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Significant Activities Report:
August 2001
International Activities
Planning for SOLEC 2002 in High
Gear
GLNPO staff traveled to Presque Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania for a State
of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC) steering committee meeting
in preparation for next year's SOLEC conference. SOLEC 2002 will be held
October 16th to 18th, in Cleveland, Ohio. About 50 of more than 80
indicators of Great Lakes health will be reported on at the conference. A
special focus of the conference will be on biological indicators. A
biological integrity workshop will be held December 4-5, 2001, to prepare
for SOLEC. Other highlights of SOLEC 2002 will be the introduction of work
on forest, coastal wetland, and societal indicator suites. In addition,
biodiversity investment area work will include pieces on the relationship
between BIAs and Tribal/First Nation lands and a look at BIAs from an
economic viewpoint. This steering committee meeting resulted in an
proposed SOLEC 2002 agenda, as well as updates on indicator work.
Contact: Karen
Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-2690
Paul Bertram, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-0153
Paul Horvatin, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-3612
Innovative Approaches to
Pollution Prevention Considered
On August 28th, the Great Lakes
Binational Toxics Strategy Integration Group held a one-day meeting.
During the meeting a presentation was made by the temporary Sector-based
subgroup. A temporary subgroup was formed to begin a process that will
leverage the actions identified in the Strategy Reports for potential
pollutant reduction activities, by looking across the different
chemical-specific reports to identify opportunities for multiple substance
reductions within a sector. The temporary subgroup was tasked with the
development of a "short list" of sectors, based on the
opportunities identified in the chemical-specific reports, for follow-up
work that culminates in the selection of at least one pilot sector project
for focus on further reduction opportunities.
A discussion followed on the next phase of this pilot project. The discussion covered the topics of how the subgroup should collect information and the type of information that would be collected that would enable the subgroup to provide an informative report on possible pilot projects. The draft report will be presented to the Integration Workgroup at the November Stakeholders Meeting.
Also at this meeting the topic of Innovative Approaches was presented to the workgroup. Mr. Joseph Fiksel, Vice President, Life Cycle Management, Battelle presented a number of examples on how leading companies have generated competitive advantage through environmental excellence. A facilitate discussion followed as to whether Innovative Approaches could help further the Strategy goal of virtual elimination of persistent bioaccumulative chemicals.
Contact: E.Marie
Phillips, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-6034
Sediments
 Sediments Turned Into Molten Glass |
Treatment Process Fuses Sediments into Glass
During the week of August 11th, the
pilot scale sediment treatment demonstration of the Minergy Corporation's
glass furnace technology project was completed in Winnecone, Wisconsin.
The process is a vitrification or melting technology to treat contaminants
from the Fox River. The technology destroys organic contaminants and
immobilizes inorganic contaminants in a glass matrix that may then be used
as construction fill or other beneficial uses. A total of about 40 tons of
dried sediments were run through the glass furnace over a 5 day period.
USEPA's Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program collected
samples for evaluation of the destruction and removal efficiency, the fate
of all contaminants, and the potential synthesis of new contaminants in
the process. The results from the demonstration are due in November 2001.
This project is a joint effort between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the USEPA's Great Lakes National Program Office, and Minergy Corporation. More information about the demonstration and additional photos can be found at:
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/lowerfox/minergy/melterphotos.html
Contact: Marc Tuchman, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-1369
 The Research Vessel R/V Mudpuppy In Action |
Sediments Tested for PAHs In-Place
During the week of July 9th, GLNPO
in conjunction with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) conducted a
field demonstration of a new sediment testing method, called the LIF
system. This system, once calibrated with enough samples will allow for
the real-time measurement of sediment polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)
concentrations in-place (that is, without collected a sediment sample with
a sampling device and analyzing it in the laboratory).
Approximately 20 locations in the Milwaukee and Kinickinnic Rivers were analyzed with LIF, which was outfitted on the USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office's specially-outfitted sediment sampling boat, the R/V Mudpuppy. Scientists at UWM are currently analyzing the results to allow for quantification of the PAH concentrations, and extracting of PAH flourescence from that of background organics.
Contact: Marc Tuchman, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-1369
Ecosystems
Dramatic Results of Ecological
Protection Grants
The Great Lakes National Program
Office is analyzing 105 final grant reports from ecological protection
and restoration projects funded by GLNPO and completed between 1992 and
2001. As part of the analysis, projects are being analyzed for
environmental, stewardship, and economic results. One topic funded by
GLNPO was ecological protection. Protection is defined as actions taken to
prevent stress to ecosystems. Grant dollars were not used to acquire land,
but may have been used to facilitate acquisition. Over the last 8 years,
14 projects helped to protect more than 6,400 acres from a variety of
threats. Protection measures utilized were: partnerships, construction of
physical barriers to protect sites, facilitation of acquisition and
agreements, and best management practices. Accomplishments as a result of
these projects include:
Partnerships:
- The formation of the International Alvar Conservation Initiative, a model for coordinated region protection action.
- The organization of the Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust.
- Two new land protection projects were begun in Door County, Wisconsin.
