Obama Found Strong, Consistent Support in Great Lakes States; Voters Also Looked Favorably on Environmental Enhancement Measures

ADVISOR Fall 2008 Volume 22, No. 2 IN THIS ISSUE Director’s update ... 2 Baltic shipping perspectives ... 4 Commission elects new chair ... 6 Submerged Lands 2008 ... 8 Aquatic nuisance species ... 11 Commissioners’ corner ... 12

Obama found strong, consistent support in Great Lakes states; voters also looked favorably on environmental enhancement measures

Voters in the Great Lakes states sent and Legacy Amendment to the Min- earlier this year to enable Ohio’s approv- a resounding wave of support – and all nesota state constitution passed by a al of the Great Lakes Basin Compact. 141 of their electoral votes – to Presi- solid 56 percent margin. The measure There was little change in the Great dent Barack Obama in the November 4 will use a three-eighths of one percent Lakes congressional delegation, though U.S. general election, and in two states sales and use tax increase to generate in the Minnesota Senate race, Demo- approved significant environmental an estimated $300 million per year for cratic challenger and declared winner protection proposals. protection and restoration of wetlands, Al Franken was being challenged in In the presidential race, Illinois forests, parks, wildlife habitat and cul- court by Republican incumbent Norm Senator (and Great Lakes Congressio- tural heritage. Coleman at last report. And former Il- nal Task Force member) Barack Obama Pennsylvania voters approved a linois Attorney General Roland Burris commanded 57.5 percent of the com- $400 million Water and Sewer Im- is the new senator from Illinois named bined vote in the eight Great Lakes provements Bond Referendum by a to replace President Obama. states. Strongest support came from the 62.1 percent margin; the program will In the House of Representatives, two most populous states, New York enable grants and loans to municipal two congressmen who have been (62.2 percent voted for Obama) and Il- governments and public utilities for heavily engaged in Great Lakes issues, linois (61.8 percent). water system improvements, storm wa- Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Steve Kagen (D- There was only one Great Lakes ter and non-point source management, WI) both won re-election, while two governor’s race, in Indiana, where in- and wastewater treatment. Michigan seats changed parties with cumbent Republican Mitch Daniels In Ohio, voters approved by a 7th District Republican incumbent won a second term handily with a 57.8 71 percent margin a constitutional Tim Walberg losing to Democrat Mark percent edge over Democratic chal- amendment reaffirming private prop- Schauer and 9th District Republican lenger Jill Long Thompson. erty owners’ rights to “reasonable use” incumbent Joe Knollenberg losing to Ballot measures authorizing state of groundwater below their property, Democratic challenger Gary Peters. investment in environmental quality though the state reserves the right to Representation of Pennsylvania’s initiatives passed easily in two states. regulate groundwater resources. The sole Great Lakes basin district, the 3rd, In Minnesota, the Clean Water, Land amendment was part of a deal made changed with Democrat Kathy Dahl- continued on page 3 Director’s Update

Opportunity knocks as a challenging year begins

A new year, a new Congress and a new Administration all point to one thing for the federal Great Lakes/St. Lawrence agenda: opportunity. President Barack Obama made clear during the 2007 campaign that Great Lakes restoration and protection will be a priority for the incoming Administration. His campaign pledged support for a $5 billion trust fund for the Great Lakes, a zero tolerance policy for introduction of invasive species and the appointment of a Great Lakes “czar” to bring increased coordination and accountability to federal Great Lakes efforts. The “President Obama Great Lakes Commission sees an unprecedented chance to work with officials in the new administration and members of Congress to help put the Obama plan into action. can make solid No doubt, Mr. Obama has a full plate of priorities awaiting him, not the least of progress in which is the economic crisis facing our nation and our region in particular. A strong case has been made that the region’s economic vitality and the environmental health of protecting the the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence water resource are closely connected. President Obama can make solid progress in protecting the nation’s most valuable freshwater resource, while nation’s most investing in regional economic growth at the same time. valuable freshwater On the legislative side, momentum created by the rapid passage last year of the Great Lakes Basin Compact is still fresh enough to be invoked for our next priorities. resource, while These include funding as part of a national economic stimulus plan to fix up outdated investing in wastewater infrastructure and clean up toxic hotspots in Areas of Concern around the lakes with increased funding for the Great Lakes Legacy Act. regional economic Also at the top of our list are federal requirements to close the door on the introduc- growth at the tion and spread of aquatic invasive species through treatment of ballast water discharges from ships. Passage of meaningful ballast legislation came as close as it ever has in 2008 same time.” with consensus achieved on many points and at many levels before the initiative stalled late in the year. It is critical that the process be restarted in the 111th Congress as soon as possible. We must consider the ballast legislative initiative of 2008 a foundation to build upon, not a setback from which to recover. There is still motivation in Congress to enact a ballast bill, and clearly widespread support among its constituents. Again, all signs point to opportunity. It may seem naive to sound optimistic in such daunting times, but it was American author and clergyman Charles Swindoll who said, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” Let’s seize these opportunities.

