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Significant Activities Report:
November/December 1999
International Activities
Great Lakes/Baltic Sea Partnership
Program
Henn Ojaveer from the Estonian
Marine Institute completed his Great Lakes/Baltics fellowship in GLNPO on
December 1st. His project examined the impacts of an invasive
zooplankton species, Cercopagis pengoi, common to both the Great
Lakes and the Baltic Sea. This invasive organism is potentially
problematic in that it is very prolific and may be able to out-compete
other native zooplankton species. It also has a large hooked tail and has
been documented to foul fishing gear. On November 23rd Henn
presented a seminar detailing the results of his work, with a final report
to be completed by February 2000. As an aside, Cercopagis, which
was found for the first time in Lake Ontario in 1998, was found this past
summer in Lake Michigan in Traverse Bay and off of Waukegan Harbor. Its
spread in Lake Michigan will be monitored closely next summer by our
office.
Contact: Marc Tuchman, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-1369
Japanese Delegation Visits
Northwest Indiana
On November 23rd, two
Japanese delegates visited USEPA to learn about management of the Great
Lakes. They hope to apply some of what they learned to their own
management of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest (674 sq. km) lake. Their visit
included a short trip to view the Grand Calumet River and hear about its
history as a dumping ground for the heavily industrialized region prior to
the environmental laws of today. They also visited Miller Woods in Indiana
Dunes National Lakeshore, where a U.S. Geological Survey representative
described studies underway to assess ecological impacts of contaminants by
comparing the biological and chemical characteristics of one of the inter-dunal
lagoons within the national park, to a lagoon that is adjacent to a nearby
industrial site. They were impressed with the beauty of the dunes, and
commented that in Japan, there is such a desire to visit unexplored areas
that such a preserve would likely be destroyed in a couple of years. They
were also impressed with the public commitment to the environment and the
tremendous volunteer activities in the U.S. They commented that the
Japanese view cleaning up the environment as a function of the government,
and the people don’t see themselves as either part of the problem or
part of the solution.
Contact: Duane Heaton, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-6399
Ukrainian Delegation Visit
Anthony Kizlauskas and E. Marie
Phillips prepared and presented a briefing for Mr. Bratishko Vladimir
Mihailovich, First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Environmental
Protection and Nuclear Safety, Ukraine. Anthony Kizlauskas briefed Mr.
Mihailovich on the Great Lakes and the U.S. and binational programs in
place to protect and restore them. Mr. Mihailovich was very impressed by
the magnitude of the resource represented by the Great Lakes (20% of the
world’s fresh surface water). E. Marie Phillips briefed Mr. Mihailovich
on the Great Lakes-Baltic Sea Partnership
Program, an international cooperative project to improve the quality
of water in the Great Lakes basin and the Baltic Sea basin. This is a new
program established to exchange information between scientists and
managers in the countries surrounding the Great Lakes and Baltic Sea.
There is a great deal of similarity between these waterbodies in the kinds
of environmental problems they face and in the necessity of effective
regional and transboundary management in order to address those problems.
Contacts: Anthony
Kizlauskas, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 353-8773
E.
Marie Phillips, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312-886-6034
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Review Briefings
The Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement ("Agreement") is the principal means by which Canada
and the United States work together to restore and protect the chemical,
physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. The
Agreement is the foundation for many environmental programs, including
Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) and Remedial Action Plans
(RAPs) for
"Areas Of Concern." Article X of the Agreement commits the two
governments to review the Agreement's operation and effectiveness every
six years.
In July 1998, the Binational Executive Committee (BEC) membership – senior_level members of Federal, State, and Tribal natural resource management and environmental protection agencies – established a binational workgroup for the purpose of reviewing the GLWQA. In July 1999, the review workgroup presented a preliminary "options paper" to the BEC which contained an analysis of the current Agreement and suggests possible options for amending the Agreement to improve its operation and effectiveness.
