NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/projected-ranks
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/NCEIatOSM20
Cleveland, OH (February 13, 2020) – Earlier today, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the draft 2020 water quality report required by the Clean Water Act. In it, the agency announced its plans to develop a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the western basin of Lake Erie. Western Lake Erie is plagued annually by harmful algal blooms, threatening the lake’s ecosystem and human health. A TMDL is essentially a pollution diet, setting forth a plan to reduce the pollutants that cause the lake’s harmful algal blooms.
In response to Ohio EPA’s announcement, Alliance for the Great Lakes Director of Policy and Strategic Engagement Crystal M.C. Davis release the following statement:
“We applaud today’s announcement by Ohio EPA that it will develop a Clean Water Act TMDL for western Lake Erie. The Alliance for the Great Lakes, along with thousands of concerned Ohioans, have called for the development of a TMDL for the past several years. A TMDL for western Lake Erie will provide the state with another tool to reduce the pollution causing the lake’s harmful algal blooms that threaten human health and the environment.
A TMDL, coupled with a $172 million investment through the new H2Ohio program, is building a strong strategy for preventing harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie. We need every tool available to solve this problem.
Today’s announcement is just the beginning of the process. We will be paying close attention to the details as the TMDL is developed to ensure it is a strong tool for protecting Lake Erie.”
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Media contact: Jennifer Caddick, (312) 445-9760, jcaddick@greatlakes.org
The post Ohio Announcement on Development of a Pollution Diet for Western Lake Erie a Step in the Right Direction appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2020/02/statement-development-of-a-pollution-diet-for-western-lake-erie/
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-202001
Wisconsin Sea Grant is among the sponsors of the 10th annual St. Louis River Summit, March 3-4 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, 350 Harbor Drive, in Duluth, Minnesota.
The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (Lake Superior Reserve) is organizing the event with the theme, “Ten Years and Counting: Collaborating for Success,” which highlights the power collaboration has had in protecting and restoring the St Louis River Estuary. The goal of the summit is to bring together key audiences working in the region to share information about the St. Louis River and encourage coordination of activities and funding proposals.
“The strides we have made toward a delisting of the U.S. EPA-designated Area of Concern (AOC) have benefited immensely from the many partnerships that have been cultivated over the last decade,” said Erika Washburn, Lake Superior Reserve manager. “We hope you will join us to celebrate our progress over the last 10 years and look toward the future.”
A keynote panel on March 3 will feature facilitation by Pat Collins, natural resources program consultant with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Collins has been involved in the setup of the St. Louis River AOC since the beginning decades ago, and will share his insights into progress made, with participation from other professionals involved in the process.
A March 4 panel will feature members of the local news media who will explain how they choose stories to cover and how their coverage of the St. Louis River has changed over the years.
During lunch on March 3, listening sessions will be offered by local congressional staff representatives, and an ecopsychology session will be held by Leah Prussia, professor at the College of St. Scholastica.
A poster session will take place 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3. At 6:30 p.m. in the French River Room at the DECC, Vern Northrup, member of the Fond du Lac Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa, will present, “Akinomaage: Teaching From the Earth.” Northrup will discuss how he uses photography as a tool to educate both himself and viewers about the rhythms of nature, the preservation of tradition, and the relationship between resilience and sustainability.
This evening talk with refreshments is being held as part of the popular monthly River Talk series. These events are free and open to all, however participants will need to pay a DECC parking charge.
College students from local institutions can attend the Summit for free to learn more about the research community and river projects. A student career information lunch will be held on March 4.
Summit pre-registration is required for full-day participation. The cost is $30, which includes lunch and refreshments. Students are free, but need to register. The deadline is Sunday, March 1. To register and view the agenda, visit lakesuperiorreserve.org.
Other initial sponsors include Duluth Pottery, Minnesota Land Trust, Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wren Works, LLC.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/st-louis-river-summit-celebrates-10-years-of-collaboration/
Proposed budget guts funding for clean water infrastructure, EPA. Advocates look to Congress to support clean water programs that millions of people depend on.
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (February 12, 2019) – Great Lakes advocates decried President Trump’s 2020 budget, pointing to drastic cuts to programs that support drinking water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure, the Environmental Protection Agency, research, and more. Declaring the president’s budget a “non-starter,” the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition is looking to work with Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress to restore funding for essential clean water programs.
The White House budget, which comes on the heels of the Trump Administration’s historic roll-back of clean water protections, would lead to the loss of tens of millions of dollars for clean water programs in the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Read a detailed analysis of the budget, state-specific infrastructure funding levels, and the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition’s funding requests.
“This budget is one step forward and three steps backward,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “The Trump Administration’s proposed budget undermines efforts to protect our drinking water and our Great Lakes. With many of our towns and cities still struggling with unsafe drinking water, now is not the time to cut funding or clean water protections. We need a White House that will use all of the tools at its disposal to fight for clean drinking water for all of the people.”
The proposed budget includes:
“Unfortunately, support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is undermined by the vast cuts to essential clean water programs in the budget,” said Chad Lord, policy director for the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “The president’s budget weakens the federal government’s partnership with our region to ensure that people have clean, safe and affordable drinking water. At a time when many of our cities and towns are living with unsafe drinking water, that is not acceptable. We will work with bi-partisan leaders in the House and Senate to fund essential programs that people depend on for their drinking water, health, jobs and way of life.”
Federal Great Lakes restoration investments are producing results, but more work remains. The EPA estimates that at least $179 billion is needed over the next 20 years to fix and update drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 160 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at www.healthylakes.org or follow us on Twitter @healthylakes.
The post Press Briefing: Trump Budget Undermines Drinking Water, Great Lakes Priorities appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/trump-budget-undermines-drinking-water-great-lakes-priorities/
Chuck Shea, with the USACE, explains the 120-year history of the canal and its charge from Congress to stop the spread of AIS through the canal — a charge that came in 1996. Image by Moira Harrington.
Last Friday, I went to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which is outfitted with a set of thrumming electrical barriers. These barriers churn out an alternating current 34 times per second, each with a duration of 2.3 milliseconds. The goal is to turn back any invasive Asian carp set on making the journey into the world’s largest freshwater system. If established, it’s theorized the voracious eaters would decimate food sources at the expense of larger native fish.
I went with Bonnie Willison, Sea Grant’s digital storyteller, and Sydney Widell, an undergraduate with our program. Fisheries Specialist Titus Seilheimer and Southeast Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Specialist Molly Bodde met us there, as did Chris Hamerla, a regional aquatic invasive species specialist with Golden Sands Resource and Conservation Development Council Inc., and Paul Skawinski, citizen lake monitoring network educator from the University of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes Program. Both are based in Stevens Point.
Willison and Widell are working on a multipart podcast series with a focus on AIS. Willison was tenacious in her efforts to secure permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for our visit to Romeoville, Illinois. These are the folks who manage the site of what’s been called the world’s largest electric barrier, actually three of them with 155-foot sections of electrodes at the bottom of the 27-foot-deep canal.
A fourth barrier is under construction and will have three times the power of the existing ones. The USACE plans to throw the switch on that in early 2021.
This is ground zero in the battle to keep Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes through a manmade waterway linking Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River Basin. It’s a 120-year-old unnatural connection, enabling marine transport and a cleaner Chicago, since stormwater and treated wastewater now flows out of that city thanks to an engineering feat that reversed the natural course of the water. It’s also provided a highway to mix species between the two aquatic systems that nature never intended to mix.
I’m not someone who geeks out on engineering, shipping or electricity. And it certainly wasn’t the promise of lovely waterside aesthetics that drew me south. This section of the canal is set amid a heavily industrialized stretch with belching petrochemical refineries.
The area around the electrical barriers is heavily industrialized. Image by Moira Harrington.