Tim Eder Executive Director

2 ADVISOR • Fall 2008 www.glc.org Voting by Great Lakes States in the 2008 Presidential Election

Obama finds support in Great Lakes (continued from page 1) kemper beating incumbent Republi- Emanuel leaves to become Obama’s in Parliament (up from 127 in 2006) can Phil English. In upstate New York’s chief of staff. to the Liberal Party’s 77 (down 19). 25th district on Lake Ontario, Demo- In the Canadian federal election In Québec, the Bloc Québécois candi- crat Dan Maffei won the seat held by held Oct. 14, Ontario voters helped date Gilles Duceppe led the federal PM the retiring Jim Walsh, a Republican, strengthen Conservative Prime Minis- race with 38.1 percent of the vote, and over Republican Dale Sweetland. In ter Stephen Harper’s minority govern- the Bloc won 50 of Québec’s 75 seats Illinois, a change will come in the 5th ment, backing the incumbent with 39.2 in Parliament. Contact: Dave Knight, District including parts of Chicago and percent of the provincial vote. Over- [email protected]. some western suburbs as Rep. Rahm all, the Conservatives took 143 seats

2009 Great Lakes Days in Washington Events The Great Lakes Commission returns to Washington D.C. again this winter for its 2009 Great Lakes Days in Washinton events, Feb. 23-25, 2009. Mark your calendar and make plans now to attend. Details and registration information are posted online at www.glc.org/meeting. Contact: Tim Eder, [email protected].

www.glc.org Fall 2008 • ADVISOR 3 Baltic perspectives on shipping and the environment

During a recent “Tour of Finland’s “protect the marine environment of the discharge directly into the sea. We Maritime Community” organized by Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, want to see them discharge instead to the Great Lakes Maritime Research and to restore and safeguard its ecologi- shoreside treatment facilities, which Institute, GLC staff member Dave cal balance.” In recognition of the many some already do. Knight had the opportunity in Hel- similarities and shared interests of the We are also concerned about ma- sinki to interview Monika Stankiewicz two organizations, HELCOM became rine emissions and are trying to evalu- who heads the Maritime Group of the an official Observer to the Great Lakes ate their impact. We will need more sci- Helsinki Commission, one of five Commission in 2006. ence in this area. We are working with working groups within the organiza- Following are excerpts from the IMO to explore whether there should tion’s administrative structure. interview with Ms. Stankiewicz. be stricter standards in the Baltic. We The Helsinki Commission (HEL- have considered an incentive program COM) has much in common with the What are the most prominent in which those vessel operators who are Great Lakes Commission. Both were environmental issues facing the HEL- more environmentally friendly would created to protect environmentally COM maritime group? pay reduced fairway (channel) dues sensitive, yet economically important, It depends on the country but sew- or port fees. water bodies on their respective conti- age discharged by ships into the Baltic We are studying emissions trading, nents, and both represent constituen- Sea is a big problem. It is contributing and in particular a pilot program devel- cies of multiple governmental entities to eutrophication and is not a negli- oped by the Swedish Shipowners’ As- and stakeholder groups. Formally the gible volume. It is a long process to go sociation. This is an efficient approach Baltic Marine Environment Protection through IMO (International Maritime that has worked in other places, but it Commission, HELCOM is comprised Organization) and seek more legisla- requires an administrative structure, of the nine countries surrounding the tion, so we are also trying for more re- and some of our member countries are Baltic Sea plus the European Com- gional agreements. We would especially reluctant to participate. munity and has the stated mission to like to focus on the larger ferries which And, of course we are concerned about invasive species.

