A D V I S O R

Vol. 11 No. 5 September/October 1998 Guest editorial Inside GIS: Tools for organizing GIS Online: New tools for protecting our and interpreting data By Dr. Jeffrey Busch, Executive Director of the Office, and ANS Update—Changes in member of the Ohio Delegation to the Great Lakes Commission macroinvertebrate populations s befits its majestic nature, the amount of information in southern Lake available concerning the Great Lakes ecosystem is Atruly staggering. Most everything one could possibly In this issue want to know concerning the environment, economy and social science of this region has been published and is available some- Commission Briefs...... 2 where through the many hundreds of organizations actively in- Cleaner lakes? * Provincial volved in Great Lakes issues. All too often though, the exist- membership * Air toxic emissions ence of this information is known to a limited group of people, inventory * New Commission access to it may be cumbersome and expensive, and the data it- projects * New staff * USACE self may not be in a compatible format for the user. restructuring * Spill protection concerns * Soil erosion conference Timely access to reliable information is particularly challenging for local officials, yet it is * "Communities in Action" here that many land-use decisions are made that ultimately affect the quality of our lakes. workshop * Beneficial use of The Great Lakes Commission’s Great Lakes GIS Online initiative has accepted the chal- dredged material workshop * Great lenge to publicize the existence of coastal resources data and to make this information readily Lakes Dredging Team * Great accessible to as wide an audience as possible. This effort will increase the capacity for Lakes Basin Program RFP * Baltic decisionmaking based on the best scientifically based information available. Fellowship Program * Interstate Great Lakes GIS Online will be accessible through Council on Water Policy conference * Congratulations to Commissioners * the Internet and will utilize geographic information sys- Once again the Commission Spur route for Circle Tour tem (GIS) software to display spatial data. The user will be able to retrieve geographically referenced maps is assuming leadership in the Around the Lakes...... 10 from sources throughout the region and display them development of new tools National Envirothon * American on their computer screens. Better yet, users can overlay and programs that its Heritage Rivers * New leadership in combinations of data to seek answers to complex eco- member states can use to * system questions. Still better, all this can be done with- collectively protect our Coastal Management Program * out needing to purchase sophisticated GIS software or Peregrine falcons knowing anything about manipulating data files. Soon, Great Lakes. Calendar...... 12 even computer illiterates like me will be only a few mouse clicks away from retrieving customized maps that suit their specific informational needs. In the next ADVISOR, watch for Imagine being able to call up from your desktop a U.S. Geological Survey orthophoto, a highlights from the... scanned and corrected photo that provides a detailed, realistic depiction of an area of inter- est. Combine that with EPA information on the location of dumps and landfills, throw in a Great Lakes Commission layer from your state DNR on groundwater flow, and finally add a layer from your local 1998 Annual Meeting health department on drinking water sources to produce a map identifying areas of potential October 19-20 drinking water contamination. Cool. — and — Somewhere down this road we also will see the ability to create four-dimensional time se- State of the Lakes ries queries of Great Lakes information. For instance, a local township trustee could layer Ecosystem Conference NOAA satellite images of vegetative cover, separated in time by 10 years, to precisely mea- October 21-23 sure the changes in land use and encroachment of urbanization in a community. Really cool. Continued on page 6

• The ADVISOR is published bimonthly by the Great Lakes Commission • The Great Lakes Commission is an eight-state compact agency established in 1955 “to promote the orderly, integrated and comprehensive development, use and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes basin.” Donald R. Vonnahme, Chair; Michael J. Donahue, Ph.D., Executive Director Argus II Building • 400 Fourth Street • Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103-4816 • Phone: 734-665-9135 Fax: 734-665-4370 • E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.glc.org Commission Briefs

Great Lakes Commission The Great Lakes Commission, an eight-state Are the lakes getting cleaner? compact agency founded in state and federal Government, industry and citizen The window of opportunity for es- law and dedicated to the use, management groups, as we all well know, seldom tablishing a rigorous, science-based and protection of the water resources of the Great Lakes basin, provides leadership in the find themselves on the same side of the review process is now open wide. implementation of principles of sustainable fence on any given environmental is- Article X requires the parties to con- development throughout the basin. In partnership with the Great Lakes states, the sue. In recent months, however, near duct a “comprehensive review” of Commission addresses issues of resource unanimity seems to have emerged on the “operation and effectiveness” of management, environmental protection, transportation and economic development by one matter. For different reasons, there the agreement following the recently serving as an accurate and objective source of is almost universal reluctance to re- released Ninth Biennial Report. An information; an effective forum for the development and coordination of public open—or even thor- IJC task force devel- policy; and an active and committed advocate oughly review—the Commission oped (in 1996) a set of basin interests. Great Lakes Water News and of nine "desired out- Executive Committee Quality Agreement. Views comes" and associ- Chair Donald R. Vonnahme (IL) Some fear it could be ated indicators by By Michael J. Donahue, Ph.D. Vice Chair Irene B. Brooks (PA) weakened, some fear Executive Director which to measure Frank L. Kudrna (IL) it could be strength- progress under the Larry D. Macklin (IN) ened and some fear that a review—and agreement. A follow-up task force is Frank J. Kelley (MI) possible renegotiation—would only exploring opportunities to apply Thomas E. Huntley (MN) distract from current implementation them. And the upcoming State of John P. Cahill (NY) efforts. the Lakes Ecosystem Conference J. William Moody (OH) Nathaniel E. Robinson (WI) In my opinion, the argument against (SOLEC) will feature the release of wholesale renegotiation is a compelling what is likely the most comprehen- Executive Director one; the agreement is fundamentally sive set of indicators of ecosystem Michael J. Donahue, Ph.D. sound and we do need to focus on health ever assembled for the Great Program Managers implementation. But the argument Lakes or any other basin ecosystem Thomas R. Crane, Resource against a thorough review is at best ill- in the world. Management and Environmental Quality advised and, at worst, irresponsible. I believe it's time to put all these Stephen J. Thorp, Transportation and All of us in the Great Lakes commu- pieces together. We must Economic Development nity—government, industry and citizen • assign a set of indicators to Julie R. Wagemakers, Communications groups alike—have more in common each and every relevant provision and Information Management than we think. We all want efficient in the agreement; Project Managers and cost-effective government. We all • establish a process whereby Matthew Doss, Katherine Glassner- want public programs that improve our these indicators are periodically as- Shwayder, Christine Manninen, Thomas Rayburn environmental health, our economic sessed and analyzed to gauge well-being and our quality of life. And progress, identify problems and al- Program Specialists we all want benchmarks to measure our locate resources; and Stuart Eddy, Richard Garcia, Derek Moy, progress; we want to know if we are • ensure that the indicators se- Peter Murchie, Victoria Pebbles, Jennifer Read, Lisa E. Rives, headed in the right direction. lected are applied uniformly and Michael Schneider, Lara Slee A thorough, methodical and objec- consistently over time to allow for Director of Research, Emeritus tive review of the Great Lakes Water longitudinal analysis and reporting Albert G. Ballert, Ph.D. Quality Agreement is the only way to period comparisons. get there from here. And there need Establishing the process shoud be Administrative Staff Cappy Bilakos, Pat Gable, Marilyn Ratliff, not be paranoia about the outcome if an inclusive exercise to ensure that Rita J. Straith the parameters for the review are all sectors of the Great Lakes com- agreed upon at the outset. The Inter- munity can contribute. In so doing, Research Associate Kate Hackett national Joint Commission's Science we can establish a true benchmark Advisory Board, in advocating this ap- that rises above the subjectivity and The Great Lakes Commission is an equal proach, said it best: “A decision as to “selective science” that all too often opportunity employer and complies with applicable federal and state laws prohibiting whether the agreement needs to be characterize ecosystem assessments. discrimination. It is the policy of the Commission modified should not be predetermined, And, best of all, we can finally an- that no person, on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, but should be an objective outcome of swer the age old, elusive question: marital status, handicap or prior military service the review process.” “Are the lakes getting cleaner?” status, shall be discriminated against.