No, my emotions got revving because of what this place represents. Eight USACE employees, some consultants with barrier manufacturer Smith-Root and a whole lot of electrical buzz are all that stands between the Illinois River’s Starved Rock Pool, which supposedly holds the planet’s largest concentration of Asian carp and is about 60 miles from where I visited, and the rippling waves of Lake Michigan. Wow!
I wasn’t the only one expressing emotions. Widell said she has “peaked” now that she’s had a visit. Our lead AIS Specialist Tim Campbell wasn’t able to make the trip but responded to Seilheimer, aka @DrFish on Twitter, with #jealous.
Hamerla told the story about how Skawinski had texted him earlier in the week: “Call me ASAP.” When the two connected and Skawinski extended the invitation, Hamerla’s response was reportedly an enthusiastic, “Heck, yea,” leading to a 4 a.m. departure from Stevens Point to meet at the appointed hour.
Strong feelings weren’t limited to our group. Chuck Shea, USACE barrier project manager, said what motivates him on a daily basis is, “Knowing that you’re working on something that benefits so many people.”
The podcast episode about Asian carp and the barrier will be released in spring or early summer. At that time and after listening, Willison and Widell are betting you’ll get some emotions going, too.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/asian-carp-dispersal-barrier-elicits-emotions/
Chicago, IL (February 11, 2020) – Breaking public commitments, the Trump administration yesterday released the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Fiscal Year 2020 work plan without the necessary funding for the next phase of work to move us closer to building the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project to stop invasive Asian Carp.
In late January at an event in Warren, Michigan, President Trump publicly promised support for the project, remarking that his administration would “get it done” and it would be “very quick”. (Find video of the remarks here.)
In response, Alliance for the Great Lakes Vice President for Policy Molly Flanagan issued the following statement:
“Two weeks ago, the President promised to protect the Great Lakes from invasive Asian Carp. Actions speak louder than words. President Trump’s actions reveal that he cannot be counted on to protect the environment and economy of the Great Lakes.”
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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org, (312) 445-9760
The post President Trump Reneges on Promise to Stop Invasive Asian Carp appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2020/02/media-statement-president-trump-reneges-on-promise-to-stop-invasive-asian-carp/
Trump Budget Undermines Efforts to Protect Drinking Water, Great Lakes
Strong support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is undermined by drastic cuts to other core clean water programs.
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (Feb. 10, 2020) – The Trump Administration’s proposed 2020 budget, released today, supports the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, but undermines these proposed investments by substantially cutting core clean water and drinking water programs elsewhere in the budget. The White House budget comes on the heels of the Trump Administration’s historic roll-back of clean water protections.
Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition, said:
“This budget is one step forward, three steps backward. The bottom line is that the Trump Administration’s proposed budget undermines efforts to protect our drinking water and our Great Lakes. One budget line item cannot erase an overall budget that contains drastic cuts to essential clean water programs. With many of our towns and cities still struggling with unsafe drinking water, now is not the time to cut funding or clean water protections. We need a White House that will use all of the tools at its disposal to fight for clean drinking water for all of the people who call this country home.”
The Trump Administration’s proposed budget includes:
The post Trump Budget Undermines Efforts to Protect Drinking Water, Great Lakes appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/trump-budget-undermines-efforts-to-protect-drinking-water-great-lakes/
February 10, 2020 (Chicago, IL) – Earlier today President Trump released his FY21 budget proposal. Alliance for the Great Lakes Vice President for Policy Molly Flanagan released the following statement:
“Although the President has proposed funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, his budget includes significant overall cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other environmental programs. Funding for the GLRI is important, but not nearly enough to protect the lakes.
Over the past three years, the Trump administration has gutted parts of the Clean Water Act and proposed major rollbacks of the National Environmental Policy Act, two of our nation’s cornerstone environmental policies. And in each of his budgets, the President has proposed significant cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others charged with enforcing environmental regulations and implementing programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Moreover, the lack of enforcement and understaffed environmental agencies puts past investments in Great Lakes restoration at risk. While we fully support funding for the GLRI, money alone won’t protect the Great Lakes.”
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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org, (312) 445-9760
The post Trump Budget Shortchanges Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
News – Alliance for the Great Lakes
https://greatlakes.org/2020/02/media-statement-trump-budget-shortchanges-great-lakes/
Today, President Trump proposed a $971.2 million Fiscal Year 2021 budget for the U.S. Geological Survey that prioritizes scientific inquiry for effective stewardship of America’s natural resources and natural hazard monitoring and assessments.
“President Trump’s 2021 budget request for the Department is about investing in our people and public lands and waters," said Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt. "He is committed to the mission of conservation and creating more public access for Americans to fully enjoy our national treasures and landscapes. This budget is a critical step in the right direction and provides a path to restore commonsense in our budgeting process.”
"The President’s proposed budget reflects the USGS’s mission of providing the very best science-based information and data to serve the needs and interests of American communities and people," said Jim Reilly, director of the USGS. "The 2021 budget focuses on continuing to advance our scientific capabilities and bringing our facilities and infrastructure into the 21st Century; and enhancing our ability to execute the USGS core mission to provide early warnings and tools to ensure the safety of our Nation, as well as provide assessments on natural resources to maintain a flourishing and resilient economy."
Protect our people and the border: USGS natural hazards science informs a broad range of disaster planning, situational awareness and response activities at local to global levels. To further these activities, the President’s 2021 budget supports the following high-priority programs:
Monitoring the Nation's earthquakes via the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) and through support of several regional seismic networks operated by university partners. Operating the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System. Monitoring and assessing the Nation’s volcanoes for timely alerts on hazardous volcanic activity. Safeguarding the Nation’s coastal regions by providing coastal hazard and vulnerability information. Delivering post-wildfire debris-flow hazard assessments. These assessments inform landslide response plans and guide alerting for impacted areas. Maintaining geomagnetic monitoring in support of national and economic security. Operating data collection networks and developing flood inundation maps that improve capacity to provide information used for flood prediction. Continuing the magnetotelluric survey of the contiguous United States to provide insights key to energy and mineral resource development, groundwater management, and electric-grid resiliency.Create a conservation stewardship legacy: The USGS conducts monitoring and research to provide scientific understanding of the Nation’s land, water and species challenges. To address these challenges, the President’s 2021 budget supports the following high-priority programs:
Developing the Landsat 9 ground station, keeping pace with NASA satellite development to meet a fiscal year 2021 launch, and developing recommendations for follow-on Earth observation tools and systems to affordably meet the needs of future geospatial users. Conducting science to manage invasive species and fish and wildlife diseases that pose significant ecological, human health, or economic threats to the resources of the United States. Utilizing and advancing USGS observational networks to guide the development of water prediction capabilities through the Integrated Water Prediction program. Continuing operation of the Next-Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) in the Delaware River Basin and initial implementation of NGWOS in the headwaters of the Colorado and Gunnison River Basin. Furthering the 3DElevation Program (3DEP), a USGS-coordinated partnership delivering high-quality, three-dimensional topographic data representations of the Nation’s natural and constructed features, to achieve baseline national coverage by 2025. Developing and delivering the National Integrated Water Availability Assessment (IWAA), a near-real time census of water resources that will evaluate water availability for human and ecological use, infrastructure, security and economic optimization. Working with many partners to support management agencies with science to sustain harvest of game, waterfowl, fish, and fur-bearing animals for hunting, fishing, and wildlife-related recreation. Continuing studies on Harmful Algal Blooms.Sustainably develop our energy and natural resources: The USGS provides science that helps inform stewardship of American energy and mineral resources to meet our security and economic needs. To address these needs, the President’s 2021 budget supports the following high-priority programs:
Releasing USGS assessments of undiscovered, technically recoverable energy resources (including oil and gas, methane hydrates, coal, uranium, and geothermal) in priority basins in the United States and globally; continuing the fundamental geological, geophysical, and geochemical research that underpins these assessments. Developing information, technologies, and monitoring protocols used by Federal and State agencies in the design and siting of energy, transportation, and other infrastructure projects to reduce conflict with wildlife, streamline development, and comply with applicable laws and regulations. Providing geophysical and geological data to help establish the outer limits of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf.Modernize our organization and infrastructure: The USGS sustains mission delivery with investments to maintain the portfolio in an appropriate condition to continue our role in Interior's stewardship of America's public lands and natural resources. To achieve this goal, the President’s 2021 budget supports the following high-priority programs:
Providing access to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and high-performance computing and developing convergent Information Management Technology (IMT) architecture by providing cloud hosting solution advancements. Restructuring the USGS from seven to five mission areas. Continuing space consolidation at Moffett Field in Mountain View, CA and relocating some USGS Mineral Resources labs and personnel currently in Lakewood, CO, into a new facility on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO. Continuing an effective maintenance program at each USGS-owned facility to meet industry best practices.The USGS FY 2021 Budget Justification is available at the USGS budget website. Additional details on the President's FY 2021 Budget are available on the Department’s website.