Monika What ballast borne invasive Stankiewicz heads the species in the Baltic have been Maritime Group most problematic? of the Helsinki We are concerned about the Amer- Commission. ican comb jellyfish. We have now de- The Maritime tected this species in the Baltic for the Group is one of five working second year, so it means they have sur- groups within vived a winter. The primary threat is the Helsinki how this species would disturb the eco- Commission’s logical balance. We are also concerned administrative about some species of phytoplankton structure. that have been introduced.

Has HELCOM considered regu- lating ballast water management? We do not have requirements for ballast discharge or ballast reporting, but have followed the IMO guidelines and believe ships’ ballast regulations should be enforced globally. We have also just introduced a Baltic Sea Action Plan to reduce all pollution and restore the ecosystem by 2021. But while we

4 ADVISOR • Fall 2008 www.glc.org Russian ships await passage on Finland’s Saimaa Canal, a waterway similar to the St. Lawrence Seaway, linking a system of inland lakes to the Baltic Sea. Inset: particpants on a recent study mission to Finland sponsored by the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI) included, from left, Stacey Carlson, GLMRI research assistant; Richard Stewart, GLMRI co-director; James Frost, MariNova Consulting; Adolph Ojard, Duluth Seaway Port Authority; Craig Middlebrook, St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp.; and Dave Knight, Great Lakes Commission. favor a global solution for invasive spe- contributions from the shipowners to creasingly congested navigation routes. cies in ballast, if that does not provide better understand the problem, because But we have since seen many benefits the protection for the Baltic that we feel they realize it’s better to work toward on the environmental side. Beyond its is necessary, we feel that since we live solutions than fight them. They have use to identify ships discharging pollut- here, we have the right to further protect their own stakeholders meetings to learn ants illegally, we can use AIS as a tool in our environment if necessary. from each other and share technologies. an emissions trading program.

What other pathways for invasive How important to your environ- How are you approaching the po- species are you monitoring? mental protection mission is vessel tential impacts of climate change in We are looking at vessel hulls and tracking capability? the Baltic? antifouling technologies. We have in- When we introduced the HEL- We are trying to follow general land connections to the Black and Cas- COM Automatic Identification System trends and what they mean to the pian seas by which invasives have been (AIS) in July 2005 it was the first of its Baltic ecosystem, working within a introduced. There are other landside kind in the world to provide real-time framework of a global network of sources, and aquaculture, but these are vessel tracking, including the capability scientists. We are particularly inter- not very prominent. to back-track spills and discharges. The ested in the effects of climate change comparison of the time before we had to biodiversity. One example is the How closely do you work with the AIS to today is like the difference be- ringed seal, which will not breed if shipping industry on environmental tween the Middle Ages and the modern there is no ice. We are also just now issues? world. Ships used to think they could becoming aware of interrelationships They are working very closely with go anywhere with impunity but that is of temperature and eutrophication. us, because they know that in the end no longer the case. they will be directly affected. In the Our first priority in developing AIS Contact: Dave Knight, [email protected]. area of air emissions we have received was safety – preventing collisions in in-

www.glc.org Fall 2008 • ADVISOR 5 Charest addresses Commission in Québec, Illinois’ Pat Quinn elected new chair