Page 2 ADVISOR Commission Briefs

Premier Harris endorses First inventory of toxic air emissions in the provincial membership Great Lakes basin released Great Lakes Commission efforts to August marked completion of the tory as a decision support tool. secure full voting membership for the initial Great Lakes Regional Air Toxic “Release of this initial emissions inven- governments of and Québec Emissions Inventory, undertaken by the tory is a beginning, not an end,” explains have taken a major leap forward, air agencies in the Great Lakes states and Mike Donahue, executive director of the thanks to two recent developments. the province of Ontario working coop- Commission. “The inventory will be ex- In a Sept. 1 letter to Chair Donald eratively through the Great Lakes Com- panded and refined in the future to pro- Vonnahme, Premier Mike Harris of mission. They have conducted the first vide a truly comprehensive assessment of Ontario expressed his formal support practical test of processes, procedures and toxic contaminant emissions from point, for the initiative, stating that “We systems development to ensure that fu- area and mobile sources throughout the look forward to a continued and ture basinwide inventories will be accu- Great Lakes basin.” strengthened partnership with our rate and consistent. This inventory, us- To accommodate the addition of mo- Great Lakes neighbors through full ing data from 1993, represents the first re- bile source emissions into the next in- membership in the Commission.” gional effort to manage and quantify the ventory, the list of 49 toxic pollutants In the U.S. Congress, the initiative toxic air emissions that impact the waters has been expanded to 79 and the Re- gained additional momentum when and communities of the entire Great gional Air Pollutant Inventory Develop- Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) an- Lakes basin. ment System (RAPIDS), the emissions nounced his intention to introduce “We have successfully assembled the inventory tool, has been updated with a legislation amending the Great Lakes framework and mechanisms that will al- mobile sources module. Basin Compact (PL 90-419) to grant low the Great Lakes states and Ontario The current emissions inventory effort congressional consent to provincial to share resources and work cooperatively began in January 1996 with primary membership. The legislation will be together to address air pollution at a funding provided by the Great Waters identical to H.R. 3458, introduced by basinwide level,” says Steering Commit- Program (U.S. EPA). Prior to starting Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN) earlier tee Chair Orlando Cabrera-Rivera of the the project, the Great Lakes states, with this year. Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-MI) Wisconsin Department of Natural Re- support from the U.S. EPA and the signed on as a co-sponsor of that legis- sources’ Bureau of Great Lakes Pro- lation in early September. Air Management. Pollutants with the highest emissions tection Fund, de- “I applaud Premier Harris for his en- For the initial levels in the veloped and tested dorsement, and look forward to the day inventory, 49 (based on 1993 sample data) (through a South- when provincial representatives can offi- compounds were Compound Pounds/year west Lake Michi- cially join their state counterparts as full targeted as signifi- gan pilot study), members,” said Vonnahme. “Managing a cant contami- Methylene Chloride 24,519,798.10 the regional infra- binational resource demands a true state/ nants. The pol- 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 18,778,760.00 structure and tools provincial partnership. The premier’s lutant totals were Tetrachloroethylene 13,172,297.00 for emissions in- support and Senator DeWine’s leader- derived from 1993 Manganese 2,059,516.76 ventory compila- ship in the U.S. Senate are very welcome point and area Lead 827,744.42 tion including developments.” source emissions RAPIDS and the The governments of Ontario and data. Results from the report indi- Air Toxic Emissions Inventory Protocol for Quebéc have been Commission Ob- cated that Methylene Chloride, 1,1,1- the Great Lakes States. servers since the late 1980s and, since Trichloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene, The Great Lakes states and Ontario, that time, have been extensively in- Manganese and Lead contributed the with support from the Commission, are volved in all aspects of Commission greatest amount of emissions to the re- continuing their ongoing partnership operations with the exception of vot- gion (see table). with the U.S. EPA by beginning work ing privileges. Legislation in every The inventory effort encountered on the next basinwide inventory using Great Lakes state currently provides many challenges in terms of data avail- data from 1996. for provincial membership; an amend- ability, quality, breadth and consistency The initial inventory can be viewed ment to federal legislation (i.e., 1955 between jurisdictions. Thus, steering and downloaded from http:// Basin Compact) is needed to secure committee members caution that this in- www.glc.org/projects/air/final93/ congressional consent for such mem- ventory should not be used to compare 93report.html. bership. Contact: Mike Donahue, one state or province’s emissions against Contact: Orlando Cabrera-Rivera, 618- [email protected]. another’s, but rather to demonstrate the 267-2466, [email protected],; potential of such a comprehensive inven- or Julie Wagemakers, [email protected].

