In Unison: Great Lakes Cities Push for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

It may be August and Congress may be on break, but the people who live and work around the Great Lakes are continuing to push for their Representatives in Washington to approve of President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Four Great Lakes cities will be hosting rallies to show their support while putting the pressure on Washington to do the right thing.

Starting in Cleveland on Monday, Ohio’s Senator Sherrod Brown will be joined by the Mayor and economic guru John Austin to highlight the benefits that the $475 million package of federal aid would bring to the city and state. The morning rally is expected to draw residents as well as businessmen, the chambers of commerce, and environmental leaders.

The summer tour, planned while Congressional Representatives are at home and working in their districts, will also hit Milwaukee, Toledo and Detroit. Take time to head out and show your support so that the folks back in Washington get the message: Great Lakes Restoration Equals Jobs and Economic Recovery! It may be just what we need to push the funding through the US Senate in September.

EPA’s Great Lakes Listening Tour Consistently Draws Full House

Last Tuesday night the EPA began a series of public meetings to determine the best way to implement President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The first meeting was held in Milwaukee, Wisc. and according to reporter Dan Egan the room was packed.

“The issues are more understood now,” Milwaukee’s Annette Gelhar told Egan. “So now we’re focusing on solutions to things that we’ve ignored in the past.”

The following night another gathering was held in Chicago. Former reporter Jeff Alexander attended both meetings and tweeted events in real time on our twitter page. By scrolling down the page you can still learn about people’s concerns and comments as well as what the government officials told the participants.

Last Thursday night, a public meeting was held in Merryville, Indiana and reporter Lu Ann Franklin writes that it too was standing-room-only with some people travelling from as far away as Elkhart County in order to hear about the government’s plans for restoration and offer up their own comments for consideration.

The next meeting will be tonight in Cleveland, Ohio. But if you can’t make it, the EPA will be accepting comments on their website until Mid-August.

CWRA–Good for People, Farms and Small Businesses

The House Small Business Committee heard complaints from associations representing farmers and small business groups who do not want the Clean Water Restoration Act to be approved. They want to maintain the 2006 interpretation that limits the Clean Water Act to huge bodies of water that are navigable. The problem with this definition is that it leaves 60 percent of this nation’s rivers and nearly a quarter of our wetlands unprotected.

The opponents argued before the panel that CWRA would require excessive permitting regulations and include bodies of water as small as rain puddles. “Frankly, the ramifications of this bill are alarming,” Lyle Schellenberg, president of the National Utility Contractors Association said, according to ENS. “Enactment would immediately subject to federal CWA permitting requirements ditches, water and sewer pipes, streets, gutters, man-made ponds, storm water basins, even puddles of rainwater.”

 But the history of the CWA points to a glaring problem with such arguments – it was working for the last 30 years – our rivers stopped burning, toxic pollutants were kept out of our drinking water, it became safe to swim and drink from Lake Erie again. CWRA would merely return protection to the exact same waters that were protected under CWA before the 2006 Supreme Court decision that confused matters. Put another way -CWRA does not expand the scope of the federal government – just returns it to what it once was a few years ago by protecting the same waters that were historically covered by the act.

Some of the waterways that are currently unprotected include headwaters, streams and watersheds that provide drinking water to 110 million Americans. The results of a Congressional investigation into the Clean Water Act enforcement program since the 2006 Supreme Court decision showed that the Bush Administration dropped or stalled 500 clean water enforcement cases. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee uncovered new internal documents (read hidden or buried documents) proving the violations were not pursued.

“One of the legacies of the Bush Administration is its failure to protect the safety and health of the nation’s waters,” said Oversight Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) told ENS. “Our investigation reveals that the clean water program has been decimated as hundreds of enforcement cases have been dropped, downgraded, delayed, or never brought in the first place. We need to work with the new Administration to restore the effectiveness and integrity to this vital program.” And that would mean approving CWRA.

While we understand that the farms and small businesses are merely trying to eek out a living, they seemed to have success doing so before 2006 – so what’s the big deal about restoring the former scope of protections? Congress isn’t trying to expand the law to cover more waters, just return it to the ones they intended to protect in the 1970’s. That would mean returning to the law that Republican President Richard Nixon signed. And here is the kicker – if it passes we can all enjoy clean drinking water again.

The US Senate is poised to vote on CWRA. In the meantime, Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) indicated that her House committee may hold another hearing on the issue in order to hear from panelists representing environmental interests – sounds like a good idea to us.

Hot off the Press, the EPA Issues Outline for GLRI Work & Spending

President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative still has to be approved by the US Senate, but the EPA isn’t wasting any time framing a five-year strategy to address the most pressing problems affecting the health of the Great Lakes. More importantly, the EPA is coming to a city near you in the coming weeks to find out how to prioritize the work in your area based on the local context.