The workgroup’s options paper was the foundation for a series of briefings that took place in early December 1999. On December 7th, the U.S. and Canadian co-chairs of the workgroup (Vicki Thomas, USEPA-GLNPO and Susan Nameth, Environment Canada) gave joint briefs to USEPA Headquarters and the U.S. State Department so that they could anticipate any future developments associated with the review. On December 8th, the co-chairs of the BEC (Francis X. Lyons, USEPA and John Mills, Environment Canada) jointly briefed the International Joint Commission.
It is expected that the workgroup will release the options paper as a draft, in order to solicit public and stakeholder feedback, in early 2000.
Contacts: James
Schardt, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 353-5085
Vicki Thomas, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 886-6942
Lake St. Clair Conference: Its
Current State and Future Prospects
More than 230 people, from Canadian
and United States environmental agencies, watershed groups, county and
municipal governments, and First Nations, met in Port Huron, Michigan on
November 30th and December 1st, to exchange
information about the state of Lake St. Clair, its problems, and
responsibilities for future management of the lake’s resources. The
conference was organized by the Great Lakes Commission with support from
the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality, Environment
Canada,
Ontario Ministry of the Environment, USEPA Region 5 and the Great Lakes
National Program Office, along with more than two dozen co-sponsors.
Participants shared information in four areas: Habitat and Biodiversity;
Human Health, Beach Closures and Drinking Water; Loadings, Toxins,
Transport and Sources; and Physical Conditions and Processes.
Speakers talked about the resources of Lake St. Clair, including physical conditions, land use, fisheries, recreation, economic uses, patterns of change and past research. The presentations linked participants by establishing a common understanding of the resources. Agencies involved in management of the lake reviewed their responsibilities and identified priorities. Keynote speaker U.S. Representative Bonier spoke forcefully about the need to protect the resources of the lake. Concurrent sessions provided an overview of the current issues facing Lake St. Clair and breakout sessions allowed discussion of possible solutions.
Many actions to protect and restore natural resources were proposed at the Habitat and Biodiversity session. One proposal, for an atlas of biodiversity, was put forward as the beginning of collaborative work in the region. The atlas would showcase the natural resources of the region and be used as a major educational tool. Next steps include a follow-up meeting of the Lake St. Clair Steering Committee to evaluate the conference and produce a conference proceedings.
Contacts: David
Cowgill, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-3576
Laura Lodisio, U.S. EPA -
Region 5 (312) 886-2737
Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-2690
Roger Nanney, U.S. EPA - GLNPO
Sediments
Sediment Remediation Presentation at Innovative
Clean-Up Technology
Conference
On November 2nd, USEPA-ORD sponsored a conference on
innovative clean-up technologies in Bloomingdale, IL. The conference brought
together vendors, regulators, and consultants from the environmental
community to discuss needs and availability of innovative technologies.
Scott Cieniawski presented a talk at the Contaminated Sediments breakout
session on the history and future of sediment remediation technology in the
Great Lakes Basin.
Contact: Scott Cieniawski, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-9184
Contaminated Aquatic Sediments Remedial Guidance Workgroup Meeting
The Contaminated Aquatic Sediments Remedial Guidance Workgroup (CASRGW)
met in Potomac, MD on December 8th-10th to put the
final touches on the draft Superfund guidance manual for making remedial
decisions at contaminated sediment sites. The project schedule calls for the
first official draft to be ready for review by the Regions in early Spring
2000. The CASRGW is chaired by Ernie Watkins (OERR).
Contact: Scott Cieniawski, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-9184
Muskegon Lake Remedial Action Plan Meeting
On October 27th, Marc Tuchman attended a meeting of the
Muskegon Lake Public Advisory Council. The two primary agenda items
discussed were updating the status of the Ruddiman Creek contaminated
sediment remediation project, and the sediment sampling on Muskegon Lake.
For Ruddiman Creek, the Phase I assessment work has been completed and the
Phase II scope of work for the remedial work is being developed. The status
of the R/V Mudpuppy
sediment sampling effort on Muskegon
Lake was also presented to the PAC. The sampling occurred during the week of
October 27th, and was the result of a joint effort between USEPA
and Grand Valley State University. Results from the sampling should be
available next spring.