Speaking at the Great Lakes Com- Now governor of Illinois, Patrick since expired and been extended three mission’s Annual Meeting in Qué- Quinn is the new chair of the Great times, and is currently scheduled to ex- bec City Oct. 6, Québec Premier Jean Lakes Commission following elections pire again in 2009. Charest renewed his government’s held at the annual meeting. Quinn as- The Commission also passed commitment to wise use and manage- sumes the Commission leadership resolutions: ment of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence from Michigan Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry, • supporting restoration of the Great water resource as defined by the Great Jr. who completed a two-year term as Lakes Air Deposition Program by Lakes Basin Compact recently enacted chair at the meeting. Elected vice chair the U.S. Environmental Protection in the United States. was Wisconsin Commissioner Todd Agency which has announced plans Charest also emphasized Québec’s Ambs, who is administrator of the Di- to discontinue funding of the pro- efforts in developing renewable energy vision of Water for the Wisconsin Dept. gram in 2009. sources while reducing greenhouse gas of Natural Resources. For a slideshow, • renewing support for the building of emissions, noting that its natural hy- presentations and more, visit www.glc. a second large navigation lock at Sault dropower assets give the province a sig- org/about/glcmeetings.html. Ste. Marie, Mich., following a recent nificant advantage. In other action taken at its An- mechanical malfunction at the existing “Québec is the fourth largest pro- nual Meeting, the Commission added Poe Lock that illustrated the risk of reli- ducer of hydropower in the world,” its support to development of clean ance on a single large lock linking Lake said Charest. “We will meet the Kyoto energy sources by passing a resolution Superior and the lower Great Lakes. Protocol. Both federal governments urging Congress to extend a Produc- • endorsing the city of Chicago’s need to be more aggressive in reduc- tion Tax Credit program providing tax bid for the 2016 Olympic and Para- ing greenhouse gases but if the U.S. and breaks for the first 10 years of a renew- lympic Games. Canada put their minds together, we able energy facility’s operation. First Contact: Tim Eder, [email protected]. can accomplish what we want to.” established in 1992, the program has

Québec City, site of the Great Lakes Commission’s Annual Meeting, celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2008. The Québec City skyline is dominated by the historic Château Frontenac (left), a stately hotel and United Nations World Heritage Site.

6 ADVISOR • Fall 2008 www.glc.org o u n r d

New regional leadership s

L k for the Corps of Engineers a

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers units overseeing the Great Lakes serving as the Brigade Operations underwent a complete leadership Officer, 18th Engineer Brigade, change this year with new commanding Heidelberg, Germany. Davis also officers taking over at the division recently returned from Afghanistan level, and at all three districts in the where he served with the 130th Great Lakes. Engineer Brigade. Davis, born and At the Great Lakes and Ohio raised in Keene, N.H., graduated from River Division in Cincinnati, Norwich University with a Bachelor Brigadier General John W. Peabody, of Science in Civil Engineering in a northern Ohio native, assumed 1987 and was commissioned into the command on Aug. 4 from outgoing Army as an Engineer Officer. Davis commander Colonel Jeffrey C. Smith, received a Master of Science degree and previously Brigadier General in Engineering Management from the (retired) Bruce A. Berwick. Brigadier University of Missouri-Rolla in 1992. General Peabody is a graduate of Colonel Vincent V. Quarles is the United States Military Academy, the new Commander of the Chicago the Command and General Staff District. He began his military service College, and the Army War College in 1980 as a member of the Army with a master’s degree in Strategic National Guard while attending Studies. He also holds a Master of high school in his hometown of Public Administration from Harvard Halifax, Va. Colonel Quarles received University and studied international a federal commission in the Corps relations and political sociology as of Engineers upon graduating from an Olmsted Scholar at El Colegio de Norfolk State University and entered Mexico, Mexico City. active service in 1987. He attended Command of the Buffalo District advanced civil schooling at North was assumed by Lieutenant Colonel Carolina State University and received Daniel B. Snead on July 18. Snead an M.S. in mechanical engineering in was commissioned in the U.S. Army 1997. He taught civil and mechanical through the ROTC program at engineering at the United States Florida Institute of Technology in Military Academy from 1997 to 1999 May 1990. He comes to the Buffalo and also served as the Department District from Washington, D.C., Executive Officer. Quarles graduated where he served at Headquarters, U.S. from the Command and General Staff Army Corps of Engineers as a Special College in 2000. Assistant to the Chief of Engineers, planning and coordinating world- From the top are Brigadier wide trips and events. General John W. Peabody, Lieutenant Colonel James B. Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis assumed command of the B. Snead, Lieutenant Colonel Detroit District July 11, 2008, after James B. Davis and Colonel Vincent V. Quarles.

