisconsin Sea Grant in partnership with the Wisconsin Marine Association, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with funding from Fund for Lake Michigan. 

The post Student gained valuable experience through the Wisconsin Clean Marina Program first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/student-gained-valuable-experience-through-the-wisconsin-clean-marina-program/

Marie Zhuikov

Environmental reporting experts at the recent Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Philadelphia discussed how to report on climate in a more productive way. 

Allen Arthur, the engagement director at Solutions Journalism Network, emphasized the need to avoid negative sentiments while engaging in the climate crisis dialogue to promote engagement in community-based activities.

The post Experts give insights on effective, ethical environmental reporting first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2024/04/30/experts-give-insights-on-effective-ethical-environmental-reporting/

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