USGS.gov
https://www.usgs.gov/news/president-proposes-9712-million-fy-2021-budget-usgs
Budget Focuses on Bringing Science, Facilities, and Infrastructure into the 21st Century
Region 3: Great Lakes
http://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/president-proposes-9712-million-fy-2021-budget-usgs
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-202001
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (February 5, 2020)—In a major victory for clean water advocates, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019. The bill reauthorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for 5 years, and increases the program’s funding from $300 million to $475 million per year by 2026.
Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition Director Laura Rubin said:
“This is excellent news for the 30 million Americans who rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water, jobs recreation and way of life. Over the past decade, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been producing results for communities across the region, but serious threats remain. This reauthorization recognizes the work we have left to do to ensure that the basic need of clean drinking water is fulfilled for all who call this region home.
“We thank Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) for their leadership in passing this vital bill, and the dozens of Republicans and Democrats who are co-sponsoring the bill and working in a spirit of bi-partisan cooperation to make sure that Great Lakes restoration and protection remain a national priority.”
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative invests in local projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to clean up toxic pollution, fight invasive species, reduce runoff from cities and farms, and restore fish and wildlife habitat.
The post House Vote Paves Way for Boost to Great Lakes Funding appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/house-vote-paves-way-for-boost-to-great-lakes-funding/
A dancer in regalia at the Gichi Manidoo Giizis Pow Wow. Image by Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant.
More than 230 Ojibwe dancers filled the event center in the Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton, Minnesota, dressed in their finest regalia. A colorful rainbow, the dancers slowly progressed in a clockwise circle, swaying to the beat of drums and singing, bells on their clothing jingling with each step.
Watching the Gichi Manidoo Giizis Pow Wow were 19 educators from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. A few even joined the dance when audience members were invited.
The pow wow was just part of a daylong workshop the teachers attended after they braved a January snowstorm to arrive in Carlton. As a reward for their travel through inclement weather, they learned more about Ojibwe culture, treaty rights and water ecology.
Named after the pow wow, the Gichi Manidoo Giizis Educator Workshop means, “Great spirit moon” or January in Ojibwe. The workshop was organized by the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs.
Megan Hogfeldt. Image by Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Megan Hogfeldt, a water resource specialist for the city of Superior, was one of the workshop attendees. “What fascinated me was that this workshop is geared toward people who work in science and water quality education. A lot of what I do is communicating what my coworkers are working on or research that’s being done in the community. I try and explain to people and school groups the importance of water quality, recognizing that a lot of those people are also indigenous. It’s beneficial to me to have a framework for what I can include or language I can use for that audience.”
Hogfeldt and the other educators spent their morning learning about tribal history and treaty rights from Christina Dzwonkowski, a Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission game warden. Later, Kelsey Taylor, who works for the Fond du Lac Band, offered information about invasive species and traditional knowledge.
The educators had a chance to test their treaty rights knowledge by taking a Kahoot quiz on their phones. Kahoot is a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to quickly create games or trivia quizzes. A question arose during the quiz about how the tribes manage their fishery.
“If a limit on a certain lake is 300 fish, the tribes don’t fish 300 fish,” said Dzwonkowski. “They have a nice big buffer, so they might fish 220 fish out of that lake, just to take into consideration things change and so they don’t go over the limit. The tribes only visit that lake a single time to spear, and they only take a certain amount. Then they leave and don’t go back fishing there, unless it’s just plain hook and line like everyone else.”
After eating lunch, the teachers attended the pow wow, an experience that Hogfeldt appreciated. “I really like pow wows. I’ve had nothing but a positive experience and it’s very welcoming – very based on appreciation of community and nature,” she said.
Back at the workshop, the teachers divided into teams. They played the Watershed Game, a hands-on simulation developed by Minnesota Sea Grant and University of Minnesota Extension that helped them learn how land use impacts water quality and natural resources.
Cynthia Hagley, environmental quality extension educator with Minnesota Sea Grant, explained their seemingly impossible task. “We want you to reduce pollution as much as you can without your team going broke. And you have about 15 minutes to do it. Today, we’re focusing on sediment and why it’s a bad thing to have in the headwaters of a stream.”
In the evening, the teachers took their new knowledge and applied it to activities for a youth workshop held later that night, along with a traditional pow wow feast.
If you’re an educator and would like to get on a list for notifications about opportunities like this, please contact Anne Moser with Wisconsin Sea Grant by email at akmoser@aqua.wisc.edu or Marte Kitson with Minnesota Sea Grant at mkitson@d.umn.edu.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/educator-workshop-shares-ojibwe-culture-and-history/
The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center (“GLELC”) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (“NRDC”) filed a Request for Declaratory Ruling with the Michigan Department of Great Lakes, Energy, and the Environment (“EGLE”) seeking a ruling to declare certain Administrative Consent Orders (“ACOs”) unlawful and void because they violate the Michigan Lead and Copper Rule by allowing partial lead service replacements in violation of Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule.
Prompted by the Flint Water Crisis, EGLE revised the Michigan Lead and Copper Rule to ban partial lead service line replacements, unless it is necessary due to an emergency repair. Partial lead service line replacements have been shown to cause increased concentrations of lead in drinking water. The adoption of the ban on partial lead service line replacements was celebrated by public health advocates for being an important measure to protect the public.
Since the adoption of this ban, EGLE has quietly entered into Administrative Consent Orders (“ACOs”) with at least three municipalities that unlawfully authorize the municipalities to conduct partial lead service replacements in circumstances other than in emergency repairs. At least two of these ACOs, one with the City of Dearborn and one with the City of Milan, are still in effect and remain so for an indefinite period of time. These ACOs were entered into without any public notice or input, and without satisfying key requirements in the Michigan and Federal Safe Drinking Water Act that exist to safeguard residents from lead in drinking water.
“The ban on partial lead service line replacements is a key public health provision in the revised Michigan Lead and Copper Rule, and we’re troubled and concerned to see that EGLE is not only declining to enforce the provision, but appears to be entering into agreements with water suppliers that completely re-write the standard behind closed doors,” said Nick Leonard, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center. “We do not believe that EGLE has the authority to contract around the Michigan Lead and Copper Rule and we’re asking them to eliminate this practice and declare their prior Administrative Consent Orders as void.”
“After taking one step forward by promulgating the most protective Lead & Copper Rule in the nation, EGLE has not taken two steps back by allowing water suppliers to do these partial lead service line replacements –placing in jeopardy the health and wellbeing of residents in the very communities it sought to protect when it revised the Michigan Lead and Copper Rule,” said Jeremy Orr, Attorney for Natural Resources Defense Council. “Our Request for Declaratory Ruling from EGLE is a simple, yet fundamental ask: follow your own rules. These invalid Consent Orders should be ripped up, any existing partial lead service line replacement projects should cease, and there should be no future accommodations for water systems who are looking to use these types of Consent Orders as a vehicle to skirt the rules that are meant to ensure that all Michiganders have access to clean and affordable drinking water.”