www.glc.org Fall 2008 • ADVISOR 7

Submerged lands conference convened in Traverse City

Nearly 70 federal, state and pro- issues surrounding changeable high water drive the way the states will regulate the vincial managers, coastal and marine marks, and protection of shipwrecks and water’s edge in the future. professionals and academics from maritime heritage in coastal communities. The conference concluded with across the United States and Canada Keynote speakers included land broad brush reports of submerged convened for the 27th Annual Inter- use specialist Prof. Chris Shafer of the lands issues by coastal region: Pacific, national Submerged Lands Confer- Cooley Law School, and Prof. Joseph Gulf, Atlantic and Great Lakes, where ence Oct. 26-29, 2008, on the campus Sax of the Berkeley Law School at the offshore development energy was of Northwestern Michigan College in University of California. Prof. Shafer highlighted as an emerging issue for all Traverse City. discussed how states can use public trust coastal regions. The 2009 conference is Participants traveled to Michigan doctrine to regulate the siting, develop- tentatively planned for Peterborough, from as far as Alaska and Nova Scotia. ment and decommissioning of offshore Ontario, in late September. Over the course of two and half days, energy facilities and protect their sub- Conference presentations are more than thirty speakers discussed a merged lands resources. Prof. Sax, the available online at www.submerged- myriad of topics including siting of off- father of the public trust doctrine, dis- lands2008.com/program.html. Contact: shore wind energy turbines, regulatory cussed how climate change impacts will Becky Pearson, [email protected].

Legal issues lurk where land and water meet

(Excerpt from keynote address by facing long term movement of the to armor them against both anticipated Prof. Joseph Sax at the International land/water boundary, and with it some periodic high water times, and against Submerged Lands Conference.) potentially massive loss of both private water intrusion and erosion. One of the most legally and public benefits unless we act Insofar as any such development complicated and contentious locations promptly and decisively. would fail to take account of future on earth is the place where land and The private issues are obvious: episodes of substantial rise and fall of water meet. The reason is that it submergence of structures where waters the lakes that presumably will continue presents the intersection of important are rising, and stranding of water-based to occur within the context of generally public and private rights along an facilities where waters are falling. The declining lake levels, it presages a loss unstable boundary. This has long been public values at stake have received less of pre-existing public rights along a contentious area on the ocean shores, attention. The most prominent issues the beach. The problem is that unless the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes. are loss of wetlands, and loss of public constraints are imposed on littoral All the evidence indicates that climate access along the shoreline as shoreland owners in armoring the coast during change is going to intensify the moving owners increasingly seek to armor the times of decline, there will be a loss boundary problem in dramatic form. coast both against storm damage and to of beach during subsequent higher- On the Great Lakes, the prospect hold back rising sea. water-level periods when the lake is for declining water levels as a result On the Great Lakes, as lake levels rises all the way to the seawall, leaving of generally hotter and drier weather, decline as a result of hotter, drier no beach area. though presumably that change will weather, one can expect the argument take place within the existing pattern to be made that the littoral owner’s Joseph L. Sax, of irregular decades-long periods of property line should migrate water- Professor higher and lower water levels. On the ward, following the declining lake Emeritus, sea coast, conversely, ocean levels are level. That view is already familiar in Berkeley Law University of expected to rise quite dramatically as a litigation in the Great Lakes states, but California. result of melting ice. it might gain strength insofar as the Without getting into technical movement is seen as being effectively legal issues about boundary location, permanently water-ward. As such a view the basic point for both the Great prevails, littoral owners can be expected Lakes and the oceans is that we are to occupy the newly exposed lands, and

