905R87105
Great Lakes National Program Office
Activities Report For Period Ending
December 23 1987

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                                           905R87105
DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

CAROL FINCH, ACTING DIRECTOR


   Environmental Services Directors Meet To Develop Strategies

   On December 3rd, 1987 in Washington, D.C., the Environmental
   Services Directors met to discuss ESAT management strategies.
   Carol Finch was present as one of those who helped  to  develop  the
   series of BSD Vision Strategies.  These included strategies for
   risk assessment, quality assurance, enhanced laboratory  and field
   capability, data management, priority setting, and  the example of "
   the Region III Field Productivity Improvemnet Project.   Of
   particular interest was developing a method for establishing BSD
   scientific and in-house consultant capability and to make them
   available to the Regions.

   Contact Person:  Carol Finch    (312) 353-3544


   Five Year Strategy In Review And Update

   Ginger Webster and Jan Edwards, independent consultants, have
   been retained to take the lead in reviewing all of  GLNPO's
   commitments resulting from the Water Quality Act of 1987 and the
   new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  GLNPO managers identified
   the major issues and management themes that are to  be  addressed by
   the review and subsequent strategy revision.  The contents of the
   management review report and the Five Year Strategy were established
   in a meeting on November 9-12, 1987.  Further developments from the
   second work session on December 16-17 are in preparation.


   Contact Person: Carol Finch     353-2117
                           The GLNPO Newsletter
                           is produced at:

                           DSEPA, GLNPO, 5GL
                           230 S. Dearborn St.
                           Chicago,  IL 60604

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Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Signed

Major amendments to the U.S./Canada Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement were signed on November 12th.  EPA Administrator Thomas
signed the Agreement on behalf of the United States, while the
Minister of the Environment McMillan signed for Canada.  Formal
diplomatic aspects of the review and negoiation process were
handled by the Department of State, while EPA had the lead in
technical matters.

Signing of the Agreement capped ten months of intense effort by
a special EPA team set up by Peter Wise when he was Director of
GLNPO.  The team consisted of Kent Fuller of GLNPO on a full time -
basis, Tom Daggett and Jim Thunder of Region V's Regional Council
on a part time basis, and Peter McAvoy of the University of
Wisconsin as a consultant.  As the new Director of GLNPO, Carol
Finch guided the final stages, especially coordination with
headquarters.  Headquarters participants included Deputy
Administrator Barnes, his staff and Conrad Kleveno of the Office
of International Activities.

Key Aspects of the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Amendments include:-"-    ,:

1. Technical aspects df the Agreement have been brought up to date,
particularly with-respect to:  contaminated sediments, airbourne
toxic pollutants, contaminated groundwater and non-point sources of
pollution.
   ,, ,.^ * -s f' f     •

This will better support quantification of all sources of toxic
substances entering the Lakes and determination of the reductions
necessary to meet water quality objectives.

2. Accountability and management aspects of the Agreement clarify
responsibilities and set dates for completionm of various
milestones and reports.  Key features are the process for reviewing
water quality objectives, preparation of remedial action plans
for geographic areas of concern, and Lake management plans for
critical pollutants.

The net effect of the amendments is to call for a clear definition
of problems and a clearly defined series of actions that will
result in solving them.

3. An essential part of the 1987 amendments to the Agreement is the
consensus that supports them.  At the outset, both State Government
and public interest group representatives voiced strong misgivings
about the review process and the intent of the Federal Government.

By the end of the process, both State and public interest group
representatives voiced  strong approval of their involvement and the
resulting amendments.   The consensus on substance includes the
Canadian participants and bodes well for the future of the
Agreement.


Contact Person:   Kent Fuller   (312) 353-3503

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Water Division Briefing on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

On December .7thf Kent Fuller provided a briefing on  the 1987
amendments to the Agreement to the Region V Water Division  staff.
Acting Division Director Dale Bryson began the meeting with a  landmark
statement of support for implementation of the Agreement, emphasizing
the importance of immediately taking action to reduce the amount of
toxics entering the Lakes and fully implementing the Agreement as a
priority committment of the Administrator.  Dale pointed out the
challenging concepts and committments contained in the amendments, and
emphasized the importance of shifting from pollutant concentration" in
effluents and immediate receiving waters to thinking in terms  of total
lake loadings.


Contact Person::  Kent Fuller    353-3503


Non-Point Source Committee of the IJC Water Quality Board

The Non-Point Source Committee, with Kent.Fuller, as U.S. Co-Chair,
met on November 8th to review progress and renew committments  in
fulfilling its work plan.  A major agenda item was the review  of
proposals for putting pesticide and other data into a digitized
mapping system to support analysis and display information.   It was
concluded that the ARC-INFO system best met the needs and a -
decision was made to accept a proposal from Agriculture Canada to
do the work.  The system is expected to be compatible with the
U.S.G.S. ARC-INFO system and will provide a powerful tool.