September/October 1998 Page 3 Commission Briefs

NewThe Great LakesCommission Commission has initiated 10 newprojects projects, nine of which are funded over the next two years by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office. The Great Lakes Brownfields Regional Informa- tion Development and Greenfields System (BRIDGES) project is funded by the C.S. Mott Foundation.

Product(s): Review and updating of U.S. Great Lakes GIS Online Soil erosion/nonpoint source pollution AOC material presently on the U.S. conference Overview: Builds upon an Internet map- EPA, GLNPO web site; development of Overview: A fall 1998 conference be to ping application, enhances the spatial enhanced features of this site to further review current initiatives related to soil data library of consistent spatial data lay- promote RAP development and erosion and sedimentation and other ers covering the Great Lakes basin implementation; and publicizing forms of nonpoint source pollution and and expands previously established these efforts among both the public to present case studies of successful man- partnerships. and private sectors. agement efforts in the Great Lakes basin. Product(s): A spatial data library, in- Collaborators: Representatives from Product(s): Plenary and concurrent ses- tergovernmental partnerships, and U.S. EPA-GLNPO, U.S. EPA Region 5- sions on key nonpoint source pollution enhancements to Internet GIS and Water Division and the water quality issues; case study presentations; partner- mapping applications. agencies in each of the Great Lakes ship building; and regional priority set- states, with guidance from RAP coordi- Collaborators: U.S. Army Corps of En- ting. gineers; NOAA's Great Lakes Environ- nators and members of Michigan’s State- mental Research Laboratory; Environ- wide Public Advisory Council. Collaborators: Numerous regional agen- ment Canada; Ohio Lake Erie Commis- cies and organizations, assisting with con- sion; Ohio EPA; Ohio DNR; and East- Ballast water management and ference planning and development as ern Michigan University’s Center for En- aquatic nuisance species: Setting project partners. vironmental Information (contractor). the research agenda Overview: A January 1999 workshop Great Lakes Dredging Team support National overview of aquatic to discuss the current status and needs Overview: Expansion of the Great Lakes nuisance species associated with research on preventing Dredging Team’s web site to improve ac- Overview: Production of a 30-minute the spread of aquatic nuisance species cess to data and information to resolve video documentary to heighten the re- through ballast water. contaminated sediment and related dredging issues. An assessment of Dredg- gional and national profile of the issue; Product(s): A highly focused, appli- ing Team outreach efforts to date and document economic and ecological im- cation-oriented research agenda de- recommendations for new or modified pacts; and emphasize the role and re- signed to guide ANS-related ballast communications/outreach products also sponsibilities of relevant levels of govern- water research over a three-to five- will be undertaken. ment, the private sector, user groups and year time frame; a summary document the public. presenting research recommendations Product(s): A collaboratively developed Product(s): National Overview of Aquatic and providing abstracts of existing bal- and maintained Great Lakes Dredging Nuisance Species: Issues and Answers, a last water research efforts; a journal ar- Team web site that links to high quality 30-minute documentary produced by the ticle reviewing the role of ballast water resources and information throughout Information Television Network that in introducing and spreading aquatic the Great Lakes region. nuisance species; and widespread dis- will reach more than 50 million Collaborators: Members of the Great tribution of the workshop results. households. Lakes Dredging Team (state and federal Collaborators: Great Lakes Panel on Collaborators: The agencies and or- agency personnel). Aquatic Nuisance Species. ganizations represented on the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance SOLEC ’98 conference support Species, in particular the U.S. Coast Areas of Concern information online Overview: The State of the Lakes Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecosystem Conference is a biennial Overview: Continue working with pub- Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, conference sponsored by U.S. EPA lic agency and private sector partners to Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and Environment Canada, convened update, enhance and promote the AOC Lake Carriers’ Association, Depart- in support of U.S. and Canadian ef- web pages (http://www.epa.gov/ ment of Fisheries and Oceans Canada forts under the Great Lakes Water glnpo/aoc/). and Transport Canada. Quality Agreement.