8 ADVISOR • Fall 2008 www.glc.org

o u n Perspectives r d A

Minnesota’s new ballast h e s

L k discharge permit reflects a priority to protect Lake Superior

Last September 23, the Minnesota transparently, developing a stakeholder- Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Citi- oriented process involving multi-level zens’ Board made history when it voted governmental, environmental and ship- Mary Jean Fenske, P.E., 6-0 to approve the agency’s proposed ping industry representatives. They Minnesota Pollution vessel discharge general permit. The next studied ballast water discharges as a Control Agency day, the nation’s first state permit regu- vector for invasive species introductions lating ballast water discharges from both into Lake Superior. They learned about ocean-going “salties” and “lakers” oper- ballast tank configurations and opera- ating exclusively within the Great Lakes tions, vessel types and common ports went into effect. of call. They conferred with entities The vote culminated several years holding regulatory jurisdiction over the of extensive efforts, by a wide variety of Great Lakes to understand existing regu- interested parties, to mitigate the poten- lations, interpretations and effectiveness tial introduction and spread of aquatic to develop a permit compatible with ex- invasive species to Minnesota waters isting U.S., Canadian and international of Lake Superior while maintaining a regulations and be more protective than viable shipping industry. current practices. Minnesota’s Dept. of Natural Re- The result? A permit that imple- sources began working on regional in- ments significant environmental protec- Mary Jean Fenske, P.E., is vasive prevention during the mid-1990s. tions and allows transit and discharge the Vessel Discharge Program The MPCA joined the effort following under specific terms and conditions, Coordinator for the Minnesota a 2006 federal court decision vacating including performance standards and Pollution Control Agency. federal exemptions of vessel discharges an implementation schedule consistent from NPDES permitting. with the International Maritime Orga- The MPCA took on the challenge nization’s Ballast Water Convention D-2 of creating new ballast water discharge standards for the size and age of most regulations for several reasons: ships that travel Minnesota waters (Janu- • Protecting Lake Superior from invasive ary 1, 2016). species is an agency priority due to the It also offers other Great Lakes states lake’s exceptional recreational, cultural, an opportunity to work together in creat- aesthetic and scientific resource value. ing a more consistent, regional approach • Not only is Duluth-Superior the leading by including similar performance stan- port for shipments, it is also the Great dards and implementation timetables as Lakes’ top ballast water discharge receiv- conditions in their 401 certifications of er, primarily from lakes-only vessels. USEPA’s proposed vessel general permit. • Related federal regulatory action, the In lieu of federal regulations, Minnesota took a protective step for- agency’s preferred option, was uncertain. The views expressed are those ward, however Minnesota will continue of the authors or the organiza- As aquatic invasive species pose seri- to pursue federal and regional solutions. tions they represent and do not ous threats to the lake, its inhabitants or Visit the agency’s vessel discharge pro- necessarily reflect those of the industries dependent upon it, the agency gram Web site at http://www.pca.state. Great Lakes Commission or its was compelled into action. mn.us/programs/ballastwater.html for member jurisdictions. MPCA staff worked extensively and more information.

www.glc.org Fall 2008 • ADVISOR 9 Hopes are high for Great Lakes components of a stimulus package

