Archive: 2016
Success for the Great Lakes: WIIN Act Signed Into Law By Obama
Leave a CommentThe Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) is very pleased the United States Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. WIIN includes many provisions that are critically important to the Great Lakes. It includes authorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) for five years at $300 million per year, provides support for shipping, addresses the algal bloom problem, allocates funding to solve the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and strengthens programs to improve fish and wildlife in the Great Lakes.
Mayor Paul Dyster of Niagara Falls, current vice-chair of the Cities Initiative, said, “The passage of this law is critically important to the future of the tremendous freshwater resource we share between Canada and the United States and to our communities, and ensures that the momentum developed over the past five years in protecting and restoring the resource will be maintained.”
Cities Initiative Executive Director David Ullrich added, “Many of our member cities have received funding under GLRI, which has allowed them to complete restoration projects that otherwise would not have been possible. These projects contribute to the economic well- being and quality of life in our communities, and make them more attractive for locating a new business and as a destination for visitors.”
The actions by this Congress and the President are essential to the future of many programs that are important to the Great Lakes, and it will be important for the next Congress to fund these programs at levels that will ensure their success.
The legislation includes the following Great Lakes provisions:
- Authorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a successful and popular program that is helping states and local communities clean up degraded toxic hotspots, restore habitat for fish and wildlife, thwart Asian carp and other invasive species, and prevent polluted runoff across the eight-state Great Lakes region
- Makes permanent the allocation of priority funds from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for the Great Lakes Navigation System, sets a minimum appropriations level from the fund, and requires the Army Corps of Engineers to complete guidance on managing the Great Lakes as a single, comprehensive navigation system
- Establishes a Great Lakes Harmful Algal Bloom Coordinator to work with federal, state and local agencies to coordinate actions to address harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes
- Includes a variety of provisions that respond to the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and support the work of states and local communities to repair, upgrade and monitor water infrastructure
- Reauthorizes and strengthens the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act and the Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration Program, which support fish and wildlife restoration, conservation and management projects in the Great Lakes region
Join The Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative at the Climate Leadership Conference, March 1-3 in Chicago
Leave a CommentJoin us March 1-3 in Chicago to connect with the nation’s leaders on climate at the sixth annual Climate Leadership Conference (CLC). The CLC convenes around U.S. EPA’s prestigious Climate Leadership Awards, and brings climate, energy and sustainability professionals together to address climate change through policy, innovation, and business solutions.
Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative will help host a workshop on Wednesday, March 1st from 9:00am – 11:30am. View current program agenda and speaker line-up to date to engage, learn from and network with thought leaders and decision makers.
REGISTER now using the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative’s discount code: CLC-Great Lakes-15%
Conference details will be regularly updated at: www.ClimateLeadershipConference.org
Funding Supports Work to Reduce Phosphorus Loss to Waterways
Leave a CommentEfforts to reduce phosphorus loss into Ontario waterways and the Great Lakes will progress thanks to the funding announcement of $203,000 from Growing Forward 2, a Canada-Ontario agricultural funding program administered through the Agricultural Adaptation Council. These funds will be matched with $100,000 from participating organizations, including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) to launch a joint ‘Strategy to Reduce Phosphorus Loss into the Thames River’.
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative and OFA, have been working to build and implement the joint strategy.
“Together, OFA and the Cities Initiative have developed a workable strategy to improve water quality and reduce phosphorus entering Lake Erie,” says Keith Currie, OFA President. “It’s never been more important to work together, water quality is a serious issue and we are grateful for the support of the Federal government and participation of agricultural organizations, municipalities, conservation authorities, and the drainage industry in the Thames-Sydenham region.”
The five-year ‘Strategy to Reduce Phosphorus Loss into the Thames River’ is designed to improve water quality in the Thames River and contribute to Ontario’s commitment to reduce phosphorus entering Lake Erie by 40% by 2025. The strategy will reduce the transportation of phosphorus off agricultural land, by improving water management to retain water on the land during the non-growing season, and installing cost-effective treatment technologies in drainage channels before the water reaches the Thames and its tributaries.
“It is through this type of collaboration that we are going to improve water quality and promote a healthy and thriving agricultural sector in south-western Ontario,” says Huron-Kinloss Mayor Mitch Twolan, past-president of the cities initiative. “With this partnership, the OFA and local governments are collaborating with drainage professionals, conservation authorities, First Nations, researchers, water technology companies, and NGOs to find new and innovative ways to keep phosphorus on the field and out of our waterways”.