Physical Barriers:
- 1,196 acres of sensitive beaches and dunes in eastern Lake Ontario were protected from trampling through the construction of dune crossovers and moveable trails.
- A fence was erected to keep out vehicular traffic at a Northwest Indiana site.
- A sign and fence were erected to protect areas against midnight dumpers at a Northwest Indiana site.
- A nylon psychological fence was constructed to keep pedestrians out of sensitive dune areas at an eastern Lake Ontario site.
Acquisition and Agreements (Grant dollars were not used to acquire land, but may have been used to facilitate acquisition.):
- 110 acres of critical Door County, Wisconsin uplands were acquired.
- 180 acres were protected through landowner agreements in Door County, Wisconsin.
- 421 acres of land and 330 feet of barrier shoreline were acquired in eastern Lake Ontario.
- 534 acres of land, including 38,850 feet of riparian corridors, were preserved through 12 easements, and one more that will be purchased after project completion in the Grand River, Ohio Watershed.
- 15 land acquisitions and two rights of refusals were obtained at the Kitty Todd Preserve, Ohio.
- 48 acres of Illinois prairie were researched for environmental, valuation and title information.
Best Management Practices:
- 4,000 acres were enrolled in the Conservation Tillage Program in Indiana.
- Nutrient management plans were developed for potato and dairy farms in the Genesee River Watershed, Pennsylvania.
- Technical services and cost share incentives were used to encourage best management practices among farmers and loggers in the Genesee River Watershed, Pennsylvania.
- 10,000 tons of soil were protected by implementing best management practices in the Hamilton Lake Watershed, Indiana.
It is important to take what has been learned from these projects beyond demonstration. To facilitate this, the Great Lakes National Program Office will attempt to:
- Encourage protection of Great Lakes ecological resources by expanding the Funding Guidance to include innovative protection actions.
- Collect and distribute protection success stories from throughout the basin.
- Explore protection actions that can be encouraged within Biodiversity Investment Areas, as outlined in several State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference reports.
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Participants Learn About
Streamside and Storm Water Management
A very successful Streamside and Storm Water Management Workshop was held
on August 21st in Brecksville, Ohio. Over 85 attendees representing 8
counties, 7 townships, and over 17 cities/villages participated in the
workshop. Brian Bell from USEPA Region
5 Water Division and Dan Bogoevski from the Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency,
spoke on the implementation and enforcement of Phase II Storm Water
regulations. The program also included presentations from local officials
and planners on their success stories and needs, implementing watershed
stewardship programs, and institutional arrangements and tools such as
model riparian zone ordinances and conservation easements. Excellent
reference materials and the new Magic 2001 Northeast Ohio Geographic
Information CD set were distributed to attendees. The workshop was made
possible by partners from the Black River Remedial Action Plan, Cleveland
Metroparks, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, Cuyahoga River
Remedial Action Plan, Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District, Lorain
County Commissioners, Natural Resource Conservation Service, NOACA, NEFCO,
NEORSD, Ohio EPA, Summit Soil and Water Conservation District and
USEPA.
It was funded in part by the Great Lakes National Program Office of USEPA.
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Journal Publishes Article on
Great Lakes Biodiversity Investment Areas
An article authored by Karen Rodriguez of the USEPA's Great
Lakes National Program Office and Ron Reid of Bobolink Enterprises of
Ontario, Canada, was published in the journal Ecological Restoration. The
article, "Biodiversity Investment Areas:
Rating the Potential for Protecting and Restoring the Great Lakes
Ecosystem," appeared
as the lead article in Vol. 19, No. 3 of Ecological Restoration
(University of Wisconsin Press). The article describes the development of
the biodiversity investment area (BIA) concept for the State
of the Lakes Ecosystem Conferences, the idea's conceptual framework,
criteria and supporting data sets that help define BIAs, and ecological
restoration and protection activities that are the future of BIAs. Also in
the same issue, Rodriguez contributed a book review on the book Fishing
the Great Lakes, An Environmental History, by Margaret Beattie Bogue
(University of Wisconsin Press, 2000).
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Invasive Species
Presque Isle Partnership Convenes Invasive Species Conference
Staff from USEPA's Great Lakes
National Program Office gave the keynote address at the Presque Isle
Partnership Invasive Species Conference, held August 10th, at Gannon
University in Erie, Pennsylvania. The presentation covered both aquatic
and terrestrial Great Lakes non-indigenous invasive species, as well as
efforts underway to prevent and control them. Other speakers, including
interns from Presque Isle State Park, spoke about non-indigenous species
specific to the region and control efforts. In 1997, GLNPO helped the
Partnership in its efforts to control non-indigenous species in the
Presque Isle State Park by awarding a small grant for the development of
an invasive species management plan and interns to control non-indigenous
invasive species. The Partnership has leveraged dollars from the
Pennsylvania Protection Fund every year since then to continue the
internship program begun with GLNPO funds.