EGLE has 60 days to take action on the Request for Declaratory Ruling. EGLE can either grant the request, deny the Request, ask for further clarification of the facts, or advise that EGLE requires additional time conduct a review.
News - Great Lakes Environmental Law Center
News - Great Lakes Environmental Law Center
https://www.glelc.org/our-blog/2020/2/6/glelc-and-nrdc-formally-a-request-declaratory-ruling-to-void-administrative-consent-orders-that-violate-the-partial-lead-service-line-replacement-ban-in-the-michigan-lead-and-copper-rule
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program today announced the award of more than $5.8 million in Great Lakes research, education and outreach dollars for 2020-22 as part of a federal-state partnership.
Sea Grant will fund 15 research, three education and 32 outreach projects on six University of Wisconsin campuses and at a private college. Other entities will participate in the projects, such as the Wisconsin Historical Society, which will conduct research on Great Lakes shipwrecks.
“For the coming two years, just as in our program’s preceding 52 years, our outreach and education activities and funded research will go forward on the basis of scientific integrity and relevance. The Great Lakes are a true treasure and we’re privileged to undertake this work to ensure their continued sustainability,” said Jim Hurley, Sea Grant director.
Researchers will look into the effects of high Great Lakes water levels on infrastructure, a series of chemical contaminants known as PFAS, fostering the growth of the sportfish walleye, and more.
Lakes Michigan and Superior will be the focus of research in the coming two years using Sea Grant federal-state dollars. Photo by Anne Moser.
In all, nearly 100 researchers, staff and students will be engaged in this work, Hurley said.
The campuses within the University of Wisconsin System are Green Bay and its campus in Manitowoc, Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point and Superior. The other campus is St. Norbert College.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, provides funding for this work through the National Sea Grant College Program. The state of Wisconsin provides a match for the federal funds—50 cents on the dollar.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsin-sea-grant-to-provide-more-than-5-8-million-for-great-lakes-research-education-and-outreach-over-two-years/
The River Talk series continues at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Lake Superior Estuarium (3 Marina Drive, Superior, Wisconsin). Nancy Schuldt, water protection coordinator with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, will present, “Promoting Tribal Health by Protecting and Restoring Manoomin (Wild Rice) in the St. Louis River and Beyond.”
Nancy Schuldt. Image by Marie Zhukov, Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Manoomin and all the health benefits and wealth it creates are under threat from a variety of stressors. This native grain has declined substantially in its historic range on the St. Louis River and beyond. Due to the importance of manoomin to tribal health, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the state of Minnesota developed a health impact assessment to convey the importance of wild rice to Ojibwe people. Schuldt will speak on the assessment and share reflections from her career spent studying and protecting water.
The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs offer this series of informal evening talks about the St. Louis River Estuary. Everyone is invited and refreshments are provided.
Other River Talks will be held on March 3, April 8 and May 13. The March 3 talk will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis River Summit.
For more information, visit go.wisc.edu/4uz720. If you miss a talk, visit Wisconsin Sea Grant’s blog for a summary
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/promoting-tribal-health-by-protecting-and-restoring-manoomin-wild-rice-in-the-st-louis-river-and-beyond/
Wisconsin Water Library
https://waterlibrary.aqua.wisc.edu/when-libraries-water-and-art-collide/
On January 16, 2020, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin adopted the following resolution to recognize the rights of the Menominee River:
MENOMINEE INDIAN TRIBE OF WISCONSIN RESOLUTION NO. 19-52
RECOGNITION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE MENOMINEE RIVER
WHEREAS, we, the Menominee people, are indigenous to what is now known as the State of Wisconsin, our place of origin was at the mouth of the Menominee River where the five clans of the Menominee were created and include the Awaehsaeh (Bear), Kenew (Eagle), Mahwaew (Wolf), Mos (Moose), and Otaeqciah (Crane), and we continue to live on our ancestral land that was granted by Maec-Awaetok (Great Spirit); and
WHEREAS, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (the "Tribe") is a federally recognized Indian Tribe as provided by the Menominee Restoration Act, Act Dec. 22, 1973, Pub. L. No. 93-197, 87 Stat. 770, which appears generally as 25 U.S.C. §§ 903 et seq.; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe, acting through its duly elected governing body, the Menominee Tribal Legislature (the "Legislature"), has powers to make and enforce laws, negotiate with Federal, State and Local governments and otherwise exercise its powers consistent with the limitations imposed by its Constitution and Bylaws; and
WHEREAS, at one time, the Tribe occupied a land base estimated at 10 million acres including lands now known as Wisconsin and Upper Michigan; and
WHEREAS, through a series of seven treaties entered into with the United States, the Tribe witnessed its land base erode to little more than 235,000 acres comprising its present day Reservation; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe's sacred place of origin exists within the 1836 treaty territory, at the mouth of the Menominee River, a mere 60 miles East of its present Reservation; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the Tribe's undeniable ties and long occupation of the Menominee River area, there are numerous Menominee sacred sites and burial mounds along the Menominee River; and
WHEREAS, the location of the Menominee River is historically and culturally significant to the Menominee people due to the existence of cultural properties by way of raised agricultural fields, funerary objects, multiple mounds, burial sites, and villages which constitute a cultural landscape of historic significance; and
WHEREAS, it is the Tribe's position that any disturbance or unanticipated discoveries stemming from such sites necessitates that all activity shall cease, the area be secured and protected, the Menominee Tribal Historic Preservation Officer be contacted, and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin's concurrence be obtained; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe is committed to responsible stewardship to protect the Tribe's cultural resources, water, environment, wildlife, and animals that occupy lands within the Tribe's historical range; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe's understands and recognizes that water is essential to life, and that the Menominee River is, in fact, the very origin of life for the Menominee people; and
WHEREAS, the Menominee River also provides life to Michigan and Wisconsin residents and all natural wildlife within the Great Lakes ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, the Menominee River faces significant threats from climate change; pollution; the proposed open-pit mine known as the "Back Forty Project" which is poised to cause harmful impacts to water, humans, wildlife, animals, environment, and cultural properties as demonstrated with other mines of similar nature; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe recognizes that we live at a time of unprecedented species extinction , ecosystem collapse, and global warming; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe recognizes that environmental laws which regulate the use and exploitation of nature are incapable of protecting the Menominee River and Mother Earth; and
WHEREAS, the Tribe recognizes to protect the Menominee River, it must secure the highest protections for the river through the recognition of the river's inherent and legal rights;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that by this Tribal Resolution, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin declares:
CERTIFICATION
We, the undersigned officers of the Menominee Tribal Legislature hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted at a meeting held on January 16, 2020 with a quorum present by a vote of 7 for, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions and 0 absent.
For reference, the original document with signatures is available at https://www.greatlakeslaw.org/files/menominee_river.pdf.
Great Lakes Law
https://www.greatlakeslaw.org/blog/2020/01/menominee-indian-tribe-adopts-resolution-to-recognize-the-rights-of-the-menominee-river.html
Meeting attendees from across the country got a true taste of a northern Wisconsin winter at the inaugural meeting for a Sea Grant-funded effort to support the sustainable development of the land-based Atlantic salmon industry in the U.S.
As the gathering kicked off in Washburn in December, the mercury read a nippy 6 degrees Fahrenheit, with subzero wind chills. Yet energy levels inside the Harbor View Event Center were high as approximately 50 attendees began laying the groundwork for a robust collaboration that was dubbed RAS-N, for “Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network.”
The effort is being funded as part of a larger package of $16 million in federal aquaculture grants announced in September 2019 by the National Sea Grant Office.
Participants at the meeting included Sea Grant staff from Maryland, Maine and Wisconsin, as well as the National Sea Grant Office; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff; and representatives from private industry, including feed and salmon producers.
Maryland Sea Grant is leading the three-year project to identify and address challenges faced by the land-based Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) industry. The Wisconsin and Maine Sea Grant programs are partners in the multistate consortium. The project builds upon earlier Sea Grant investment in this area, including research based in Wisconsin.