Contact Person:  Kent Fuller   353-3503
 International Joint Commission Biennial Great Lakes Meetings

 The International Joint Commission biennial meetings were held on
 November 16-18, 1987  in the Sea Gate Center in Toledo, Ohio
 overlooking the mouth  of  the Maumee River.  The purpose of the
 meetings was#to officially receive and discuss the biennial reports
 of the Water Quality  and  Science Advisory Boards of the IJC.  The
 reports focussed on progress in meeting the terms of the.1978 Great
 Lakes Water Quality Agreement, progress in completing remedial
 action plans for areas of concern and the present state of the Lakes.
 Presentation of the Water Quality Board report was made by the
 Co-chairs:  Regional  Administrator Adamkus and Director General
 Dowdeswell.


 Contact Person:  Kent  Fuller      353-3503

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UGLCC Management Committee Meeting

The Management Committee of the Upper Great Lakes Connecting
Channels Study, met November 10th at the Hilton O'Hare to review
scheduling and the summary of input/tasks of the 170 activities
of the UGLCC Work Plan.  Because of the individual staff conflicts
with RAP assignments, the question of full commitment by all involved
agencies to the revised time schedule of March, 1988 for completion
of the Final Report was raised.  Loss of key agency personnel
exascerbates the problem, as in the case of U.S./Canadian losses on
the Regulatory Task Force.  The key Long Term Monitoring Work Group
still needs to complete organization, and P. Bertram of GLNPO was
identified as a potential U.S.  chairperson.  Spills were identified
as being potentially a major source of contaminants in the UGLCC stud;
area.  The Regulatory Task Force was asked to look at existing spill
data and controls.

Valdas Adamkus had requested by letter a Canadian briefing on polluti<
on the Algoma Steel site and related activities.  In response,
Ontario MOB staff spoke briefly of the Algoma Steel Company's and
Ontario MOE's findings at the site. OMOE has committed to detailed
study at this site and will be issuing a contract for investigation
of the contaminated groundwater discharge, surface water runoff,
seepage, and slag characteristics.  Another situation involved the
discharge of dinitrotoluene from the waste lagoon of C-I-L, Inc.
in Sarnia, Ontario.  This was the subject of a formal complaint
from the City of Detroit's Water and Sewerage Department because
of potential effects on the city's drinking water.  Commissioner
Ridgeway said he believes that the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act
will be the controlling law over CWA pollution requirements in the
next few years due to its extensive monitoring and public notice
requirements.  The Canadians stressed that there was no longer any
discharge from the C-I-L site.   C. Finch, co-chair of the Management
Committee, stressed the need for ongoing dialogue on DNT and for
addressing the management issues under the Clean Water Act and
within the UGLCC framework.


Contact Person:  Vacys Saulys    353-3544

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Programs Committee of the Water Quality Board

The programs Committee for the WQB met December 9th/ with Carol
Pinch as U.S. Co-Chair.   The main agenda items were review of
remedial action plans and changes needed in response to the recent
amendments to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  Revisions
of the protocol for review of the RAPs were worked out to make it
consistent with the new amendments.

A great deal of discussion took place concerning the changes in the
Agreement and their implications.  A basic factor is the committment
by the Parties to convene regularly to review progress.  This should
relieve the Water Quality Board and the Windsor staff of the IJC from
reporting pressures that now surround preparation of Board reports.
This should result in more of a focus on analysis and comment by the
IJC and the WQB and its committees.  It was concluded that the WQB
strategy should be updated to reflect the Agreement changes and that
the committee structure should be re-evaluated.
Contact Person:  Kent  Fuller       353-3503

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REMEDIAL  PROGRAMS STAFF

VACYS J.  SAULYS, CHIEF


   Upper  Great Lakes Connecting Channels  Progress

   On Dec.  8th, the Activity Integration  Committee met  in Windsor,
   Ontario  to coordinate  the ongoing  third  phase of the  UGLCC study.
   Individual researchers and three media-specific workgroups (of 7)
   have  almost completed  their jobs and the geographic  area synthesis
   teams  are in place  for a Jan. 25-26, 1988
   meeting  to achieve  the third phase  of  the writing  schedule.
   Target date for completion of the  Final  Report is  midyear of FY
   '88.   Significent numbers of U.S.  and  Canadian personnel, from
   28 governmental agencies and universities are involved in this
   three-year, 170-project Study.

   Thr  Final Report requires the boiling  down of nearly 170 activity
   data  reports into 28  media-specific evaluation reports.   They
   will  be  further reduced into four  geographical area  reports which
   form  the core of both  the Final Report and the Remedial Action
   Plans that are under  way on a parallel track.


   Contact  Person:  Vacys Saulys      353-3544
    UGLCC Sediment Work Group Meets

    The Sediment Work Group of  the Upper Great Lakes Connecting Channels
    Study met  in Windsor, Canada on November 23, 1987 to review progress and
    determine  next steps to complete their portions of the UGLCC study.   The
    Sediment Work Group is the  only Work Group that has delivered all of its
    geographic area media (so called Level II) reports for all of the
    connecting channels.  As a  result of a request by the Data Quality Work
    Group, the Sediaent Work Group authors will be including a Quality
    Assurance  chapter in their  Level II reports.