Contact: Karen Rodriguez, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2690
Monitoring and Research Activities
Journal Publishes Lake Michigan
Mass Balance Study Results
An article authored by Paul Bertram, Glenn Warren, and Paul Horvatin of
USEPA's Great Lakes National Program
Office was published in the scientific journal, Verh. Internat. Verein.
Limnol. (27:795-799). The article describes the design, conduct, and
outcomes of the most extensive mass balance study ever conducted. In
particular, the article focuses on the study findings on the loadings,
transport, and long-term fate of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
atrazine, trans-nonachlor, and mercury. The industrial chemical PCB is
responsible for many fish consumption advisories in the Great Lakes.
Atrazine is a herbicide commonly used in the Great Lakes basin. Trans-nonachlor
is the most bioaccumulative of the pesticide chlordane. Mercury is
responsible for numerous fish consumption advisories in inland lakes in
the Great Lakes States.
The full journal citation is:
"Bertram, P., G.Warren and P. Horvatin. 2000. Lake Michigan (USA) Mass Balance Study: modeling fate, transport and bioaccumulation of PCBs, atrazine, trans-nonachlor and mercury. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 27:795-799."
Contact: Paul
Bertram, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-0153
Glenn Warren, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
886-2405
Paul Horvatin, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-3612
Fish Testing Program Enhanced
Following the recommendations of an Emerging Contaminants workshop held in
March (planned by Sandy Hellman of USEPA's Great
Lakes National Program Office), new substances will be added to those
analyzed for in the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring Program. Starting with
fish collected in 2000, analyses will be performed for polybrominated
diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), mercury,
dioxins/furans, and polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) 153. One fish composite
each from Lakes Superior, Ontario, and Michigan will be analyzed for
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), tetrabromobisphenol A (flame retardant
used on computer circuit boards), short-chain chlorinated paraffins (high
temperature lubricants and flame retardant plasticizers), alkylphenol
ethoxylates (APEs), and chlorothalonil (current use pesticide). In
addition, a full Gas Chromatograph scan will be done on selected
composites, looking for other possible emerging contaminant
"unknowns". This will be done by the current fish contaminant
program grantee, Deb Swackhamer at the University of Minnesota. The fish
analyses will serve as an early-warning as to whether these substances are
a problem and whether further monitoring (over the longer term, in
additional media, etc.) is warranted. A summary of the March workshop,
where invited researchers presented new monitoring information on emerging
substances of concern, is available on request.
Contact: Melissa Hulting, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-2265
Summer Great Lakes Survey Underway
On August 2nd, the USEPA Great Lakes
National Program Office's 180-foot research ship, the R/V
Lake Guardian
departed Rochester, New York to begin the summer water quality/ecology
survey. During the survey, USEPA scientists will take samples for water
chemistry, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos (organisms that live on
the lake bottom), which will be analyzed in laboratories at several
locations. All five of the Great Lakes will be visited during the survey:
sampling sites are concentrated in the deeper, open water, sections of the
lakes, but there are benthos sites in the near shore areas as well.
Information from the survey is used to assess the health of the Great
Lakes. In addition to the regular survey, researchers from the University
of Wisconsin, Michigan State University, and Michigan Technological
University will collect samples to further their research interests in
Lake Superior.
Contact: Glenn
Warren, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 886-2405
George Ison, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-1669
 The Research Vessel R/V Lake Guardian |
Lake Ontario Sampled for Brominated
Flame Retardants
Scientists from Environment
Canada's Canada Center for Inland Waters,
along with those from USEPA's Region 2 office in New York, were supported
by the USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office's 180-foot research ship,
the R/V
Lake Guardian in
work to determine current levels of polybrominated flame retardants in
Lake Ontario. The effort was carried out in conjunction with the
binational Lake Ontario
Lakewide Management Plan and the Lake Ontario Mass Balance Modeling
efforts. The work was designed to answer questions such as: Do Brominated
Flame Retardants warrant special consideration by the Lake Ontario
Lakewide Management Plan? Are concentrations of Brominated Flame
retardants continuing to increase in Lake Ontario water?
12,000 liter samples of Lake Ontario water from three locations: western basin, central basin and eastern basin in waters greater than 3 m deep. In addition scientists collected zooplankton, Mysis, and Diporeira from the bottom of the lake for a survey of the lower food chain.
Contact: Paul Horvatin, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-3612
Outreach
Important New Web Publications Go
Online
Several important documents went online recently:
The United States Response to the IJC Tenth Biennial report addresses the issues raised in the IJC report: Remedial Action Plans, Threat to Human Health, Contaminated Sediment, Airborne Toxic Substances, Great lakes Binational Toxics Strategy, Land Use, Alien Invasive Species, Information and Data Management, SOLEC and Indicators. The report can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/glwqa/ijc10th/index.html.
The Great Lakes National Program Office's Significant Activities Report - July 2001. This document got a new updated design. The Significant Activities Reports can be accessed at:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/active/index.html.
Native American: American Indian Employment Program. This Web site was created for the American Indian Employment Program and can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/native/index.html.
Contact: Cynthia
Bowman, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312) 353-2311
Pranas Pranckevicius, U.S. EPA - GLNPO (312)
353-3437