The December event spanned two full days of presentations and discussion. It also featured a tour of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) in nearby Bayfield. Attendees observed various NADF research projects with Atlantic salmon and other fish species.
Emma Wiermaa, an aquaculture outreach specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant and NADF, and Greg Fischer, assistant director and research program manager at NADF, played major roles in organizing this productive event.
Said Fischer, “I was very impressed by the commitment of the group, who showed up in the middle of a good old-fashioned Wisconsin snowstorm. Even with record-setting low temperatures, many expressed how glad they were that they came, some from as far as Europe.”
As one of the conference speakers noted — Brian Peterson of the USDA’s National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center in Maine — seafood represents the United States’ largest trade deficit of any agricultural product. And, as David O’Brien, acting director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, told the group, “Wild fisheries alone cannot meet the increasing demand for seafood.”
This sets the stage for sustainable U.S. aquaculture to help meet the world’s demand for seafood while growing a sector of the U.S. economy.
Emma Wiermaa, aquaculture outreach specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility. (Photo: Jim Gill)
As Wiermaa observed, “Land-based, water reuse systems for growing Atlantic salmon allow the fish to be raised close to market, with limited impacts on the surrounding environment. The result is fresh, local filets for consumers.”
Wisconsin-based Superior Fresh is already having success in this arena as the country’s first land-based Atlantic salmon producer and world’s largest aquaponic farm. Said Chief Science Officer Steve Summerfelt, 99.9% of the facility’s water flow is recycled, and there is zero discharge to surface water. Superior Fresh currently employs more than 70 staff and is expanding.
Representatives from Riverence, Whole Oceans and American Salmon — other private entities currently in this space or preparing to launch facilities — also presented.
Several speakers addressed the educational and workforce development aspects of the industry.
Scarlett Tudor of the University of Maine’s Aquaculture Research Institute described her campus’ approach to fostering the future aquaculture workforce. By placing paid interns in companies, the university helps students build their resumes while conducting research for industry that may not otherwise be possible. The university is also interested in reaching noncredit students. As Tudor noted, hands-on experience is key in the aquaculture world, and not everyone needs a degree for their particular career path.
Wiermaa noted that NADF hosts one or two student technicians at a time, and more than 90% of those techs find aquaculture positions after their stint in Bayfield is over. UW-Stevens Point is a leader in aquaculture education. It is the first accredited university in Wisconsin to offer an aquaculture minor (which is still uncommon in U.S. colleges) and the first in the country to offer full-semester aquaponics courses, a master class and professional certificate program.
Aquaculture manager Kyle Woolever handles young Atlantic salmon at Wisconsin-based Superior Fresh, an aquaponic farm raising leafy greens along with fish. (Photo: Sara Stathas)
Fish health, biosecurity, consumer perceptions and other topics were also addressed during the wide-ranging meeting. The aim of this gathering was to bring together a small, focused group of stakeholders to get the project off the ground.
Said Summerfelt, “I’m excited that Sea Grant has supported RAS-N, which has brought together land-based salmon stakeholders–producers, suppliers, trainers of the workforce, and academics—for the first time. With this kickoff meeting in Washburn, we have begun preparing a roadmap to address our needs and gaps in knowledge to reduce risk and increase production efficiencies, as well as consumer awareness. RAS-N is providing a terrific venue for collaboration.”
Future steps in 2020 will be a RAS-N session at the Aquaculture America conference in Honolulu in February, and a fall gathering at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore. Organizers expect to invite a larger group of stakeholders to the Maryland meeting as the collaboration continues to take shape.
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/salmon-aquaculture-project-kickoff/
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
https://noaaglerl.blog/2020/01/29/sinkhole-science-groundwater-in-the-great-lakes/
Today the U.S. Senate Great Lakes Task Force sent a letter to the Trump Administration, urging it to fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at no less than $320 million. The administration will release its proposed budget on Monday, Feb. 10. Signatories to the letter include Great Lakes Task Force co-chairs U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), as well as Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).
Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, said:
“We thank the bi-partisan group of senators—especially Task Force co-chairs Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio)—who are working to keep Great Lakes restoration a national priority. Federal investments in the Great Lakes are producing results, but more work remains. President Trump can show his support for the Great Lakes and clean water by robustly funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in his proposed budget. Further, the president can reconsider his recently announced roll-back of clean water protections for millions of people in Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota. Strong funding and strong clean water protections are both essential.”
The post Coalition Thanks Bi-Partisan Group of Senators for Making Great Lakes a Priority appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/coalition-thanks-bi-partisan-group-of-senators-for-making-great-lakes-a-priority/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-january-24th-2020/
The author and her cat canoe on Star Lake, Minnesota, July 1977. Image by Dorothy Pramann.
For National Dog Day, we offered several popular social media posts that featured the “dogs of Sea Grant.” Our Wisconsin Sea Grant staff members shared images of their pooches frolicking in water. Afterward, we tried a “cats of Sea Grant” social media push for National Cat Day, we didn’t get enough submissions from staff to make it work. Probably because most cats dislike water.
At the time, I didn’t think about Inky, the black cat I grew up with, because she is long deceased. But the other day, I walked past this photo of Inky and me in a canoe, and the memories all came back.
Inky was a stray a neighborhood boy brought to us because he knew we recently lost a cat. That previous cat was a calico we named Muffin. Alas, Muffin ran away when we were on a camping trip while she was under the care of a neighbor. Perhaps because of that, we took Inky along on all our camping trips.
She did not enjoy car rides – she would disappear under the driver’s seat and not emerge until we’d reached our destination – but she liked being outdoors in the campgrounds where we stayed. We’d leash her to a picnic table so we wouldn’t lose her.
Inky at home, circa 1975.
One place we liked to stay for extended periods was Star Lake, a Methodist Church Campground in northern Minnesota. Because we’d stayed there several times and we didn’t need to travel the next day, we’d let Inky off her leash to come and go as she pleased, like she did at home.
We owned an old Grumman aluminum canoe that I used to paddle around the lake. One day, I got the idea of bringing Inky along.
She seemed to like the canoe ride better than a car ride. She perched on the gunwale a few feet in front of me, leaning out over the water.
With each canoe outing, she’d lean farther and farther over the side. It seemed like she wanted to go into the water. One day, I tipped the canoe slightly, giving her some “help.”
Plop! Into the water she went.
We weren’t far from the shore of our campsite – only about 30 feet — and she swam in that direction. I can’t recall if she meowed as she swam, or if she swam silently. (My memory has fuzzed during the four decades since this occurred.) She made it to shore just fine and seemed no worse for wear.
The next time I took Inky out for a canoe, as we neared our site again, she jumped out of the canoe by herself!
Could it be, she liked to swim? I’d never heard of a cat who liked to swim, but apparently, I had one. By the end of our stay, her swims from the canoe to our campsite were a regular thing.
Inky the swimming black cat lived to a ripe old age, despite getting hit by a car once, breaking her leg. I’ve had other cats since then, but none who liked to swim like she did.
Although most cats would rather avoid water, some do like it. (Read stories here.)
My youngest son is allergic to cats, so I have since switched to dogs. But in my home, I keep this photo my mother took, and think of my swimming cat whenever I pass it.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/the-cat-who-liked-to-swim/
Great Lakes Coalition Opposes Trump Assault on Clean Water Protections
“With many of our towns and cities still living with unsafe drinking water, now is not the time to cut back on clean water enforcement.”
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (January 23, 2020) – The Trump Administration is expected to announce today that it will greatly reduce clean water protections for streams and wetlands across the country. These streams and wetlands connect to the drinking water supplies that millions of people in the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin rely on.
“We strongly oppose this move from the Trump Administration to weaken clean water protections,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition. “Clean Water is a basic need. And with many of our towns and cities still living with unsafe drinking water, now is not the time to cut back on clean water enforcement. We need more – not less – protection for clean water.”