Contact: Marc Tuchman, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-1369
New Contaminated Sediment Reports Available
GLNPO recently completed publication of two project reports,
"Physical Separation (Soil Washing) for Volume Reduction of
Contaminated Soils and Sediments: Processes and Equipment"
EPA-905-99-006, and "Assessment of Contaminated Sediments in Slip C,
Duluth Harbor, Minnesota" (EPA-905-99-007). The Slip C report indicates
elevated levels of PAHs, heavy metals, PCBs, and other contaminants in the
slip. Hard copies of both reports are available through GLNPO.
Contact: Scott Cieniawski, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-9184
Ecosystems
Bird Community Index Meeting
Laura Jackson of USEPA’s Office of Research and Development
(ORD), and Rob Brooks and Tim O’Connell
of Penn State University and the Cooperative Wetlands Center, presented
their work on a bird community index for assessing biotic integrity in the
Mid-Atlantic Highlands region to USEPA and GLNPO staff, as well as
scientists and ornithologists from the University of Minnesota–Duluth, the
Field Museum of Natural History, Miami University, and U.S. Geological Survey, on December 9th. This tool was developed as part of
USEPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). Jackson
felt the work could help Region 5 and Great Lakes in the development of
Great Lakes indicators. The EMAP program may be able to assist in indicator
work by offering examples and expertise. Additional conversations with Great
Lakes ornithologists will frame further questions for Jackson, Brooks and O’Connell
and help determine future direction for several crucial Great Lakes
indicators.
Contacts: Paul
Bertram, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 353-0153
Duane Heaton, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-6399
Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-2690
61st Midwest Fish and Wildlife
Conference
GLNPO staff attended the 61st
Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Chicago on December 6th-8th. The title of the conference was "Pathways to the
Future". Dr. Mike Dombeck, Chief, U.S. Forest
Service, gave the
keynote address, emphasizing that high percentages of our fresh water
resources are imperiled or endangered. In the decades ahead our task will be
to protect and restore those resources. Journalist Bill Kurtis spoke on the
importance of the Chicago Wilderness
initiative for managing natural
resources. The remaining two days of the conference consisted of concurrent
sessions ranging from the ecology and management of the Great Lakes
ecosystem and urban biodiversity, to habitat evaluation of terrestrial and
aquatic systems. The Great Lakes National Program Office supported the
conference with a small grant.
Contacts:
Duane Heaton, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-6399
Heather McDonald, U.S.
EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-0250
John Schneider, U.S. EPA -
GLNPO (312) 886-0880
Great Lakes Greenness Change Work
Proceeding
A November 15th-17th,
workshop on the use of remote sensing for the detection of the change in the
"greenness" of the surface of the earth was attended by staff from
GLNPO, Region 5, USEPA Headquarters and USEPA Office
of Research and Development (ORD). The capability of these analyses to assist in
environmental decision-making as well as the details of the technology were
discussed. ORD expects to complete the "greenness analysis" for
the Lake Michigan basin by March 1, 2000, and for U.S. side of
the Great Lakes basin by September 1, 2000. These analyses will
provide the change in "greenness"–forest, agriculture, and urban
coverage–between the 1970's and 1990's.
Contact: John Schneider, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 886-0880
Door County Wisconsin, Wetland Study
and Natural Areas Initiatives
The Door County Landowners, Inc.
received and endorsed an unusually thorough report titled, "Developing
an efficient and effective wetland protection program in Door County,"
developed by Denise Scheberle of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay
with participation by local organizations. On November 15th, Kent
Fuller attended a workshop presentation of the report and provided
information on GLNPO’s interest in locally based ecosystem approaches
including biodiversity investment areas and Chicago Wilderness
.