The EPA’s Great Lakes Multi-Year Restoration Plan outline is based on the 2005 Great Lakes Restoration Strategic Plan. The document is a framework for discussion at the 8 public meetings that starttoday, July 21 in Milwaukee and run through August 4.

The four focus areas in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative include: toxic substances and the Areas of Concern, invasive species, near shore health and nonpoint source pollution, and habitat restoration. The EPA will be holding public meetings to learn about the local context -what issues need to be prioritized in a given area - as well as the best methods for addressing these problems.

Please attend if you can because the EPA needs your feedback. This is an opportunity to affect the priorities, goals, even actions taken to meet the goals. HOW is also collecting comments from Coalition members on the draft action plan. If you would like to take part in this please email them to CLORD@NPCA.ORG by July 29.

For those who can’t attend Milwaukee’s meeting tonight you can view it on webcast: : http://epa.gov/greatlakes/live.

Great Lakes Play Big Role in Second City’s Revival

Chicago’s amazing architecture and waterfront vistas are attracting second home buyers from around the country and around the world. It appears that when Chicago showcased the city’s perch upon Lake Michigan it made it one of the most sought after locations for second home buyers from New York City to Switzerland!

“Chicago’s waterfront is a major driving force behind Chicago’s emergence as a second home and vacation destination, “said local realtor Kathleen Malone. “The preservation of Chicago’s waterfront is a major priority to Chicago’s residents and also a major draw for tourists and potential out-of-town buyers,” she added.

According to a recent New York Times story, Chicago is becoming a destination for people seeking a second home. Malone told HOW that she has clients from New York, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles as well as London and Tokyo! She says the lakefront offers clients venues for outdoor fun such as sailing, kayaking, swimming and biking. There are 31 beaches and 15 beach walks along Chicago’s lakefront.

But Chicago’s renaissance didn’t happen overnight. Once upon a time, city planners envisioned an attractive waterfront that would boost the Chicago’s image. Mayor Daly agreed with them and was determined to make Chicago’s old rail yard into Millennium Park extending Grant Park and the green space between the city’s skyscrapers and the beaches of Lake Michigan. Not only does the venue draw tourists to the city, and place it as a contender for the Summer Olympics of 2016, but the property values have improved along the Lake’s coastline as well.

A report by the Brookings Institute endorses such investments in the northern coastline along with cleaning up and fully restoring the Great Lakes to a healthy condition. The report found that by investing $26 billion in the eight-state region to overhaul sewer systems, clean up toxic pollution and conserve the area, the entire region would benefit economically. Companies would want to relocate to these attractive areas and green collar industries could replace the old rust belt companies. Not only does the Great Lakes region offer the beauty and advantages of vast fresh water resources but it also offers up some of the best educational institutions in the world.

The federal government has not committed to investing $26 billion in Great Lakes restoration yet, but it is considering spending $475 million on restoration efforts this year. It has also invested more money in the state revolving fund to fix up sewers and waste water treatment in the stimulus package. In addition, the US House has approved tripling the spending on the clean-up of toxic pollution in the Great Lakes Legacy Act, but the Senate has yet to act on this initiative.

The point is that Chicago may be our first shining example of what can happen in the Great Lakes states and cities when we invest in Great Lakes restoration. We have only just begun and this city is already attracting residents from around the nation and the world. “Any investment in Chicago’s lake front and preservation will play a major role in Chicago’s future,” Malone said before adding that out-of-towners are often commenting on how clean Lake Michigan and the city appear to be.

“Preservation of the Great Lakes is vital not only to the environment but also to the health of the cities that benefit from the waterfront,” Malone said.

Not only will Chicago continue to benefit from restoration, but Detroit, Toledo, Buffalo and many other Great Lakes cities could find business and residents flocking back to our shores.

The State of the Lakes: Still a Bummer

A new report by the US and Canadian Environmental Agencies finds that the Great Lakes ecosystem continues on a rapid decline due to toxic pollution and invasive species and poor sewage management. And don’t forget, all this is happening within the context of climate change – ARGH!

“State of the Great Lakes 2009,” released by the U.S. EPA and Environment Canada, says the overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem as “mixed” and that means the lakes are still degrading but there is some good news: The prevention of toxic pollution has improved. While that is great, the slow or failed clean up of the existing contaminated sites known as Areas of Concern remain a big problem.

Invasive species continue to pose a dire threat to the lakes. The ecosystem is “severely negatively impacted and it does not display even minimally acceptable conditions,” the report states. This particular threat situation has been labeled “deteriorating.”