“With this assault on clean water protections, the administration is undermining efforts to restore the Great Lakes, threatening drinking water supplies, jeopardizing public health, and damaging the outdoor economy and quality of life of the Great Lakes region.”
The post Great Lakes Coalition Opposes Trump Assault on Clean Water Protections appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/great-lakes-coalition-opposes-trump-assault-on-clean-water-protections/
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/december-2019-regional-climate-impacts-and-outlooks
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/ocean-heat-content-rises
By Elise Ertl, University of Wisconsin-Superior
Deborah DeLuca presented this month’s River Talk on Jan. 8 at the Lake Superior Estuarium. Her talk, “The Duluth Seaway Port Authority – A Career Journey,” offered insight to the Great Lakes’ largest port and how she came to be the first woman to hold the executive director position at Duluth Seaway Port Authority in the 60 years since its establishment.
Deb DeLuca. Image by Marie Zhuikov.
The Duluth Seaway Port Authority’s mission is to bring business to the port of Duluth-Superior, economic development to the region and to advocate for maritime and transportation industries. The port authority also owns one of 20 active terminals – the Clure Public Marine Terminal – which is the only general cargo terminal in the harbor.
DeLuca said one of the challenges about being located in Duluth is how far inland the port is. Ships must travel to the western tip of Lake Superior to reach it.
Some of the primary cargoes shipped from the harbor are iron ore, limestone and coal. Grain is the No. 1 export. However, DeLuca also talked about the increasing wind turbine imports to our area. The wind turbine imports the port is receiving are shipped all across the upper Midwest, including states as far as Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Wind turbine parts can be immense, with some blades over 200 feet long.
The talk of wind turbine imports added to what has always been a big part of DeLuca’s life, the environment and sustainability. In college, she earned her bachelor’s in molecular biology, and later a master’s in land resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She talked about her internship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and her experience working with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Braun Intertec, an environmental consulting and testing firm.
During her college career, she worked at a bike shop, adding to the list of DeLuca’s wide interests and capabilities. While there, she purchased a bike and learned from her coworkers how to ride competitively. She quickly progressed and eventually made the U.S. National Cycling Team.
She also worked for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Later, she started her own company, DeLuca Strategies LLC, where she provided services such as funding strategies, grant-writing, project management, public outreach, and government relations to public, private and nonprofit clients.
DeLuca first started working for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority as the government and environmental affairs director for four years and afterward, became executive director.
The River Talks audience was engaged and asked an abundance of questions. One audience member asked whether the port authority has looked into tourism and possible recreational benefits for people who may want to see the ships up close at the port. DeLuca said, “Kayaking and paddleboarding down by the port may be a fun idea, but it is also dangerous because the ships cannot see people down below, and they can’t maneuver quickly or stop.”
DeLuca was also asked questions about the environment and people who may be studying the topic. She offered this advice: “You can have all the passion in the world to make a difference, but without an understanding of economics and finance, it will be difficult to implement change.” She recommended gaining knowledge of finance and economics in addition to environmental sciences.
The next River Talk will be held on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Lake Superior Estuarium. Nancy Schuldt will be discussing the growth of wild rice in the estuary.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/deluca-shares-her-journey-to-becoming-executive-director-of-the-duluth-seaway-port-authority/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-january-17th-2020/
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-201912
NCEI News Feed
http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/ams-2020
Jan. 10, 2020
By Moira Harrington
A group of second-graders expand their knowledge of Lake Superior through a canoe trip. A workshop is held about that same lake and its strong and dangerous currents. These different topics share a common thread. Both were subjects of audio podcasts last year. Those podcasts were just named award-winning by an international communications competition known as AVA Digital Awards.
“Connecting teachers and students to the Lake Superior watershed” won a gold medal. It’s about a Sea Grant-funded educational program called Rivers2Lake, which shows children from school districts in Bayfield, Ashland and the South Shore of Lake Superior how nature can be a classroom. The program is run by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve.
“It takes a family to deal with dangerous currents” won an honorable mention. Interviews are featured with participants and presenters at a workshop held in Ashland about this hidden but potentially lethal hazard.
Podcast Producer Marie Zhuikov said, “The people who I interview are what make these stories so interesting. Instead of the standard phone conversation, I was able to get out of my office and talk to these people in the field, which makes the stories livelier and more immediate.”
Conferred annually, the AVA Digital Awards attract an average of 2,500 entries from around the world. They come from the private sector, nonprofit organizations, public entities and academic institutions. The awards are administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, which consists of several thousand specialists in production, marketing, communication, advertising and public relations, plus freelance journalists.
Wisconsin Sea Grant offers a broad range of podcasts on topics such as lakes Michigan and Superior, groundwater, aquaculture and mercury in the environment. The recent award-winning stories are part of a series known as Wisconsin Water News, which has 20 episodes. The four-to-seven-minute podcasts bring Sea Grant and Water Resources stories alive by featuring the voices of scientists, resource managers, stakeholders and staff in audio presentations of news pieces that are also shared in print or online formats.
News Release – WRI
https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-and-water-resources-win-awards-for-podcasts/
Seven U.S. Geological Survey scientists will share their research at the workshop. Topics will include satellite-based detection of harmful algal blooms, mercury in Hells Canyon reservoirs, and monitoring of selenium and mercury in the Kootenai River. A full schedule of USGS speakers and topics is available for download. For more information on the workshop, please visit https://www.deq.idaho.gov/water-quality-workshop.
USGS speakers at the 2020 Idaho Water Quality Workshop
(Public domain.)
USGS.gov
https://www.usgs.gov/center-news/usgs-scientists-presenting-30th-annual-idaho-water-quality-workshop
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-january-9th-2020/
Wisconsin Sea Grant-funded researchers collect a sediment sample from the St. Louis River Estuary. (Photo: Marie Zhuikov)
When the calendar flipped to 2020, we entered a new year – specifically, an election year. The political news stories, tweets and advertising that made for a solid background thrum last year will ratchet up to full noise now.
One hallmark of a presidential election year is the plethora of polling. We’ll see candidate horse race polls and those probing the electorate’s stance on a range of issues. Polls will be sliced and diced, agonized over and celebrated.
Since we’re in the season of polls, I want to highlight not a primarily political one, but one by Gallup that measured public trust in various institutions. Conducted in June 2019, the poll asked U.S. citizens what they were proud of regarding their country. Out of eight choices, 91% of respondents said they were most proud of American scientific achievements—the top pick. The military (89%) and domestic arts and culture (85%) rounded out the top three choices.
The bottom-ranked choice was the American political system with only 32% expressing a positive feeling about how the parties and our government conduct themselves.
The remaining categories in the poll included pride in the country’s economic (75%) and sporting (73%) achievements; diversity in race, ethnic background and religion (72%); and the health and welfare system (37%).
Naturally, we do not know who will prevail at the ballot box this November. At least one true winner is clear, according to the recent Gallup poll anyway: science.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/the-polling-winner-science/
Jan. 9, 2020
By Jennifer A. Smith
Too much salt is never a good thing—whether on your dinner plate or on sidewalks, driveways and roads during a long Wisconsin winter.
When that salt dissolves on paved surfaces, it goes anywhere the water goes, making its way from storm drains into lakes and other waterbodies. That salt runoff increases the concentration of salt in our waters, affecting not only surface water but also groundwater (the source of drinking water for most Wisconsinites).
Thanks to a new video (two, actually), Wisconsinites can brush up on their salt smarts. The videos were backed by a group of partners that included the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, UW-Madison, UW-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Wisconsin Salt Wise and the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.
A five-minute video is aimed at general audiences, offering tips on how to apply de-icing products most effectively, depending on the air temperature, pavement temperature and type of product. The amount of salt needed to be effective may be less than you think! For example, just one coffee mug full of salt can treat a 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.
A longer, ten-minute version of the video was designed for UW-Madison maintenance staff, who work tirelessly throughout the winter to keep the campus a safe place.