Page 4 ADVISOR Commission Briefs

Product(s): Commission participation Collaborators: U.S. EPA-GLNPO on SOLEC ’98 Steering Committee and other public agency and pri- New faces at the through the Land-Use Indicators work- vate sector members of the Great Commission ing group, a joint reception for SOLEC Lakes Spill Protection Initiative. The Commission’s Resource attendees and Commission Annual In addition to providing in-kind Management and Environmental Meeting participants, a compilation of support to the project, four of the Quality Program is pleased to welcome SOLEC “success stories,” and assistance oil companies (Amoco, BP, Mara- three new staff members. with conference follow-up. thon and Sun) and one state (New Peter Murchie joins the Commission York) will provide financial support. Collaborators: U.S. EPA, Environment on a six-month rotation from the U.S. Canada and members of the SOLEC ’98 EPA Region 5. He is assisting with the Steering Committee. Brownfields redevelopment and Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nui- greenfields protection sance Species, the Lakewide Manage- ment Plan Monitoring Project for Lake Great Lakes beach closures: Water Overview: Supports the need for Michigan and the Statewide Public quality monitoring and advisories brownfields redevelopment and Advisory Council. Previously, Overview: A Great Lakes pilot project— greenfields protection policies and Murchie worked for the U.S. EPA in in support of U.S. EPA’s national practices that are flexible, cost- the Pollution Prevention and Program Beaches Environmental Assessment, effective, sensitive to community Initiatives Section and participated in Closure and Health (BEACH) Pro- development needs and transfer- the LaMP processes for lakes Erie, Su- gram— to promote consistency and en- able among Great Lakes states, perior and Michigan. Murchie has hance efforts in beach water quality provinces and localities. master’s degrees from both the School monitoring, analysis, advisory implemen- Product(s): An online Great Lakes of Natural Resources and Environment tation, publicity and interjurisdictional Brownfields Regional Information and the School of Public Health at the reporting. Development and Greenfields Sys- University of Michigan. Contact: Product(s): An online Great Lakes tem (BRIDGES); summaries of lo- [email protected]. beach advisory system that will comple- cal workshops that include com- As a program specialist, Richard ment and enhance U.S. EPA’s plans for a munity-level recommendations for Garcia is collecting and mapping data national beach database. brownfields redevelopment; a series and developing databases for environ- mentally and economically sensitive Collaborators: U.S. EPA-GLNPO, U.S. of broader strategic actions on brownfields redevelopment and areas. He has a bachelor’s degree in ur- EPA-Water Division, and a Commis- ban and environmental geography sion-led multijurisdictional team com- greenfields protection for adoption/ implementation by decisionmakers from the University of at Chi- prised of public health and water quality cago. Previously, Garcia worked on a experts from the Great Lakes states, throughout the basin; and a final report incorporating the recom- quality control project with the city of Ontario and other relevant agencies and Chicago, where he corrected digital jurisdictions. mendations, strategic actions, sum- maries of case studies, and tech- parcel maps. Contact: [email protected]. niques for brownfields redevelop- Jennifer Read, who was hosted by Web-based Spills Information ment and greenfields protection. the Commission as a Fulbright scholar, Center for the Great Lakes region is now a program specialist, assisting Overview: Development of a Great Collaborators: The Commission is with the Great Lakes Basin Program Lakes Spills Information Center to pro- the principal investigator and fiscal and the SPAC. Read is a doctoral stu- vide prompt, easy access to needed data agent for the BRIDGES project. dent in environmental studies at the and information, enhancing partnerships Work products will be the result of University of Western Ontario. Her re- and communication between the regu- a two-year collaborative effort search focuses on the evolution of lated and response communities. among the Commission, the Coun- Ontario’s pollution control policy be- cil of Great Lakes Industries and tween the 1909 Boundary Waters Product(s): A web-based Great Lakes the National Wildlife Federation- Treaty and the 1972 Great Lakes Wa- Spills Information Center; an oil spill re- Great Lakes Natural Resource ter Quality Agreement. Contact: search inventory; and introduction of Center. [email protected]. Tom Rayburn has been promoted to these services to the regulated and re- For more information on any of these project manager in the program. He sponder communities. projects, contact Mike Donahue, manages the area contingency plan- [email protected]. ning project. Contact: [email protected].

September/October 1998 Page 5 Commission Briefs

States share concerns over Corps restructuring, Spill protection, control operations and maintenance policy and countermeasures Ongoing Executive Committee discus- The Executive Committee also has regulation concerns GLSPI sions with regional U.S. Army Corps of closely tracked a Corps Cost Savings The U.S. Environmental Protection Engineers officials have culminated in a Task Force, which has been working to Agency’s Spill Protection, Control policy position on two key issues. A reduce the Civil Works Operations and and Countermeasures (SPCC) regula- Sept. 25 letter to Gen. Hans VanWinkle, Management Program budget by up to tion is slated for publication in early commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio 15 percent. The task force report sug- 1999, and its potential content has River Division, addressed collective state gests that many shallow draft recre- members of the Great Lakes Spill Pro- views on division restructuring and ational harbors may ultimately lose tection Initiative (GLSPI) concerned. evolving operations and maintenance Corps-provided periodic maintenance The group, a Commission-staffed part- policy for recreational harbor dredging. dredging. nership between the Great Lakes Signed by Commission Chair Don “Many of these small harbors were states, federal agencies and several pe- Vonnahme, the letter applauds the built with a substantial federal commit- troleum companies, met on Sept. 8 to Corps' efforts to enhance the efficiency ment along with both state and local in- review proposed revisions to the and effectiveness of service delivery, but vestment,” explains Vonnahme. “Federal SPCC regulation, which will contain emphasizes that further restructuring de- dredging and other harbor maintenance final language based on dated comments cisions must ensure a continuing basin activities have been ongoing for years. U.S. EPA received about the 1991 and presence and focus on matters of priority To walk away from this longstanding 1993 versions of the document. interest to the Great Lakes states. commitment would impose a sudden The GLSPI feels that these five- Vonnahme noted that restructuring and significant burden on all Great and seven-year-old comments do not has removed the division headquarters Lakes states and many Great Lakes com- accurately reflect current positions. and a great majority of staff from the ba- munities.” For instance, the Oil Pollution Act sin, and raised concerns that the dimin- The Commission is advocating a pro- of 1990 (OPA) regulations have ished office may be vulnerable to even vision in the Water Resources Develop- since gone into effect, heightening further reductions. He identifies key ar- ment Act of 1998 to address this con- preparedness and planning in re- eas where a Corps presence must be cern. A meeting with Dr. Joseph sponse to potential oil spills to sur- maintained, including “full and substan- Westphal, assistant secretary of the face waters. The GLSPI hopes to tive support of all binational Great Lakes Army for Civil Works, has been re- meet with the SPCC Workgroup in programs and initiatives where the active quested to further convey Executive October to present its concerns. presence and contribution of the U.S. Committee viewpoints. Contact: Mike Facilities regulated by the SPCC in- federal government is a matter of legal Donahue, [email protected]. clude farms, electrical substations and obligation or stated policy.” refineries, among others. These facili- ties either have a tank of greater than 660 gallons or an onsite aggregate of Guest editorial, continued from page 1 more than 1,200 gallons in multiple This superhighway of Great Lakes in- The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is tanks. It also can be reasonably ex- formation is not being built without a proud to be a sponsor of the Great Lakes pected that a spill from one of these fa- few potholes, however. Just getting the GIS Online project. We became aware cilities will reach navigable waters, in- software up and running on the web has of the effort soon after beginning Ohio’s cluding drainage ditches and seasonal proven to be a significant challenge. The Coastal Resources Inventory initiative. wetlands. Commission, with Dr. Yichun Xie of We realized that joining this cooperative Since publication of the proposed Eastern Michigan University, is working effort instead of going it alone was the SPCC ruling and enactment of OPA, hard to rid the software of bugs so it will correct path, saving us an enormous the GLSPI was formed to enhance co- display data in the most friendly and un- amount of time and money. operation and maintain lines of com- derstandable fashion possible. A second As a member of Ohio’s delegation to munication between industry and problem has been in documenting and the Great Lakes Commission, I also am regulatory groups in an open forum. standardizing the metadata, which are pleased with the GIS Online project. The GLSPI is in a unique position to the specifics as to how each database was Once again the Commission is assuming develop unified language representing created (scales, dates, precision, etc.). leadership in the development of new both a regulated and regulatory point Although tedious, tight control and pre- tools and programs that its member of view. sentation of the metadata is essential for states can use to collectively protect our Contact: Tom Rayburn, [email protected]. reliable and usable maps. Great Lakes.