After the meeting the director of the Door County Landowner’s association briefed Kent on the group’s multi-year assessment of high quality natural areas remaining in the county and discussed hopes of implementing a locally-based protection program. After reading the newly published summary of the Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Recovery Plan, he commented that it is an excellent example of the kind of thing Door County wants to do. He requested copies of the Plan to present to his entire board and also requested an invitation to the next Chicago Wilderness Steering Committee meeting. He has been invited to attend, although he is not the first person to learn from the Chicago Wilderness model. Visitors from Brazil recently learned about the process of recovery plan development, providing volunteer opportunities, and multi-organizational involvement.
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Migrant Bird Conference
On November 13th, Kent
Fuller and Duane Heaton attended a conference on habitat needs of migrant
birds. Frank Moore of the University of Southern Mississippi showed a very
impressive sequence of Doppler radar images of birds over Lake Michigan just
before dawn and a follow-up image showing massive numbers of birds arriving
on Chicago’s lakefront a little after dawn. It clearly emphasized the need
for habitat enhancement of Chicago’s lakefront parks as important stopover
points for migrant birds. It was encouraging to hear such nationally
renowned ornithologists as Frank Gill, Director of Science for National
Audubon Society, and John Fitzpatrick, Director of Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology, stressing that the point is not just maintaining bird habitat,
but maintaining entire ecosystems.
Contact: Duane Heaton, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 886-6399
Cowles Centennial Challenge Conference
GLNPO staff attended the Cowles Centennial Challenge Conference on
November 10th, at the Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center, Indiana
Dunes National Lakeshore. Henry Chandler Cowles’ doctoral thesis,
published in 1899, set forth new theories about how plant communities
develop in relation to where they grow, a process called
"succession." The research on which he based his theory was
carried out principally in the Indiana Dunes and along the shores of
southern Lake Michigan.
This one-day conference was the kick-off for the Environmental Learning Center’s new high school education program, which will bring students from all over Northwest Indiana to the Center throughout the school year to participate in hands-on environmental education activities. High school students from the area attended the conference along with representatives from every environmental agency and organization and industries in Northwest Indiana, who worked with students to identify natural resource problems. Field trips offered a view of the area’s resources.
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Nippersink Creek Dechannelization Project, McHenry County, IL
In late September 1999, Kent Fuller and Duane Heaton visited Glacial
Park with Ed Collins, site manager for McHenry County Conservation District
(MCCD), to see the recent Nippersink Creek dechannelization work that has
been done at the site. Glacial Park covers approximately 3,000 acres, and
has numerous glacial formations, including delta kames, a sand kame (rare),
and kettles. It also has a rich scattering of oak savannas, prairie, fens,
marshes, sedge meadows, a leatherleaf bog, and the Nippersink Creek flows
through the park. A portion of the Nippersink Creek flowing through what is
now Glacial Park was channelized in 1951. A 1938 aerial photo shows the
original location of the streambed. The channelized section is one mile in
length. The old meandering streambed was, and again will be, 1.8 miles in
length.
The MCCD excavated the old streambed and sloped the banks no steeper than 3:1, and less steep in most places. The two ends have not been opened, as they want to get the vegetation established to hold the soil along the banks. The banks have been seeded and are being watered as needed. Boulders were placed on the outer banks of the first two bends, since they will be subject to the most erosion when the stream is returned to its former bed. The area around the stream is flat, and during flood periods, the water will rise above the channel and spread out over a large area. The energy of the stream will thus be dissipated, rather than allowing the full force to begin eroding away the banks again. The stream is expected to change its course slightly over time.
The final project cost is expected to be only about $300,000. MCCD staff did much of the planning and design of the project. Excavators, dump trucks, and other heavy equipment were rented and operated by MCCD staff and summer help. Volunteers were essential to replanting the streambanks. Grants from Chicago Wilderness, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and others helped pay for the project.
MCCD hopes to open the ends and close off the old channel by the end of July 2000. But if conditions aren’t right, they’re willing to wait another year. Ed Collins estimates that there are at least 25 miles of similar channelized streams in northeastern Illinois that could be returned to their former streambeds. With farmland coming out of service, drainage tiles could be removed without causing flooding problems for farmers.