As the video notes, the Wisconsin Salt Wise website has a product application calculator that can help take the guesswork out of this task.
Abigail Ernst, who completed her master’s degree in water resources management at UW-Madison in December 2019, worked on the videos’ content and appears onscreen along with fellow water resources student Tristyn Forget. The videos were part of Ernst’s practicum for her degree. As she noted, this project grew out of stakeholder needs. While UW-Madison custodial staff strive to be mindful of salt use, they also knew it was an area for improvement and ongoing staff training.
Said Ernst, “One of the most rewarding parts of producing this video was the wide variety of people I got to collaborate with. I enjoyed working closely with the custodial department, specifically Kris Ackerbauer, Steve Heitz, Brad Marta and John Brixy. They are such a welcoming and accommodating group. I was so happy we could develop a training video that was primarily driven by their wants and needs.”
While translations of the longer video are still in progress, eventually it will be captioned in Tibetan, Hmong, Spanish and Nepali—which, along with English, are the most common languages spoken by UW maintenance staff.
Bonnie Willison, video producer for the Water Resources Institute and Wisconsin Sea Grant, worked with Ernst and other collaborators to bring the content to life in a concise and compelling way.
Both videos bring science and practical tips together to address what Hilary Dugan, a UW-Madison assistant professor of integrative biology interviewed in the videos, stresses is a solvable problem.
By brushing up on our winter knowledge, we can all do our part to promote public safety (after all, no one wants to wipe out on the sidewalk!) while protecting our freshwater resources.
News Release – WRI
https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/new-videos-can-help-you-brush-up-on-your-salt-smarts/
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality hosts its 30th Annual Idaho Water Quality Workshop, February 11-13, at Boise State University.
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Upper Midwest Water Science Center
http://www.usgs.gov/news/usgs-scientists-presenting-30th-annual-idaho-water-quality-workshop
With the new year comes a rating of “outstanding” for the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI) based on a review conducted in 2019 by the program’s funders at the U.S. Geological Survey.
Earl A. Greene, director of the Water Resources Research Act Program, transmitted the review results to WRI’s Director Jim Hurley in a Jan. 2, 2020 letter that commended WRI for its strong program, “well focused on research to solve state water issues, student education and information transfer. This well balanced program is instrumental in achieving the goals of the Institute.”
The letter went on to call out the efforts of funded researchers who are publishing at a high rate in well-regarded publications, the program’s leadership and excellent information transfer efforts that are well integrated with research.
The federal review panel evaluated the activities of 54 water resources institutes and centers, based in each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. The years under review had been 2011 through 2015.
“Each day, I am gratified by the work that we are able to accomplish through the Water Resources Institute, whether it’s supporting Wisconsin’s researchers in finding ways to identify and reduce contaminants in our drinking water, understanding the effects of climate change on Wisconsin waters or supporting students in learning and in developing our workforce. Along with our mission to share research findings with you and other relevant audiences, we play an important role in addressing Wisconsin’s water challenges and opportunities,” said WRI’s Associate Director Jennifer Hauxwell.
“The findings of this U.S. Geological Survey review of our program are just another welcome validation for what we are able to do for our fellow citizens who rely on one of Wisconsin’s most valuable assets – water,” she concluded.
News Release – WRI
https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/outstanding-results-for-wri-following-a-five-year-review/
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds are man-made chemicals found in nonstick cookware, flame- and water-resistant clothing, food wrappers, plumber’s tape, stain prevention products, and even coatings on wires. Unfortunately, now we know PFAS are toxic, harmful to human health, and extremely persistent in the environment.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division are holding three public hearings on the proposed rules that would establish how much of seven PFAS compounds:
Meeting dates, times and locations:
Wednesday, January 8, 2020, from 5 pm-8 pm at Grand Valley State University, LV Eberhard Center, Room EC 215, 301 Fulton Street W., Grand Rapids, Michigan. This meeting also will be Livestream. Click here to sign-up for the Livestream option.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020, from 5 pm-8 pm at Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Building, ML Towsley Auditorium, 4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Thursday, January 16, 2020 from 5pm-8pm at the Ralph A Macmullan Conference Center, Au Sable Room, 104 Conservation Dr., Roscommon, Michigan.
Don’t miss your chance to provide your comments about these important rules. You can attend one of the meetings above or submit your comments in writing by Friday, January 31, 2020, to EGLE-PFAS-RuleMaking@Michigan.gov.
To make it easier to submit comments, we’ve prepared a few items we are most concerned about in the proposed rules. Please recommend that Michigan EGLE do the following:
Take a class-based approach to regulate PFAS in drinking water.
Ensure that the health-based value used to set the PFAS-class drinking water standard protects those most vulnerable to harm.
Use the most recent science to set a health-based value PFAS-class drinking water standard.
To view a calendar of all the events and meetings regarding the PFAS Rules public meetings click here. Presentations from site-specific meetings may be found on MPART’s Public Presentations page.
Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/michigan-pfas-rules-public-meetings-how-to-submit-comments/
Environmental Leaders Urge Army Corps of Engineers to Include Great Lakes Projects in Work Plans
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (Jan 7, 2019) — Last month, a coalition of environmental organizations came together to urge Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) R.D. James and Office of Management Budget Acting Director Russell Vought to include critical Great Lakes Restoration Projects in the FY2020 work plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
As threats to the health of the Great Lakes continue to intensify, the coalition urged the Office of Management Budget and the Secretary of the Army to ensure that vital funding for Great Lakes restoration projects remain a priority.
“We are grateful for the much-needed support the region has received with investments leading to on-the-ground results across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin,” the coalition wrote, “However, the Great Lakes still face many urgent problems and we urge the Corps include projects of critical importance to the Great Lakes in the FY2020 Work Plan. The problems we face will only get worse and the price we pay will be much higher if the federal partnership with the region is delayed or scaled back.”
The post Environmental Leaders Urge Army Corps of Engineers to Include Great Lakes Projects in Work Plan appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/environmental-leaders-urge-army-corps-of-engineers-to-include-great-lakes-projects-in-work-plan/
Wisconsin Water Library
https://waterlibrary.aqua.wisc.edu/meetlaurak/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-december-2nd-2019/
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
https://noaaglerl.blog/2020/01/02/great-lakes-ice-evaporation-and-water-levels/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-january-2nd-2020/
Berrien County, Michigan – CCO Meeting Presentation [.pdf]
Press Release [.pdf]
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
CCO Meeting 2-4 pm | Open House 4:30-6:30pm
Benton Harbor Public Library
213 E. Wall St.
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Great Lakes Coastal Flood Study
Great Lakes Coastal Flood Study
https://www.greatlakescoast.org/2020/01/02/lake-michigan-community-consultation-officers-meeting-and-open-house-for-berrien-county-michigan/
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Blog – Freshwater Future
https://freshwaterfuture.org/uncategorized/freshwater-weekly-december-21st-2019/
This week, Congress passed and the President signed the FY2020 budget, funding critical Great Lakes and clean water programs. This budget is the culmination of a year of hard work and advocacy on the part of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition and our members and partners, who engaged with communities to identify environmental needs and met with elected officials in Washington, D.C., and in their home states to let their representatives know how important the Great Lakes are for our drinking water, our economy and our way of life.
Here are a few highlights in this year’s budget:
1) Increased Funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
For the first time since 2011, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative saw a funding increase, from $300 million to $320 million.
For more than a decade, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been the bedrock of restoration efforts across the Great Lakes. The initiative has funded thousands of restoration projects in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, including projects to restore wildlife habitat, fight invasive species, clean up toxic pollution, and much more.
2) Equitable Investments in Clean Drinking Water Infrastructure
The 2020 budget includes investments in infrastructure, including, $25.4 million for grants to small and disadvantaged communities. These grants will work to upgrade the drinking water infrastructure in communities that have traditionally been disinvested in, including rural communities and communities of color.
