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A D V I S O R Vol. 11 No. 2 March/April 1998 Guest editorial Inside Total quality management in the Great Legislative and appropriations Lakes region priorities for the By U.S. Senator Carl Levin, Michigan 105th Congress, uman nature is such that the public, and Congress as the Second Session public’s representatives, tends to take the status quo for granted until a problem arises that challenges the normal flow of (page 13) H events. Then, we sometimes react with breakneck speed to the perceived problem and hope that the solution does not create imbalance elsewhere in ANS Update—Exploring the system. However, our understanding of the physical world and the new ballast management interconnectedness of the global economy have now grown to a point that technologies we cannot simply solve one problem at a time. We must look at the range of options and consider them carefully and sensibly before choosing our pre- ferred alternatives. Pressure to engage in this process has been building for some time, and the Great Lakes In this issue region has seen some successful examples. As it relates to manufacturing, the automotive sector might call this process “total quality management.” As far as environmental protec- Semiannual Meeting tion is concerned, the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act was an effort to lay down some initial benchmarks that can be used to judge the efficacy of our air, water and land pollu- Highlights.....................2 tion prevention efforts as a whole. But there are many, many statutes, programs and prob- Great Lakes wake-up call * Overview lems that have yet to be woven into a well-funded, comprehensive and internally compat- of the Semiannual Meeting* Global ible approach to Great Lakes protection. For instance, I am concerned that the climate change * Dredging team Superfund’s resources have not been adequately used to tackle the problem of contami- meeting and field trip * GLIN nated sediments, and existing programs to prevent additional deposition of toxics in sedi- Advisory Board meeting, global ment have not been sufficiently funded. applications symposium * Carol A. Science tells us that land-use issues have Making federal actions Ratza Memorial Scholarship the greatest ecological impact, and most econo- mists conclude that these impacts drive busi- more likely to promote sustainable development Commission Briefs........7 ness and investment decisions. Sustainable de- velopment, or smart growth, are the current will improve the quality of Basin Program grants * New buzz words for intelligent land use. To me, this Commissioners, Observers * concept includes efficiently using our existing life in the Great Lakes re- Great Lakes Day in Washington * infrastructure, such as brownfields or inner gion in many ways. Executive Committee priorities * city/downtown areas, before expanding into Reception honoring Sen. John greenfields. Adoption of this comprehensive approach will require Congress to review the Glenn * Hazmat conference * tax code; the relationship between local, state and federal governments; and environmen- New staff tal statutes, among many other elements. Making federal actions more likely to promote sustainable development will improve the quality of life in the Great Lakes region in many ways. Around the Lakes........10 Reforming the federal regulatory process is one method to ensure that the government and Congress carefully consider the effects of federal actions on smart land use. Many regu- Lake Champlain * ANS conference * lations and statutes can benefit from review to measure effectiveness, or to see if there Tributary modeling * Storm damage might be a less costly way to achieve the same goals. For instance, we must be confident reporting * Lake levels that imposing rigorous combined sewer overflow, stormwater runoff and other requirements simultaneously will not simply encourage ex-urban growth and provide no net gain in pub- Calendar.....................12 lic health protection. Federal actions also must be better coordinated between Continued on page 2 • 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 Page 1 Fax: 734-665-4370 • E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.glc.org Semiannual Meeting Highlights Great Lakes Commission Lake Champlains designation as a Great The Great Lakes Commission, an eight-state compact agency founded in state and federal law and dedicated to the use, management Lake should serve as a wake-up call and protection of the water resources of the It took Mother Nature more than gratulated for its prompt action in secur- Great Lakes basin, provides leadership in the 10,000 years to sculpt the five Great ing repeal of the designation. implementation of principles of sustainable development throughout the basin. In Lakes and lend definition to what is now Such a designation, of course, is