Page 6 ADVISOR Commission Briefs Keeping it on the land...and out of the water Soil erosion conference showcases innovative control practices Building partnerships to span govern- spoke on the connection between land ment agencies, community organizations use and water quality and highlighted and private citizens was a theme that the IJC’s role in monitoring trends in emerged from a basinwide conference on these areas under the Great Lakes Water soil erosion and sediment control hosted Quality Agreement. by the Great Lakes Commission and its Case study presentations highlighted state and federal partners Sept. 16-18 in demonstration projects funded through Toledo, Ohio. the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil The conference theme was established Erosion and Sediment Control, covering by Ron Nargang, deputy commissioner topics such as shoreline stabilization, of the Department of Natural Participants in the conference included (left to buffer strips and streambank manage- right) William Horvath, National Association Resources, in a review of his state's efforts of Conservation Districts Policy Center; Wayne ment, and habitat protection and resto- to implement an ecosystem approach to Warren, Ohio DNR; Mike Donahue, Great ration. Since 1991, the program has management. Lakes Commission; and Bruce Kirschner, funded 119 innovative solutions to International Joint Commission. “Our organization decided to reach out nonpoint source pollution stemming and engage others in what we do and, Protection, discussed watershed planning from agriculture, forestry, urban and rec- frankly, take a look at doing things with in urban environments and the effects of reational sources. people instead of doing things to people,” development on soil erosion. He noted The conference was funded by the Nargang said. that once 10 percent of a watershed is USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Reports were presented on major op- covered by impervious surfaces, such as Service and the U.S. Environmental portunities for soil erosion and sediment roads, driveways and roofs, ecosystem im- Protection Agency, Great Lakes Na- control in the Great Lakes, including the pacts become increasingly pronounced. tional Program Office. A proceedings Clean Water Action Plan and Lakewide Tom Behlen, director of the Interna- document is being prepared with ab- Management plans. Thomas Schueler, tional Joint Commission’s Great Lakes stracts of the conference presentations. director of the Center for Watershed Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario, Contact: Matt Doss, [email protected]. “Communities in Action” workshop highlights local water quality initiatives in southeastern Michigan Communication, integration and are successfully addressing water qual- July, the group had investigated 230 cooperation among all levels of gov- ity problems in their communities and water quality violations, 200 of which ernment and within the larger com- identified the ingredients necessary for subsequently were settled. munity were key concepts identified at effective local action. A panel of local In his keynote address, Rep. William a Sept. 11 workshop organized by the officials and others involved in manag- Callahan, member of the Michigan Great Lakes Commission and spon- ing the Clinton River watershed dis- Delegation to the Great Lakes Com- sored by the Statewide Public Advi- cussed the responsibilities, challenges mission, highlighted the importance of sory Council for Michigan’s Areas of and opportunities their positions offer protecting water quality in Lake St. Concern Program and the Clinton for addressing water quality problems. Clair, the source of drinking water for River Public Advisory Council. The Macomb County’s Surface Water about five million people in metropoli- workshop, titled “Communities in Ac- Improvement and Monitoring tan Detroit. He reported on state efforts tion: Building Local Partnerships for (SWIM) Team provided an innova- to address problems associated with com- Solving Water Quality Problems with tive example of how local govern- bined sewer overflows, outlined the a Focus on Southeastern Michigan,” ments can pursue water quality im- Clean Michigan Initiative environmental highlighted opportunities and ob- provements. Organized in the spring of bond proposal being considered on stacles for building local political sup- 1998 by the county health department November’s ballot, and praised the suc- port for RAPs and other watershed and supported by four field personnel cess of the Macomb County SWIM management efforts. and a dedicated environmental pros- Team and other local efforts. SPAC representatives from the five ecutor, the SWIM Team takes a multi- Staff support for the SPAC is provided southeastern Michigan AOCs faceted approach to restoring and by the Great Lakes Commission with (Clinton River, , River maintaining water quality through funding from the U.S. Environmental Raisin, and St. Clair public education, investigation, moni- Protection Agency. Contact: Matt Doss, River) reviewed local initiatives that toring and regulation enforcement. By [email protected].