The budget also includes $19.5 million in grants to reduce lead in drinking water, which has been a persistent and prevalent problem in low-income communities.
Additionally, the budget includes $28 million in new dedicated funding to combat sewage overflows and build infrastructure for stormwater re-use. Sewage overflows and stormwater runoff are a major factor in polluting the streams and rivers that flow into the Great Lakes, and mitigating these sources must come at the local level. This new funding gives municipalities and water districts the tools they need to start fixing outdated sewage and stormwater infrastructure.
These investments are in addition to federal funding for two national water infrastructure program—the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, programs that provide low-interest loans to communities to fix and modernize wastewater infrastructure and drinking water infrastructure, respectively. Those programs saw slight declines in the current budget. Congress allocated $1.64 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (a $55 million decrease over fiscal year 2019) and $1.13 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (a nearly $38 million decrease over fiscal year).
3) Combating Invasive Species
The 2020 budget includes an increase in funding for research and action to prevent invasive species, particularly Asian Carp, from entering the Great Lakes. An additional $14 million was allocated for activities to prevent Asian Carp from entering and establishing in the Great Lakes, bringing total funding up to $25 million, while an additional $3 million was allocated to fund further research into early detection practices and control technologies critical to slowing the expansion of Asian Carp.
Stopping the spread of Asian Carp and preventing their establishment in the Great Lakes is a major priority for the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition and its partners, and this budget acknowledges the seriousness of the threat and the work we have left to do. The Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition supports the work that our partners are leading in making sure these harmful species do not enter the Great Lakes.
4) Researching and monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms
Toxic algal blooms threaten the drinking water and economy of Great Lakes communities, and the 2020 budget allocates $19 million to research and forecast these blooms.
Using these funds, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other agencies will continue to work collaboratively with research partners, developing integrated approaches to understand the drivers, forecast, and help keep communities informed of the threat of toxic blooms. Research will also help to improve management strategies to reduce the frequency, severity and impacts of these blooms.
5) Funding critical science and research
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and the 2020 budget includes funding to continue the critical science, research, and education needed to help restore and protect the waters that communities across the Great Lakes rely on. This includes funding for: the Great Lakes Science Center and National Sea Grant College Program.
Funded at $11.8 million, including an additional $3 million in this year’s budget, the Great Lakes Science Center is a facility operated by the U.S. Geological Survey for essential ecosystem assessment and fisheries management research. These funds will be crucial in surveying the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem and providing information to respond to threats as they occur.
The National Sea Grant College Program is a federal-university partnership program that works to maintain a healthy coastal environment and economy. The 2020 budget acknowledged its importance by increasing funding by $6 million for a total of $74 million. By combining university expertise with public outreach experts, the Sea Grant program is a critical research program for ensuring that our Great Lakes remain healthy and vibrant.
All told, the final budget provides a solid foundation to keep federal restoration on track and sets the stage for progress in 2020. As Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition Director Laura Rubin said: “We look forward to working with Congress in the new year to ensure that the Great Lakes remains a bi-partisan priority.”
The post 2020 Budget a Win For the Great Lakes appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/2020-budget-a-win-for-the-great-lakes/
Federal Budget Supports Great Lakes, Clean Water Funding
Congress increases funding to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by $20 million
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (December 17, 2019) — Great Lakes restoration and clean water programs received support in the final federal budget, released last night by the U.S. House and Senate. The fiscal year 2020 budget increases funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative—the first increase for the program in ten years— as well as provides new investments in clean water and drinking water infrastructure programs.
Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition said:
“This budget is good news for the Great Lakes and the 30 million Americans who depend on them for their drinking water, jobs, and way of life. Federal investments are producing results, but serious threats remain, such as polluted runoff, invasive species, and toxic pollution. This budget acknowledges those threats and the work that we still need to do.
“We thank the Great Lakes congressional delegation – especially members on the House and Senate appropriations committee – for continuing to make the Great Lakes a national priority, and for ensuring that restoration efforts remain on track. We look forward to working with Congress in the new year to ensure that the Great Lakes remains a bi-partisan priority.”
The final fiscal year 2020 budget was passed by the House on Tuesday. The Senate is expected to pick it up later this week. The budget includes:
Reductions in traditional infrastructure programs were partially offset by increases to some existing programs as well as a host of newly funded grant programs to help communities deal with water infrastructure, among them:
The post Federal Budget Supports Great Lakes, Clean Water Funding appeared first on Healing Our Waters Coalition.
Healing Our Waters Coalition
https://healthylakes.org/federal-budget-supports-great-lakes-clean-water-funding/
Adam Bechle of Wisconsin Sea Grant presents coastal erosion information resources at the Lake Superior Water Levels Conference. Image by Marie Zhuikov.
On Dec. 11, more than 90 people gathered in Duluth, Minnesota, for a conference on western Lake Superior water levels. They heard and provided the latest intel on what’s going on with the lake and what’s predicted for the near future.
Wisconsin Sea Grant Coastal Engineer Adam Bechle was one of the presenters, along with Michelle Shrider, general manager of the Washburn Marina and chair of the Wisconsin Marine Association, a nonprofit organization that focuses on issues facing the recreational boating industry in Wisconsin.
Melissa Kropfreiter with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided an overview of water levels in Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes. The corps has tracked water level fluctuations for 100 years. She said natural processes such as rainfall and ice cover have a far greater impact on lake levels than do more direct manmade influences such as water flow controls.
“There is nothing man can do to control these lakes,” Kropfreiter said. “We can influence them by a matter of inches, but we can’t control them.”
The past five years (ending October 31, 2019) have been the wettest on record for the Great Lakes basin. Looking ahead, Kropfreiter said the outlook is for wetter than normal weather for the next three months. Water levels in Lake Superior are expected to remain high and new record highs could be set again in the coming year.
An audience member asked Kropfreiter if extremes in water levels are the new normal. She responded affirmatively, saying that her professional colleagues predict that higher highs and lower lows will occur more frequently.
Brandon Krumweide, the Great Lakes regional geospatial coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management in Duluth played with some water numbers. He noted that only about a meter separates Lake Superior’s record high and low water levels. The record low was recorded in 2007, and the record high was recorded in October this year (2019). Although a meter of water doesn’t sound like much, Krumweide calculated that the amount of water gained by the lake between 2007 and 2019 is enough to fill 62.4 million Olympic-size swimming pools!
He noted that wind is also increasing. Many of the worst recent gales have occurred during the month of October. These cause high waves and more erosion along the coast.
When asked if locals should change the stock “Gales of November” phrase to the “Gales of October,” Krumweide said he prefers the term “The Gales of Fall,” because many of the wind storms occur in that season.
During a panel presentation on local perspectives of water level impacts, Shrider said that ice and high-water levels in winter are causing dock damage in her marina and other marinas. She reminded the audience about the damage done to Saxon Harbor’s walls and breakwaters by recent storms. In Washburn, the top of the break wall broke off during a storm and needed to be repaired.
The recent windy and wet weather has heavily impacted tourism. “There’s a shrinking population of boaters who are willing to go out in less-favorable weather conditions as they age,” she said. “Our marinas are full, but the boats don’t leave their slips.” This also means that boaters are not inviting their friends to go out with them as much, which has led to declines in lodging income for her local communities. She said numbers were down 15-20% this year and 10% last year.
During his presentation, Bechle described several sources of information that Sea Grant offers to people who are dealing with water level issues. The first is “Living on the Coast,” a free 50-page booklet that describes the natural processes that cause erosion, how people can protect their coastal investments, and the economics of different protection actions.
Sea Grant also offers many fact sheets on related topics, which can be found online here.
The conference wrapped up with small group sessions where people moved around the room and identified critical resources that could help their communities address lake level impacts and improve resilience.
The Lake Superior highs and lows conference was organized by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, NOAA, Minnesota Sea Grant and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.
Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant
https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/the-gales-of-october-lake-superior-water-levels-conference-highlights-highs-and-lows/
