GLIN

Increased population growth in Michigan’s Ottawa County is depleting groundwater aquifers and causing the drinking water to become contaminated with nitrate and chloride. Challenges related to groundwater depletion is impacting decisions on land-use planning. Read the full story by Bridge Magazine. View the full article

Researchers at the University of Akron in Ohio want to combat harmful algal blooms by creating low-cost, easy-to-use tools that the public can use to measure phosphorus and nitrate concentrations in water. These tools will help scientists identify sources of nutrient pollution that damage water quality in Lake Erie. Read the full story by Cleveland.com. View the full article

Every dollar provided by the federal government for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will spur an additional $3.35 in economic activity by 2036, according to new research led by the University of Michigan. The research looks at several cities around the Great Lakes and finds that federal money for environmental projects helps boost other activities such as recreation, craft brewing and waterfront development. Read the full story by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. View the full article

An environmental advocacy group announced Monday it is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling on the Lake Erie Bill of Rights initiative. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade. View the full article

Wisconsin’s Pleasant Prairie has been approved to use Lake Michigan water since the late 1980s following public health concerns. In 2010, Wisconsin’s state officials reported Pleasant Prairie’s diversion levels had increased from 3.2 to 10.69 million of gallons of water per day, making it the largest water diversion in all of Wisconsin, and its approval came with no public notification. Read and listen to the full story by Michigan Public Radio. View the full article

Two hundred tons of soil was removed Niagara Falls State Park and about 20 percent of that soil was contaminated with radioactive material. This new discovery comes just after 1,500 tons of material was removed from the site last month. Read and listen to the full story by Great Lakes Today. View the full article

Researchers have released their final report on the potential cost of a worst-case scenario oil spill from Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The report comes as environmental groups wait for Governor Rick Snyder to announce a decision on what to do with Line 5 moving forward. Read and view the full story by WPBN-TV – Traverse City, MI. View the full article

The port has received a $7.5-million federal grant from Canada’s National Trade Corridor Fund which has made it possible to accelerate a program to modernize Keefer Terminal. Read the full story by the Chronicle Journal. View the full article

Contamination in an Oakland County creek that feeds into the Huron River and its chain of lakes is setting a new state record for PFAS present today in Michigan surface water. Now the source of the pollution is under orders to outline steps it will take to reduce how much of the chemical it’s sending into the waterway by October 19. Read the full story by MLive. View the full article

Wind turbines are popping up all over Northeast Ohio, and you could soon see them off the shore of Lake Erie. A company called Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation is planning a project for a wind farm about eight miles off Cleveland’s coast. It would be the first of its kind on a Great Lake. Read the full story by WOIO-TV – Cleveland, OH. View the full article

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is utilizing new technology in the search for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, using drones equipped with forward-looking infrared to locate springs that could carry contaminated water to larger bodies of water. Read the full story by The Alpena News. View the full article

HyperloopTT, headquartered in southern California, has signed a public-private partnership agreement with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, backed by a large consortium of business, educational institutions and civic groups, to pursue a Chicago to Cleveland hyperloop. The proposed mass transit solution addresses stressed and aging infrastructure in the Great Lakes region, connecting a $15 billion transportation market with tens of millions of tons of cargo and millions of passengers to various cities within the region. Read the full story by The Northwest Indiana Times. View the full article

Each federal dollar spent on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) generates roughly $3.35 in economic development from recreation, tourism and other industries, according to a new study on the program’s socioeconomic benefits. Read the full story by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. View the full article