September/October 1998 Page 7 Commission Briefs Finding places to put Dredging team to streamline decisionmaking, dredged material increase beneficial use In the Great Lakes, acceptable places Innovative uses for dredged material, to put dredged material, once referred to decisionmaking in the Great Lakes ba- as “spoils,” are becoming few and far be- sin and plans for future work were the tween. This, and other challenges, were focal points of the Sept. 16-17 meeting addressed at a Sept. 15-16 workshop in of the Great Lakes Dredging Team in Toledo, Ohio, on beneficial use of Toledo, Ohio. All eight Great Lakes dredged material, organized by the Great states were represented at this sixth Lakes Commission in cooperation with meeting of the team, along with several The Great Lakes Dredging Team in action. federal agencies and private companies. the Great Lakes Dredging Team. Dis- Lakes decisionmaking process regarding The meeting featured two companies posal of mud and sand from harbors and dredged material, with an emphasis on involved in the reuse of dredged mate- channels is needed to maintain commer- dredged material management plans rial. Consolidated Technologies, Inc., cial navigation and the industries that (DMMPs). Opportunities for state and manages a project that takes dredged depend on low-cost, efficient transporta- federal input and intervention are in- material, combines it with industrial tion. Contaminated dredged material cluded in the dredging decision process. byproducts such as coal ash and cement must be confined, but finding economi- Unfortunately, the complexity and kiln dust, and applies it to seal the sides cal uses for material that is relatively time-consuming aspects of the process of an abandoned coal surface mine. This clean has become a challenge. increase costs and can cause significant manufactured fill reduces acidic runoff Beneficial uses are usually categorized delays for dredging work. The team has from old mine walls. as habitat creation, upland and commer- formed a subgroup to examine the pro- Soils Technology, Ltd. described the cial uses, and shoreline protection and cess and recommend ways it can be process by which it reuses biosolids and restoration. The workshop reviewed cur- streamlined. dredged materials for landscaping and rent research conducted by the Army In other action, the Dredging Team nursery purposes in northern Ohio. Corps of Engineers Waterways Experi- formed two subgroups to look at water- Sharon Barnes, company president, in- ment Station, and included six case stud- shed planning and its role in the dicated that the private sector is willing ies from around the basin. The largest DMMP process and how beneficial use to expand their efforts, but needs the use of clean dredged material in the basin of dredged material can be increased in permitting process to be more time is for beach and littoral nourishment. the region. The public outreach sub- sensitive and responsive to these Business interest in using the material, group will concentrate its efforts on pre- opportunities. with some modification, in “manufac- paring a general Great Lakes dredging The Dredging Team has prepared a tured” soil applications is increasing. booklet or brochure, video and web site. white paper that describes the Great Other upland uses are underway, such as Contact: Steve Thorp, [email protected]. capping contaminated sites in brownfields redevelopment or mine rec- Basin Program 1999 RFP to be released in mid-November lamation activities. As for habitat cre- The 1999 Request for Proposals Protection Agency, Region 5; and the ation, islands and protective barriers (RFP) under the Great Lakes Basin U.S. Department of Agriculture, have been successfully created with Program for Soil Erosion and Sedi- Natural Resources Conservation dredged material. In some cases, such as ment Control will be released in mid- Service. at Pte. Mouillee, Mich., near the mouth November, with an application dead- Eligible applicants under the grants of the Detroit River, contaminated line of Jan. 15, 1999. The RFP will be program include units of state and dredged material is placed in a large con- distributed to previous years’ appli- county government, watershed coun- fined disposal facility that not only pro- cants, all soil and water conservation cils, soil conservation districts, aca- tects an important marsh area from ero- districts in the Great Lakes basin, and demic institutions, environmental sive wave action, but creates a wildlife other interested agencies and organiza- groups and other nonfederal public habitat within its 700 acres. tions. The RFP also will be available entities or nonprofit organizations in The 80 workshop participants left with online via the Great Lakes Commis- the . a better understanding of the potential sion web site (http://www.glc.org). To date, the Great Lakes Basin Pro- for beneficial use, realizing that new regu- The Basin Program is a federal, state gram has provided $3.85 million in lations and policies are needed to expand and local partnership for improving demonstration grants at 119 project opportunities for alternative uses of Great Lakes water quality. Program sites in the Great Lakes states. Con- dredged material. Contact: Steve Thorp, partners include the Great Lakes tact: Matt Doss, [email protected]. [email protected]. Commission; U.S. Environmental

Page 8 ADVISOR Commission Briefs

Baltic Fellowship Program: Forging global Congratulations to our partnerships Commissioners The Great Lakes and Baltic regions habitat protection and enhancement, Great Lakes Commission Chair have long been the focus of compara- brownfields redevelopment, and bilateral Don Vonnahme recently received tive analyses directed at environmen- coordination under the Great Lakes Wa- an award from the Universities tal issues, socioeconomic characteris- ter Quality Agreement. In turn, Great Council on Water Resources for tics and multijurisdictional institu- Lakes scientists, managers and his public service to the water re- tional arrangements. New opportuni- policymakers will benefit from the in- source community. Vonnahme was ties for these regions to learn from sights of experienced colleagues. recognized for his interstate con- one another have taken a major step The Great Lakes Commission will pro- flict resolution activities with the forward with the announcement of a vide technical and logistical support for Upper Mississippi River Basin As- new Baltic Fellowship Program spon- the program and, in addition to hosting sociation, Ohio River Basin Com- sored by the U.S. EPA, Great Lakes the fellows for a portion of their visit, will mission and Great Lakes Commis- National Program Office. help establish their itinerary and study sion. He was applauded for his ef- The fellowship program will provide plan, and assist with subsequent publica- forts during and after the flood of opportunities for one or more senior tion of reports on their experiences and 1993 to avoid interstate levee wars, scientists from the Baltic Sea countries study outcomes. as well as for his leadership efforts to visit, study and collaborate with On a related topic, plans to establish a during the current mediation con- Great Lakes institutions on issues of Commission-based National Sea Grant cerning Illinois’ diversion of Great shared interest. The fellows will gain an Fellowship are being finalized, with a for- Lakes water. in-depth knowledge of programs such as mal announcement expected later this Another Illinois Commissioner monitoring and information networks, fall. Contact: Mike Donahue, has been recognized for his out- remediation of contaminated sediments, [email protected]. standing accomplishments in the field of engineering. Frank Kudrna National Conference showcases interstate organizations has been named a Fellow in the Interstate organizations for water under Commission Vice Chair Irene Society of American Military Engi- resources management are enjoying a Brooks’ leadership. neers for his years of involvement heightened profile throughout the “Interstate organizations provide an and numerous contributions to the United States, thanks to evolving fed- efficient and cost-effective means to organization. Kudrna currently is eral and state policies that emphasize administer policies and programs on a the director of the society’s Chicago intergovernmental partnerships, wa- watershed basis,” explains Brooks. chapter. tershed-based planning and manage- “Such organizations can, and must, be ment, and creative institutional ar- used to the fullest extent possible as A spur route for the Circle Tour rangements for solving transboundary national water policy becomes increas- issues. The Interstate Council on Wa- ingly focused on intergovernmental ter Policy, a national association of partnerships and on watershed—as op- water management professionals, will posed to geopolitical—boundaries.” showcase such organizations when it Brooks points to the Clinton convenes in Seattle, Wash., for its administration’s Clean Water Action Oct. 27-30 annual meeting. Plan as an initiative that must rely The meeting’s theme is “The Role of upon interstate organizations if it is to Interstate Approaches in Emerging be successful. Water Management Issues,” and will The Standing Committee on Inter- feature presentations on national is- state River Basin Organizations will Don Clingan, vice president of marketing, Carferry sues with regional implications, case meet on Oct. 27, followed by a summit Service, Inc., accepting the Lake studies of interstate initiatives, and op- on “Water Supply Issues for a Sustain- Michigan Circle Tour spur route portunities for coalition building able 21st Century” (co-sponsored by designation at a dockside ceremony Aug. 28 in Manitowoc, Wis. This Great among interstate organizations. the American Water Works Associa- Lakes Commission initiative formally The ICWP program also will include tion) on Oct. 28, and the ICWP an- recognizes the Lake Michigan ferry the initial meeting of its new Standing nual meeting on Oct. 29-30. Contact: Badger and its route between Ludington, Mich., and Manitowoc as Committee on Interstate River Basin ICWP, 202-218-4196. part of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. Organizations. The group was formed