ill-ad- partnership with the Great Lakes states, the the Great Lakes basin. Sen. Patrick vised for many reasons. Lake Champlain Commission addresses issues of resource management, environmental protection, Leahy of Vermont, however, needed only lies outside the Great Lakes basin and is transportation and economic development by seven words and a few short weeks to ac- not a part of the system of five intercon- serving as an accurate and objective source of information; an effective forum for the complish a similar feat. Deep within the nected Great Lakes. Champlain also development and coordination of public voluminous National lacks most characteris- policy; and an active and committed Commission advocate of basin interests. Sea Grant Program tics that the real Great Reauthorization bill, News and Lakes share. Further- Executive Committee he buried a short Views more, a Lake Chair Donald R. Vonnahme (IL) Champlain designation phrase that redefined By Michael J. Donahue, Ph.D. Vice Chair Irene B. Brooks (PA) Lake Champlain as a Executive Director would set a precedent Frank L. Kudrna (IL) “Great Lake,” thereby that could open the Larry D. Macklin (IN) opening the door for National Sea Grant door for other large freshwater lakes that Frank J. Kelley (MI) Program funds that had previously been want to compete for limited Great Lakes Thomas E. Huntley (MN) John P. Cahill (NY) unavailable to landlocked states such as funds. And, on a more fundamental J. William Moody (OH) Vermont. The measure went largely un- level, the designation flies in the face of Nathaniel E. Robinson (WI) noticed and, with one stroke of the the ecosystem approach that we’ve been nurturing for decades. Congress can cre- Executive Director president’s pen, the five Great Lakes sud- Michael J. Donahue, Ph.D. denly had a new sister. atively redefine a lake, but Mother Na- Thankfully, this new family arrange- ture will pay no heed. Program Managers ment was short-lived. The reaction was Most disturbing of all, however, is the Thomas R. Crane, Resource fact that Great Lakes interests were Management and Environmental immediate, impassioned and visceral; it Quality made the national news and catapulted largely blind-sided by the Lake the Great Lakes —albeit very briefly— Champlain designation. Those who were Stephen J. Thorp, Transportation and Economic Development into the congressional spotlight. A few aware of the Leahy provision at the out- weeks later, a classic compromise was set either underestimated its implications Project Managers reached: Lake Champlain lost its or chose not to raise the issue for political Laura N. Beer, Mike Conley, Mat- Great Lakes designation but retained reasons. There’s a lesson to be learned thew Doss, Katherine Glassner- Shwayder, Christine Manninen its eligibility for National Sea Grant here: continued vigilance is needed to Program funds. ensure that the best interests of the Great Program Specialists The regional uproar following the Lake Lakes and their residents are served. We Mandy Grewal, Derek Moy, Champlain designation was gratifying; it need to keep our ears to the ground, and Prapassara Nilagupta, Victoria reaffirmed the strong affinity and sense of stay in the “anticipate and prevent Pebbles, Thomas Rayburn, Lisa E. mode,” even if it means reading every Rives, Michael Schneider, Lara Slee ownership that Great Lakes residents have for their lakes. The Great Lakes phrase in every voluminous bill that Director of Research, Congressional Delegation is to be con- comes before the Congress. Emeritus Albert G. Ballert, Ph.D. Guest editorial, continued from page 1 Administrative Staff agencies having similar jurisdictions and ganizations in the Great Lakes, are the Cappy Bilakos, Pat Gable, authorities, such as in the case of wet- envy of other regions because we are in a Marilyn Ratliff, Rita J. Straith lands or dredging sediment disposal. position to respond effectively. As the incoming Democratic chair of Research Associates There always will be urgent problems. From the proposed diversion of ground- the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, I George Aponte Clarke, Kate Hackett, hope to carry on the effort of a visionary water out of the Great Lakes basin to the Margaret Le, Shobna Pandhoh leader and a great human being, Sen. constant threat of existing and new inva- The Great Lakes Commission is an equal John Glenn. We will continue to opportunity employer and complies with sive species, Congress and all interested applicable federal and state laws prohibiting need a cooperative, bipartisan effort discrimination. It is the policy of the Commission parties must be prepared to respond. In to address the short- and long-term that no person, on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, many ways, the spirit of cooperation and challenges ahead. marital status, handicap or prior military service status, shall be discriminated against.