MWAC Past Newsletter

August 18, 2008

EPA REVIEW OF MICHIGAN’S 404 PROGRAM

The US EPA announced findings from their review of Michigan's Section 404 (wetland protection) Program. EPA finds both strengths and deficiencies in Michigan’s legal authorities establishing the approved CWA Section 404 program and in the program’s administration by MDEQ. In the end, EPA concluded that the Michigan’s program should not be withdrawn but identified several deficiencies in Michigan’s approved CWA Section 404 program along with corrective actions which Michigan proposed to take and a schedule for implementing the corrective actions.

Click the title to read the Final Report Results of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Review of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Section 404 Program

The Federal Register notice for the findings can be accessed at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-17588.pdf

GLRC HABITAT/WETLANDS INITIATIVE:
A PROGRESS REPORT AND CALL TO ACTION

The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration's (GLRC) December 2005 Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes identifies habitat and wetlands degradation as a key threat and provides recommendations for protecting and restoring them. The GLRC's Wetlands and Habitat Initiative is working to address these recommendations. As a first step, the Initiative is focused on protecting and restoring 200,000 acres of wetlands in the Great Lakes basin. The Initiative aims to accomplish this by improving coordination among habitat restoration programs and partners, with a goal of achieving more by working together than by each alone.

The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC) Executive Committee announced the release of the "Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Habitat/Wetlands Initiative: A Progress Report and Call to Action.” A team of State, Federal, Tribal, City and non-governmental representatives wrote the report to describe progress and to advance the habitat restoration recommendations in the GLRC's December 2005 Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes. The report notes the steps that Federal, State, City, Tribal and non-governmental interests are taking to improve coordination of habitat restoration programs and projects in the Great Lakes basin and describes two new tools that will facilitate collaboration: a habitat projects database and a funding source inventory. The report concludes by issuing a Call to Action that challenges the Great Lakes community to accelerate restoration efforts and to work together to accomplish more than could be achieved by working alone. The report is now available at http://glrc.us/initiatives/wetlands/index.html.

GREAT LAKES ACTION IN CONGRESS

The Compact

Recently, both chambers of Congress took steps to advance an agreement among the eight US Great Lakes states to prevent diversions and withdrawals that would harm the ecosystem created by the waters of the Great Lakes. The Senate gave its consent to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and the House Judiciary Committee passed HR 6577 through unanimous vote. The full House will take up the compact legislation in September when the House returns from it's August break and President Bush has said he will sign it.

Great Lakes Legacy Act

On July 31, 2008, the Great Lakes Legacy Act was passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 funds the clean-up of contaminated sediments in Great Lakes harbors and tributaries. Designated “Areas of Concern” by the U.S. and Canadian governments, the polluted sites pose threats to human health and to fish and wildlife populations. Of the 31 sites in the United States or shared with Canada, only one site – Oswego River – has been de-listed since 1987. The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 reauthorizes the Great Lakes Legacy Act for five years and increases the authorization of funds from $54 million to $150 million per year. Experts peg the total cost of cleaning up the sites at between $1.5 billion and $4.5 billion. It moves now to the full House and Senate for consideration.