Contact: Duane Heaton, U.S. EPA - GLNPO, (312) 886-6399
Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity
Recovery Plan Moves Forward
The Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity
Recovery Plan for the greater Chicago region has moved another step toward
full approval. Following public hearings in Illinois and Indiana, amendments
have been made to the plan and the Planning Committee of the Northeastern
Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) has recommended it for approval by the
Commission on December 16. The plan is the first for a metropolitan area
that assesses biodiversity and recommends actions needed to protect and
restore all kinds of native ecological communities to long term
viability.
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Building on the Leopold Legacy
Conference
An October 5-7,
1999 conference in Madison, WI , Building on the Leopold Legacy, was held to
honor the legacy of conservationist Aldo Leopold 50 years after the
publication of his book, "A Sand County Almanac". The conference
was hosted by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, and drew approximately 900
people to the Monona Terrace Convention Center, a Frank Lloyd Wright
designed building. Keynote speakers shared personal stories of working with,
studying under, or reading materials published by the University of
Wisconsin-Madison professor. More than 40 breakout sessions were focused on
locally-led conservation efforts and partnership building. A session on the
Great Lakes Watershed was moderated by Roger Nanney, with speakers from the
Wisconsin Bad River Tribe’s natural resource department, the GLNPO-funded
Ohio Grand River buffer program project, a speaker from the International
Joint Commission covering Canadian educational efforts, and Kent Fuller on a
GLNPO overview. GLNPO/USEPA materials were made available on a display table
and included the Great Lakes Atlas, GLNPO book markers, and Binational
Strategy fact sheets. At the final luncheon, each table was given copies of
various GLNPO educational materials.
Contact: Roger Nanney, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-7979
Monitoring and Research Activities
Great Lakes Air Toxics Emissions
Inventory Released
The Great Lakes Commission, in
partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, announced the
release of the updated Great Lakes Air Toxics Emissions Inventory in a
continuing effort to quantify the toxic air emissions that impact the
waters and communities of the Great Lakes basin. The new inventory, using
1996 data, focuses on 82 targeted pollutants from point and area sources
such as industrial facilities, small businesses and residential units.
Early next year, inventoried emissions from mobile sources will become
available. Working cooperatively through the Great Lakes Commission, the
work on the inventory is undertaken by the air quality departments of each
Great Lakes state and the province of Ontario. An online copy of the Great
Lakes Air Toxics Emissions Inventory is available at:
http://www.glc.org/air/inventory/1998/
Contact: Suzanne King, U.S. EPA - Region 5 (312) 886-6054
Grants
FY 2000 Great Lakes Funding
Preproposal Solicitation
On December 23rd, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes National Program Office issued
an invitation for Preproposals for projects to be awarded from Fiscal Year
2000 funding. The deadline for Preproposals is February 18, 2000. A total of
$3.04 million is being targeted to award in the summer and fall of FY 2000
for projects in the priority areas of : Contaminated Sediments, Pollution
Prevention and Reduction (Binational Toxics Strategy), Ecological (Habitat)
Protection and Restoration, Invasive Species, and Emerging Issues. For the
third year in a row, preproposals will be submitted in a paperless process
using special software that can be downloaded by the applicants. Full
information about the Preproposal Solicitation is available on the Internet
at:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/2000guid/index.html
At the Website, you will find a description of GLNPO's funding process, the Request for Preproposals, evaluation criteria, and the Preproposal development and submittal program. The Funding Guidance document also describes the purpose of the Great Lakes Program; priorities for the coalition of State, Federal, Tribal, and non-governmental organizations comprising the Great Lakes Program; and key USEPA contacts. Information on the principal USEPA and other Federal Great Lakes Funding Opportunities related to Great Lakes environmental priorities will be updated as it becomes available. That information will be posted to:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/fundoptn.html
Contact: Mike Russ, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-4013