September/October 1998 Page 9 Around the Lakes Students learn about watershed management at American Heritage Riv- National Envirothon competition ers flow in many Great High school MSU's Michigan Institute of Water Re- students from 40 search and member of the Great Lakes Lakes states states and three Ca- Commission’s Michigan Delegation. Of the 14 rivers recently designated as nadian provinces The teams also prepared and deliv- American Heritage Rivers, six are found competed for scholar- ered watershed action plans for keep- within Great Lakes states. To revitalize ships at the annual ing Lake Michigan healthy to a panel the rivers and riverfronts, communities National Envirothon held at Michi- of judges acting as the Council of along these rivers will receive federal sup- gan State University, July 27-Aug. 1. Great Lakes Governors. port in the form of refocused programs, Through written and field tests, the D’Itri organized the event’s 67 judges grants and technical assistance from ex- event tests the critical thinking skills who volunteered to evaluate the isting federal resources over the next five of teams in five subject areas: wildlife, teams’ final presentations. years. The six rivers flowing through forestry, soil, aquatics and watersheds. “We specifically chose judges who Great Lakes states are The five team members from Univer- were knowledgeable about different ar- • Cuyahoga River in Ohio sity High School in Tucson, Ariz., eas of environmental concern, such as • Detroit River in Michigan won $2,500 scholarships for the team’s urban planning, farming, education, • Hudson River in outstanding performance on the tests conservation and forestry,” D’Itri said. • Upper Mississippi River in Illi- and final oral presentation. The Great Lakes Commission was nois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and The weeklong Envirothon was full represented at the Envirothon by Wisconsin of hands-on activities for the students. Steve Thorp, manager of the Transpor- • Potomac River in the District of In addition to spending two days at tation and Economic Development Columbia, Maryland, , outdoor ecostations on MSU’s cam- Program. He discussed the structure of Virginia and West Virginia pus, the students hiked through P.J. the Great Lakes region’s manufactur- • Upper Susquehanna and Lackawanna Hoffmaster State Park to learn about ing economy with a special emphasis rivers in Pennsylvania sand dunes, toured the federal on commercial navigation and tourism. The American Heritage Rivers Initia- government’s Lake Michigan Field Sponsors of the National Envirothon tive was announced by President Station, and sampled sediments dur- include Canon U.S.A., Michigan De- Clinton in his 1997 State of the Union ing a boat cruise on the University of partment of Agriculture, Michigan address. As stated in the initial project Michigan’s research vessel Laurentian on State University, U.S. Forest Service, description from the Council on Envi- Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan. USDA Natural Resources Conserva- ronmental Quality, the program recog- “Through the ecostation approach, tion Service, U.S. Environmental Pro- nizes and rewards voluntary community- the students were able to clearly see tection Agency and National Associa- based efforts to restore and protect the and understand the interplay between tion of Conservation Districts. Con- environmental, economic, cultural and people and the environment,” said Dr. tact: Pat Ruta, Michigan Envirothon historic values of our rivers. Frank D’Itri, associate director of Office, 616-839-6149. Contact: http://www.epa.gov/rivers.

NewAfter an extensiveleadership in theGreat LakesGreat water quality Lakes manager. basinlate General, Detroit. Previously, he nationwide search, The Detroit District of the U.S. Army served as Minister for Economic and Tim Eder has been Corps of Engineers also is under new di- Commercial Affairs at the Canadian named director of the rection. Lt. Col. Rob- Embassy in Tokyo. National Wildlife ert Davis as- Eder and Davis were recognized at an Federation’s largest sumed command of Aug. 25 Great Lakes Directors Lun- conservation field of- Eder the district in July. cheon hosted in Ann Arbor, Mich., by fice, the Great Lakes Natural Resource Prior to coming to Great Lakes Commission Executive Di- Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. Eder had Detroit, he served in rector Mike Donahue. The luncheon, been the GLNRC’s acting director since the Executive Office Davis attended by 25 directors and senior staff early 1998 after taking over for Wayne to the Chief of Engineers at the from public agencies and nongovern- Schmidt, who took a position at NWF USACE in Washington, D.C. mental organizations in the southeast headquarters. Another new leader in the region is Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, area, is Before his recent term as acting direc- the Hon. John Tennant, recently named a periodic event recognizing new Great tor, Eder spent nine years as NWF’s Consul General at the Canadian Consu- Lakes leadership.