As Congressional leaders and the and strengthen the regional economy: 1,000 jobs a year for 10 years while upgrad- Obama transition team worked urgent- 1. Repair and upgrade failing waste- ing and safeguarding a vital element in the ly on an economic stimulus program to water infrastructure by providing $6.5 Great Lakes economic infrastructure. roll out in early 2009, the Great Lakes billion to the Clean Water State Revolv- 4. Eliminate the backlog in dredging Commission took an active role in urging Fund, with $2.4 billion for the eight Great Lakes ports, navigation channels ing the inclusion of funding for critical Great Lakes states. In 2006 more than and recreational harbors by providing Great Lakes infrastructure needs. 23 billion gallons of sewage was dumped $125 million to the U.S. Army Corps of In correspondence sent recently to into the Great Lakes from failing waste- Engineers. For decades ports and naviga- the Great Lakes Congressional Delega- water systems. This threatens public tion channels in the Great Lakes have not tion, Commission Chairman Illinois Gov. drinking water supplies, closes beaches, been adequately dredged. This weakens Pat Quinn stated that “now, more than and damages valuable recreational op- commercial navigation and threatens ever, we have an opportunity to create portunities. U.S. EPA estimates that recreational boating in the Great Lakes jobs, stimulate economic development and more than $200 billion is needed nation- and St. Lawrence Seaway. Commercial protect and restore fresh water resources ally to repair and upgrade wastewater in- navigation generates more than $3 bil- in the eight-state Great Lakes region.” frastructure, including $74 billion in the lion annually in revenue and supports Recognizing the severe economic eight Great Lakes states. Not only will 150,000 jobs. The 911,000 recreational downturn, Gov. Quinn emphasized that this help restore the Great Lakes, it will boaters on the Great Lakes spend $2.35 the Great Lakes are a vital economic asset create jobs and revitalize urban areas in billion per year on boating trips, $1.44 for the region. The Commission highlight- the Great Lakes region. billion per year on boats, equipment ed four critical areas where the economic 2. Implement toxic sediment clean- and supplies, and support 60,000 jobs. stimulus package could support large-scale up projects by providing $250 million Approximately 18 million cubic yards of infrastructure projects that can be imple- for the Great Lakes Legacy Act. Since sediment need to be dredged from the mented in 2009 to stimulate job growth 2002, cleanups funded under the Great Great Lakes to remove the backlog. Lakes Legacy Act have removed nearly The Commission’s recommenda- a million cubic yards of toxic sediments tions advance several key elements of the Great Lakes Calendar from rivers and harbors in the Great Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strat- Lakes. These cleanups are creating jobs egy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes, and stimulating economic development a comprehensive restoration plan adopted GLC Semiannual Meeting and Great Lakes Days in Washington in Detroit, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Buf- in 2005. They also address recommenda- February 23-25, 2009 falo, Gary, Duluth and other urban areas. tions from the recent Business Agenda Washington, D.C. Cleaning up contaminated sediments for Economic Transformation in the Great Contact: Tim Eder, 734-971-9135 is projected to increase coastal property Lakes Region, released in September 2008 [email protected] values in the Great Lakes by $12 billion to by 25 metropolitan Chambers of Com- www.glc.org/meeting $19 billion. merce from the Great Lakes states. Great Lakes Observing System 3. Begin construction of a new large “The Great Lakes are a vital com- (GLOS) Annual Meeting lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., with $100 ponent of the eight-state regional April 6-7, 2009 million for the U.S. Army Corps of En- economy,” stated Gov. Quinn, adding Ann Arbor, Michigan gineers. Planning for a second large lock that “maximizing their economic ben- Contact: Jennifer Read, 734-936-3622 began in the 1980s and in 2007 Congress efits should be a key policy goal for [email protected] authorized full federal funding for its the federal government.” In addition www.glos.us construction. Nearly 70 percent of U.S. to supporting the Great Lakes restora- IAGLR 2009 Conference commercial shipping on the Great Lakes tion and economic revitalization agen- on Great Lakes Research is restricted to a single, large lock at Sault da, he noted that the Commission’s May 18-22, 2009 Ste. Marie, Mich. This causes costly bottle- recommendations would also com- Toledo, Ohio necks and would cripple core U.S. indus- plement and leverage the estimat- Contact: Carol Stepien, 419-530-8362 tries should the lock fail. The Army Corps ed $15 billion that local govern- [email protected] of Engineers is prepared to begin con- ments are investing annually in the www.iaglr.org/conference struction in 2009 and projects that $100 Great Lakes. Contact: Tim Eder, million is needed. This will generate up to [email protected].

10 ADVISOR • Fall 2008 www.glc.org o u n r d Three events focus on control of A

invasive species in the Great Lakes h

e s

e L k Three related meetings were from government, businesses and a held in December in the Ann Arbor conservation groups, is using a and Detroit area involving efforts to pathway-based approach to identify control the introduction and spread and address high risk activities of invasive species in the Great Lakes. contributing to AIS introduction and monitoring microbes and pathogens Regional coordination of the spread. Recently, the Commission in the environment. The workshop prevention and control of aquatic initiated work on the project, Building was co-hosted by the Great Lakes nuisance species (ANS) in the Great a Framework to Advance Aquatic Commission, the Northeast Midwest Lakes was the overarching theme of Nuisance Species Management of Institute and Cornell University the Dec. 2-3 meeting of the Great Organisms in Trade in the Great Lakes and was part of a project funded by Lakes Panel on ANS. Discussion Region, funded by the Great Lakes the Great Lakes Protection Fund topics included regulated species; new Protection Fund. titled, “Ship-Mediated Non-Native information technologies for Panel Specifically, the project is Microbes: Assessment, Detection members; ongoing collaboration exploring the significance of the and Prevention.” The project is with the Panel’s counterpart in trade of live organisms - including developing new analytical techniques the Mississippi Basin; updates on industries such as the aquarium and to detect pathogens like VHS and new the viral hemorrhagic septicemia pet trade, nursery and water garden, monitoring protocols. The workshop, (VHS) outbreak in the Great Lakes; aquaculture, live bait, and live food for agency monitoring experts, rapid response programs; and fish - to the introduction and spread reviewed early results of the project state coordination of ballast water of AIS. The primary project goal is and discussed ways to shape the regulation. The meeting was one of to identify and address unmet needs project to meet the region’s needs. two each year held by the Panel which and to build on current efforts toward Information on the Great is coordinated by the Great Lakes reducing the risk of aquatic invasions Lakes Panel and the Organisms in Commission. resulting from the trade of live Trade workshop can be accessed Management of organisms in organisms in the Great Lakes region. at the website: www.glc.org/ans/ trade was the topic of a separate This workshop will be a follow up to initiatives.html. Contact: Kathe workshop held immediately following an initial workshop held in June 2008 Glassner-Shwayder, [email protected]. the Great Lakes Panel meeting. The to scope the problem. For information on the pathogens Great Lakes Commission, working A third workshop was held monitoring project, contact Kristina with an advisory team of experts Dec. 18 and 19 on the topic of Donnelly at [email protected].