Participating organizations and financial contributions to support the strategy have been made by the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Grain Farmers of Ontario and its Chatham chapter, the City of London, the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, Blue Water Pipe Inc., and the local chapters of the OFA in Kent, Lambton and Middlesex. The strategy has also received $20,000 from the founding partners, OFA and the cities initiative, respectively.
The strategy will complement and collaborate with other initiatives to reduce phosphorus entering waterways, including the Fertilizer Institute’s 4Rs program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (GLASI) program, the Upper and Lower Thames Conservation Authorities’ Clean Water Program, and the ‘Growing Ontario Together’ initiative led by the Grain Farmers of Ontario.
Cities Initiative Represented at Northland College Water Summit
Leave a CommentThe Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation convened a Water Summit on Oct. 1, 2016 dedicated to “The Future of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.” Experts, including Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Director, Dave Ullrich, gathered on Madeline Island in Lake Superior to examine past successes and challenges of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and to discuss the program’s future.
The video below, featuring Ullrich, as well as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Senior Advisor to the Administrator, Cameron Davis, and Council of Great Lakes Industries President, Kathryn Buckner, provides an overview of the Water Summit and commentary on the success and future of GLRI
“The people in the room, first of all, represented a tremendous amount of perspective and experience and good ideas on how we can make GLRI even better in the future,” said Ullrich. “It's much more than just taking on and completing specific projects and making the Great Lakes better. It is strengthen the Great Lakes community and I think can do even more in the future. It's a huge success.”
For more information on Northland College's Water Summit, click here.
Cities Initiative’s Ullrich Featured on Areas of Concern Panel
Leave a CommentGreat Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Executive Director, Dave Ullrich, along with Wendy Carney of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chris McLaughlin of the Bay Area Restoration Council, and Jon Gee of Environment and Climate Change Canada were featured on a panel about the Great Lakes Areas of Concern on TVOntario's The Agenda with Steve Paikin at the Great Lakes Public Forum in Toronto, Ontario. With only seven out of 43 ares of concern removed after about 30 years, the panel discusses the progress and future of work related to Areas of Concern in the U.S. and Canada.
“The number one Area of Concern problem has been contaminated sediments from the very beginning” said Ullrich. “With industrial discharges over many, many years a lot of contaminants, particularly PBCs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, have wound up in those sediments.”
Ullrich also went on to tell the story and mission of the Cities Initiative, specifically how it was born out of a desire for cities to have a seat at the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence decision-making table. To watch the panel, see the video below. For more information on the panel, click here.
Duluth’s Mayor Larson Joins Cities Initiative Board of Directors
Leave a CommentThe Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) is proud to announce the newest member of the Board of Directors, Mayor Emily Larson of Duluth, Minnesota. Mayor Larson will be joining as the 16th member of the Board. As a prominent shipping port and the second-largest city on Lake Superior, the City of Duluth’s voice will be a vital asset to the Board of Directors.
“I look forward to Mayor Larson’s contribution to the Board,” said Mayor Denis Coderre, chair of the Cities Initiative Board of Directors and Mayor of Montreal. “Her commitment to the Great Lakes and unique regional perspective will continue to help our organization grow.”
In her time as a Duluth City Council President prior to becoming Mayor, Larson championed numerous parks and trails, advised the inception of the Duluth Energy Efficiency Program, and served on the board for the Great Lakes Aquarium. Since winning the mayoral election in 2015, Mayor Larson committed to re-establishing Duluth’s Environmental Advisory Council and invested $500,000 in energy efficiency programs. Mayor Larson has demonstrated leadership and vision in addressing Duluth’s environmental issues, a valuable addition to the Cities Initiative Board.
“I am pleased to continue the tradition of Duluth representing the needs of Great Lakes cities. I look forward to being a partner and advocate for the conservation of our precious resource,” said Mayor Larson.
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a coalition of over 120 cities from the United States and Canada representing over 17 million people who work together for the long term protection and restoration of the resource. With the addition of Mayor Larson, the Board looks forward to a prosperous year of protecting the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
Cities Initiative Exec. Director talks Urban-Rural Partnerships
Leave a CommentCities Initiative Executive Director David Ullrich spoke at the Michigan Water Symposium on January 14, 2016. In his interview with Kirk Heinze of MLive, Ullrich discussed his experiences at the Paris Climate Summit for Local Leaders in early December and the importance of collaborative work between urban and rural stakeholders, saying, “there is a natural partnership between urban and rural communities.”