Page 10 ADVISOR Around the Lakes Celebrating 20 years of coastal management in Wisconsin This year marks the 20th anniversary sions on the future of Wisconsin’s coastal of the Wisconsin Coastal Management communities from many different points Program and its efforts to protect, restore of view. Joseph Uravitch, administrator and enhance Wisconsin’s Lake Michi- of the Coastal Programs Division of the gan and coastal resources. Office of Coastal Resource Management, A Sept. 14 symposium was held in discussed issues from a federal point of Madison, Wis., to celebrate the anniver- view. Commission Executive Director sary, with a full day of activities focusing Mike Donahue was on hand to offer a re- Great Lakes Commission Executive Director Mike on the status of the lakes and their im- gional perspective. Donahue offers a regional perspective on coastal pact on the future of Wisconsin coastal “True coastal management is achieved management, as Wisconsin Commissioner communities. when you find federal, state and local Nathaniel E. Robinson looks on. “For the past two decades, the Wiscon- governments and private businesses Council received recognition awards for sin Coastal Management Program has working together for the protection and the program's anniversary from Gov. achieved a balance between the protec- enhancement of coastal resources,” said Thompson and the Office of Coastal Re- tion of natural resources and economic Oscar Herrera, chief of the Wisconsin source Management, U.S. Department development,” said Nathaniel E. Coastal Management Program. of Commerce. Robinson, administrator of the state’s Di- As part of Wisconsin’s sesquicentennial Planning and implementation of the vision of Energy and Intergovernmental celebration, Gov. Tommy Thompson de- month’s activities were a joint initia- Relations and chair of the Wisconsin clared September 1998 to be Coastal tive between the Wisconsin Coastal Delegation to the Great Lakes Commis- Awareness Month, which was celebrated Management Council and the Wis- sion. “The challenges lay ahead as through award ceremonies, the sympo- consin Delegation to the Great Lakes we see more people moving to the sium, coastal walks and wetland work- Commission. Contact: Nathaniel E. coastal zone.” shops, among other events. The Wiscon- Robinson, 608-266-7257. The symposium featured panel discus- sin Coastal Management Program and Peregrine falcons recover in Great Lakes region The peregrine falcon, one of the fastest cline of peregrines and start rebuilding Peregrine recovery efforts in the Mid- raptors in the world, is making a come- populations. Among the key strategies west have been led by The Raptor Cen- back in the Great Lakes region and are elimination of DDT and reintroduc- ter at the University of Minnesota and throughout the country. The peregrine is tion of peregrines back into the wild, in- the Department of Natural Re- being proposed for removal from the en- cluding large urban areas where the birds sources. From 1981 to 1994, The Raptor dangered species list, according to an are able to hunt pigeons and starlings. Center facilitated the reintroduction of Aug. 25 announcement by Interior Sec- “The recovery of the peregrine falcon 700 peregrine falcons in upper Midwest- retary Bruce Babbitt. The U.S. Fish and shows how we can all work together to ern states. To re-establish peregrine popu- Wildlife Service proposal to delist was get the job done. This bird is again a part lations in Indiana, the state’s DNR published in the Aug. 26, 1998, edition of our ecosystem,” said John Christian, teamed up with The Raptor Center and of the Federal Register. assistant regional director at the U.S. the U.S. FWS in 1991 to introduce per- The bird’s decline began after World FWS and Great Lakes Commission egrines in four cities. War II when widespread use of the pesti- Observer. The public may comment in writing cide DDT and other organocholorine In 1970, there were no breeding pairs on the proposal to delist the peregrine pesticides eradicated populations. The of peregrines in the Midwest. In 1997, falcon until Nov. 23, pesticides cause the falcons to lay thin- the count of pairs in Great Lakes states 1998. Comments shelled eggs that break during incuba- were as follows should be sent to: tion. When the falcons were given fed- Illinois: 6 Field Supervisor, eral protection in 1970, their population Indiana: 8 U.S. FWS, had shrunk to 39 pairs in the lower 48 Michigan: 8 Ventura Fish states. Now, there are almost 1,600 Minnesota: 22 and Wildlife Of- breeding pairs in North America. New York: 34 fice, 2493 State wildlife agencies and the U.S. Pennsylvania: 7 Portola Road, FWS have joined with academic, private Ohio: 11 Suite B, and other government agencies to de- Ventura, CA Wisconsin: 12 Drawing by Robert Savannah, velop recovery strategies to stop the de- 93003. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

September/October 1998 Page 11 Great Lakes Calendar

This calendar is a compilation 20-21 Ballast Water Management November Research Workshop. Ann Arbor, MI. of selected events of interest to the 6-7 ACM Symposium on Geographic Contact: Matt Doss, [email protected]. Commission. Further details and a Information Systems. Washington, more extensive calendar are avail- D.C. Contact: Dr. E.K. Park, 816-235- able online via the Great Lakes May 1497, [email protected]. Information Network (www.great- 17-18 Semiannual Meeting of the Great lakes.net). We encourage your input Lakes Commission. Marriott Chateau to the calendar. If you know of an Champlain; Montreal, Québec. Contact: 17-18 National Aquatic Nuisance event you’d like us to include, please Mike Donahue, [email protected]. Species Task Force Meeting/Field Trip. Vicksburg, MS. Contact: Bob contact Lara Slee, ADVISOR editor, 19 Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway Peoples, 703-358-2025. at 734-665-9135; [email protected]. Symposium. Marriott Chateau Champlain; [email protected]. Montreal, Québec. Contact: Mike Commission events Donahue, [email protected]. 17-19 Midwest Natural Resources October 20-21 13th International Great Lakes St. Group Roundtable and Meeting. Lake 19-20 Annual Meeting of the Great Lawrence Mayors' Conference. Marriott Geneva, WI. Contact: John Perrecone, Lakes Commission. Hyatt Regency Chateau Champlain; Montreal, Québec. [email protected]. Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. Contact: Mike Contact: Steve Thorp, [email protected]. Donahue, [email protected]. 1999 December Basin events January 9-10 Great Lakes GIS Online 10-15 Institute for Conservation Workshop. The University of Chicago, October Leadership's Great Lakes Executive Director Development Program. Gleacher Center; Chicago, IL. Contact: 21-23 State of the Lakes Ecosystem Lake Geneva, WI. Contact: Peter Julie Wagemakers, [email protected]. Conference (SOLEC 98). Buffalo, NY. Lane, 301-270-2900, [email protected]. Contact: Paul Horvatin, 312-353-3612, 1999 [email protected]. January 24-27 National Conference on 29-30 Interstate Council on Water Marine Bioinvasions. Cambridge, 19-20 Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Policy Annual Meeting. Seattle, MA. Contact: Judith Pederson, fax Nuisance Species. Ann Arbor, MI. Contact: WA. Contact: ICWP, 202-218-4196. 617-252-1615, [email protected]. Matt Doss, [email protected].

Printed on recycled paper.

BULK RATE ADVISOR U.S. POSTAGE Argus II Building PAID 400 Fourth Street PERMIT No. 112 Ann Arbor, MI 48103-4816 ANN ARBOR, MICH.

Address Correction Requested

Time to update your ADVISOR subscription? If you have moved, changed jobs or no longer wish to receive the ADVISOR, let us know! Contact Marilyn Ratliff at 734-665-9135; or send updates via fax (734-665-4370) or e-mail ([email protected]). Remember, you can read the ADVISOR online via the Commission’s home page, http://www.glc.org. Select Publications, Newsletters, then ADVISOR.