Where in the Great Lakes? Do you recognize this magnificent waterfall found within the Great Lakes basin region? If you do, you could be the winner of a Great Lakes Commission t-shirt or an oversized coffee mug. E-mail your answer, along with your name, address and phone number to [email protected] or mail it to the Advisor at the address on the back page. All correct responses received by March 20, 2009 will Our winner from the Summer issue is Angela be entered into a drawing, with the Pierce of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who correctly winner receiving their choice of prizes. identified Oak Street Beach in downtown Photo by James Marvin Phelps. Good luck! Chicago, Ill. Congratulations, Angela!

www.glc.org Fall 2008 • ADVISOR 11 Commissioners’ Corner Commission Chair Pat Quinn now governor of Illinois ADVISOR Great Lakes Commission Chair Pat Quinn, formerly lieutenant governor of TheADVISOR is published quarterly Illinois, assumed the office of governor Jan. 29 following the impeachment of by the Great Lakes Commission. former Gov. Rod Blagojevich by the Illinois State Senate. The Great Lakes Commission was Quinn was first elected Lt. Gov. in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006. In addition to established by the Great Lakes states in 1955 to promote the orderly, a consistently strong environmental and Great Lakes restoration agenda, Quinn’s pri- integrated and comprehensive devel- orities have included advocating for taxpayers and consumers, promoting improved opment, use and conservation of the health care, and helping members of the armed services and their families. water and related natural resources Quinn has also long been engaged in energy-related policy. In 2003, Gov. of the Great Lakes basin and St. Law- Blagojevich named Quinn chairman of the Blackout Solutions Task Force to study the rence River. state’s power grid and prevent power outages. He also chaired the Mississippi River Board Of Directors Coordinating Council, the Illinois Green Governments Coordinating Council, the Gov. Pat Quinn (IL), Chair Illinois Biofuels Investment and Infrastructure Working Group, and the Broadband Todd Ambs (WI) , Vice Chair Deployment Council. Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry Jr. (MI), Immediate Past Chair In the area of beneficial use of dredged materials, a concept long promoted and David Pippen (IN) facilitated by the Great Lakes Commission, Quinn was instrumental in funding a Ken DeBeaussaert (MI) “Mud-to-Parks” program in which clean sediment dredged from Peoria Lakes in cen- Thomas E. Huntley (MN) tral Illinois was barged to a former steel mill site in Chicago for parkland restoration. Alexander Grannis (NY) Quinn served as Illinois State Treasurer from 1991 to 1995, where he cut his office’s Sean Logan (OH) William J. Carr (ON) budget each year and earned taxpayers $848 million in investment income. Since 1975, Cathleen Curran Myers (PA) Quinn has organized petition drives for consumer protection laws, tax reform and citi- Marc Boucher (QC) zen empowerment. He spearheaded the 1983 drive to create the Citizens Utility Board. In 2001, he walked across Illinois, from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan, to raise Executive Director awareness of the need to provide decent health care for everyone. Tim Eder Quinn, 60, is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and holds an Cover photo: Manistee international economics degree from Georgetown University. He was elected Commis- Pierhead Light on Lake Michigan, sioner of the Cook County Board of (Property) Tax Appeals in 1982 and served as Manistee, Mich. Photo by James Revenue Director for the City of Chicago. The father of two sons, Quinn grew up in Marvin Phelps. Hinsdale and now lives in Chicago.

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