How many years do we have to read the same prognosis before we act? Every year, we learn that the problems our fresh water lakes suffer from are getting worse but still no real effort has been made to restore them. Every year, scientists tell us that we are on the verge of no return and that the problems if not dealt with now will cost more to solve if they are even solvable by the time we act.

President Obama has presented Congress with an unprecedented opportunity to do something to begin to fix these problems with his Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The bill has passed the US House and awaits a verdict in the US Senate. In addition, the US House has again pushed through a Great Lakes Legacy Act at triple the funding authorization level ($150 million a year), but it is up to the US Senate to act and in the past they have denied this to our eight state region. Just last week, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich) recommended that the US Senate consider creating a ballast standard to help our states deal with the expensive problems associated with invasive species. We can only hope some kind of invasive species deterrent is passed this year.

The time to act is now. One way you can help would be to attend the EPA hearing nearest you and comment on their five year plan for Great Lakes restoration.

The EPA is Coming to a Town Near You

Next week, the EPA will kick-off a series of public comment sessions in the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to examine the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The hearing schedule is:

July 21, Milwaukee, Wis.
July 22, Chicago, Ill.
July 23, Merrilville, Ind.
July 27, Cleveland, Ohio
July 28, Erie, Pa.
July 29, Rochester, N.Y.
August 3, Lansing, Mich.
August 4, Duluth, Minn.

More information at: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/glri/index.html

Friday Fish Fry? Hold the Fish!

You may want to think twice about ordering a plate of Trout tonight, according to a troublesome report that shows that the chemicals infesting our fish are not on the decline. A Canadian group called Environmental Defence released a report today that shows that fish contamination is getting worse, not better.

The report, “Up to the Gills,” examined Canadian government advisories for eight of the thirteen species of fish found across the Great Lakes. Researchers found that many fish were unfit for human consumption – at least in part – due to mercury, dioxins and pesticides. The chemicals leach into the lakes via power plants, industry and agriculture. Lake trout and large carp in the Toronto area should not be consumed at all, according to the report.

“We need to take immediate action, we need stronger government action,” Environmental Defence Program Manager Mike Layton told Nova Scotia’s The News. The report’s authors recommended reducing pollution, improving sewage systems and updating the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

On the US side of things –we can do more by making the improvements called for in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and investing more money and effort in the Great Lakes Legacy Act – both of which reduce pollution and clean up toxic dumps in the lakes. Both the GLRI and the GLLA are presently being considered in Congress. The US House has passed the GLRI fully funded at $475 million and the GLLA at increased funding of $150 million a year. The US Senate has not yet acted but we would urge them to meet the House’s level of funding and ensure the programs are fully appropriated.

Friday fish fry is a ritual that dates back many years in our region and it’s not likely one we want to give up. So, we have to fight for our right to eat our local fish on Fridays or any other day!

Prevention is the Name of the Invasive Species Game, According to Sen. Carl Levin

Two US Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittees got an earful from Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) today on the threat menacing invasive species bring to the Great Lakes.

“Mr. Chairmen and Ranking Members, the impact of invasive species on Michigan’s native wildlife is large,” Levin said in a prepared statement. He waxed on about zebra mussels and big headed carp, about smelly coastlines, declining native fish populations, birds choking with botulism and foul tasting drinking water.

Levin used the platform to call for a “strong” ballast water management program. “Maritime commerce is the largest pathway for new species to be introduced into our waters, and I believe that we need to enact legislation that will require ballast water discharge management that will result in ballast water treatment technology onboard ships as soon as possible. I support establishing a strong national ballast water technology standard for all ships. Technology that meets this standard would be approved for a minimum period of time—five, eight, or 10 years,” he stated in prepared testimony.

Since pretty much anyone can use the internet to import live organisms into the country, Levin advocated for a screening process. He was really advocating for the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act that he and Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) introduced because it has just such a screening process in it.

Finally, the Michigan Senator said he will introduce a bill that would simplify the process of listing a species as injurious under the Lacey Act. Listing a species under the Lacey Act prohibits the interstate transportation or importation of a species without a permit. Sen. Levin feels strongly that the bighead carp should be listed.

Since prevention is the key to saving the wildlife in the Great Lakes region, as well as many other states that are suffering both ecologically and economically from the spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species, Levin encouraged the committee to get behind these three pieces of legislation to combat the growing threat.

Sen. Levin To Testify On Great Lakes Wildlife Today

There are many threats to the native wildlife in our region and that is what Michigan Sen. Carl Levin (D) plans to talk about at a joint hearing of two of the Environment and Public Works subcommittees. The 10 a.m. hearing will focus on how the Great Lakes wildlife are fairing. Levin, who heads the Great Lakes Task Force will testify before the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, chaired by U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), and EPW’s Oversight Subcommittee, chaired by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).