News Ann Arbor, Mich. – A new report released today shows that every federal dollar spent on Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) projects from the program’s launch in 2010 through 2016 will produce an additional $3.35 of additional economic activity in the Great Lakes region through 2036. The study – which estimates only some of the GLRI benefits – shows that in certain communities, the longer-term impact will be even greater: every dollar spent in Buffalo and Detroit, for example, will produce more than $4 of additional economic activity. GLRI launched in 2010 and Congress appropriated over $2.5 billion from 2010 through 2017 to fund more than 3,600 projects that have dramatically improved environmental conditions around the region. While the GLRI was intended to accelerate environmental restoration of the Great Lakes and was not intended to stimulate the economy, the study shows that it created or supported thousands of jobs — approximately the same number of jobs per dollar of investment that would be created by a conventional federal stimulus program designed to boost job growth. The study also shows that GLRI has strengthened tourism in the Great Lakes region. Every federal dollar of GLRI project spending from 2010 through 2016 will generate $1.62 in economic activity in tourism-related industries through 2036. Additionally, the study found that GLRI increased the value that residents place on living in coastal areas: every project dollar spent between 2010 and 2016 produced quality of life improvements worth $1.08 to residents as measured in housing values, leading to an overall increase of $900 million in home values in Great Lakes coastal communities. Eight case studies illustrate how the regional impact of the GLRI translated into local improvements in specific Great Lakes communities. The case studies showed that GLRI leads to significant new real estate and commercial development, particularly in waterfront areas; a resurgence in traditional water-based recreation and the emergence of a new type of tourism focused on kayaking, kitesurfing, and paddle-boarding; improved quality of life, as indicated by willingness to pay more for housing in coastal areas; and increases in the number of young people who are choosing to stay in or relocate to Great Lakes communities. Research was led by the University of Michigan’s Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics and reviewed by a panel of economists and other experts from outside the Great Lakes region. The case studies were developed by the Issue Media Group and a panel of Great Lakes stakeholders provided guidance on the scope of the project and helped articulate the outcomes. A team led by the Great Lakes Commission and the Council of Great Lakes Industries coordinated the study. The team included the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center, the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes, and the University of Michigan’s Water Center. Funding for the study was provided by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Wege Foundation, the Fund for Lake Michigan, Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Office of the Great Lakes, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of the Great Lakes. The report and other project materials are available at http://bit.ly/GIPolicyReport. Groups involved in the project said: Kathryn Buckner, president, Council of Great Lakes Industries “The GLRI is critical for healthy Great Lakes, which are in turn critical to the continued success of our region’s manufacturing and industry sectors. This study shows that the GLRI not only is improving the ecosystem, but it also has generated and will continue to generate economic activity in the region. CGLI is proud to have been part of this work.” John Linc Stine, chair, Great Lakes Commission and commissioner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency “This study describes what we already know in facts & figures – cleaning up legacy pollution and restoring aquatic habitat on the Great Lakes isn’t only good for the environment, it creates jobs and fuels the regional economy. It’s a positive legacy that States and our partner organizations can leave for future generations. The Great Lakes states are ready and excited to continue this critical work until the job is finished.” Mike Shriberg, executive director, the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center Executive Director “This study moves our understanding of the impacts of GLRI from anecdotal to comprehensive. The results prove what community leaders have been telling us for years: The GLRI is not only stimulating regional economies but is also transforming waterfronts and generating community pride. “ Alesha Washington, director, Great Lakes Metro Chambers “The Great Lakes are one of the world’s greatest natural resources and a major economic force for our region. This study demonstrates the impact of the GLRI far beyond the environmental benefits and the need for continued investment in this important program.” Molly Flanagan, vice president for policy, Alliance for the Great Lakes “The research released today shows once again that programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative can help the environment and our economy. The GLRI is clearly a strong investment for the region, protecting our drinking water and recreation opportunities while supporting local economic growth and quality of life in communities across the region.” Jon W. Allan, director, Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes “For too long, the Great Lakes states have turned their backs on their lakes and rivers. The results of this study give us just a glimpse of this region’s potential to build a new legacy in which we embrace our natural assets and reconnect with water. A new future is developing in the Great Lakes states and that future is blue.” Jennifer Read, director, University of Michigan’s Water Center “We have long suspected that the health of the Great Lakes is an important driver of our regional economy, but it is fantastic to now have a clear and quantitative demonstration of that connection. Through this study we can see that restoring Great Lakes ecosystems can boost recreation and tourism, help attract new people and businesses, and revitalize local economies.” ← Previous news release Contact For questions or media inquiries, please contact Beth Wanamaker, [email protected]. Recent GLC News New study shows every dollar spent on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will produce at least $3.35 of additional economic activity in the Great Lakes region Concerned citizens can now directly invest in improving Lake Erie water quality Position available: Help Desk Specialist (Part-Time) Great Lakes Commission releases green infrastructure policy recommendations in advance of Congressional briefing Upcoming GLC Events 2018 Great Lakes Commission Annual Meeting October 2 - October 3 View GLC Calendar > View the full article

The Cruise the Great Lakes Initiative seeks to bring more cruise ships to the Great Lakes and bring more ships to more ports. A cruise ship will stop in Traverse City twice over the fall, giving local residents a short but rewarding view of the vessels. Read the full story by the Traverse City Record-Eagle. View the full article

Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation’s fall beach clean-up in Goderich, Ontario hauled in about 45 pounds of garbage, including over two thousand cigarette butts. Read the full story by Blackburn News. View the full article

A mission to rebuild the depleted wolf population at Isle Royale National Park is getting underway in Michigan and Minnesota, as specialists prepare to trap six to eight of the predators on the mainland and fly them to the Lake Superior archipelago, officials said. Read the full story by the Associated Press. View the full article

The Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth, Minnesota hosted the Hawk Weekend Festival this weekend, drawing in locals and visitors for prime shoreline birdwatching during the start of migration season. Read the full story by WDIO-TV – Duluth, MN. View the full article

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources last week debuted its latest capital investment: a 3,000-square-foot Civil War-era house for rent on the east shore of North Bass Island. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer. View the full article

In Michigan, a new 28-seat, lighted glass bottomed boat made her first tour in the Cheboygan River and Lake Huron, offering guests a cruise with views of three shipwrecks sunk in Duncan Bay. Read the full story by The Cheboygan Daily Tribune. View the full article

Work to repair damage to the Lake Huron shoreline is underway in Sarnia, Ontario, but high water levels and north winds continue to tear chunks of soil away. Read the full story by Blackburn News. View the full article

A conference at the University of Michigan is bringing together experts to share ideas on dealing with a warming climate in the Great Lakes region. Read the full story by the Associated Press. View the full article

A report issued this month by the Great Lakes Commission recommends a number of steps to encourage greater reliance on natural features such as rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs and street trees. Read the full story by the Associated Press. View the full article

Professor Sherri Mason of the State University of New York in Fredonia was awarded the Heinz Award for Public Policy for her pioneering role in identifying microplastics as a significant pollutant in the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Great Lakes Echo. View the full article

A group assembled to reduce agriculture runoff into Lake Erie has received a grant of $200,000 from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to test technologies that may possibly remove phosphorus from the runoff. Read the full story by the Windsor Star. View the full article