    Contact Person: Anthony Kizlauskas, 353-3576

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Hyde Park Superfund Site Lake Ontario Study Meeting
Representatives of U.S. EPA Region  II Superfund, Duluth Environmental
Research Laboratory (ERL) - Duluth, Large Lakes Research Station  (LLRS) -
Grosse lie, and Great Lakes National Program Office  (GLNPO); the  New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Department of
Health (NYSDOH); Occidental Chemical Company (OCC);  and EPA contractors
Gradient Corporation, and Ecology and Environment, Inc. met in Albany,
New York on December 2, 1987 to discuss progress on  the Hyde Park
settlement-specified studies of 2,3,7,8-TCDD dioxin  fish and sediment
contamination in Lake Ontario.

The Duluth ERL is conducting laboratory studies of uptake of 2,3,7,8-
TCDD by fish from sediments, with and without a contaminated food source.
The uptake part of the studies is now complete.  The depuration part of
the studies will continue for up to a year longer, until the fish lose
half of the dioxin that they accumulated in the uptake studies.

The NYSDOH refereed a three-laboratory methods validation study between
the NYSDOH laboratory, the Duluth ERL, and the OCC.  Results for both
fish and sediments show acceptable precision and accuracy by all three
laboratories and detection limit goals of 1 ppt were achieved.  The next
step will be for the NYSDOH laboratory to release the sediment and fish
samples to OCC for analyses.  OCC is analyzing the samples as their in-
kind contribution to the studies.

The Lake Ontario fish collections this past summer by NYSDEC were
successful except for insufficient numbers of smallmouth bass being
collected at two of the three sites where collections were planned.

The Lake Ontario bottom sediments survey conducted this past summer by
EPA GLNPO, ERL Duluth, Ecology and Environment, Inc., and General
Offshore Corporation using the GLNPO Research Vessel  Roger Simons was
successful except for a core sample location being missed due to
confusion caused by a deviation from the cruise plan.

James Martin of LLRS-Grosse He introduced the State and OCC
representatives to the WASP4 mathematical  model which the EPA was
proposing to use to model  the loadings to sediments  resulting from
discharges of 2,3,7,8-TCDD from the Hyde Park Landfill.  The meeting
participants agreed that WASP4 was the most appropriate model  to use.

On December 3, 19J8F, Anthony Kizlauskas met with Dr. Philip Cook from ERL
Duluth to discuss how to accomplish analysis of the sediment core samples
that were collected on the Lake Ontario cruise for other contaminants in
addition to 2,3,7,8-TCDD in order to provide necessary calibration and
validation data for the Lake Ontario mathematical  model, among other
purposes.

Contact Person:  Anthony Kizlauskas, 353-3576

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Second Remedial Action Plan Coordinators Forum

The Forum was held in Toledo, Ohio on November 19 and 20, 1987.  Anthony
Kizlauskas gave a presentation on "Guidance on the Assessment of
Contaminated Bottom Sediment Problems" as part of the panel discussion
given by the UC Sediment Subcommittee at the Second RAP Coordinators
Forum.  Mr. Kizlauskas is the Chairman of the Assessment Work Group of
the Sediment Subcommittee,  Other members of the Sediment Subcommittee
also participated in the presentations.  The Chairman, Mr. Deo Persaud,
provided an introduction to the Sediment Subcommittee and the guidance it
was to present at the RAP Forum.  Mr. Ian Orchard, Chairman of the
Remedial Options Work Group, provided guidance on the selection of
remedial options for contaminated sediments once the assessment process
identifies the need for action.  Dr. Alena Mudroch, a member of the
Remedial Options Work Group, gave a case study of how the Dutch are
addressing the contaminated sediments problem.  The presentations were
received very well and touched off a lively question and answer session.

The Subcommittee's presentations were based upon a draft report that the
Subcommittee tabled at the RAP Forum, entitled "Guidance on Assessment
and Remediation of Contaminated Sediment Problems in the Great Lakes."

Contact Person:  Anthony Kizlauskas, 353-3576


UC Sediment Subcommittee Meets

The UC Sediment Subcommittee met in Toledo, Ohio on November 20, 1987 to
discuss future activities on finalizing the draft "Guidance on Assessment
and Remediation of Contaminated Sediment Problems in the Great Lakes"
and to plan other activities for the coming year.  Suggested changes to
the draft guidance document included furnishing cost estimates for all
recommended assessment methods and remedial options, and additional
guidance on how to use the assessment data to delineate problem areas
within the Area of Concern.  The Subcommittee then discussed the need for
workshops in the coming year, including a Workshop on Sediment Assessment
Criteria (jointly sponsored with the UC Aquatic Ecosystems Objectives
Committee) in the Fall of 1988, a Technology Transfer Workshop on
Remedial Options in the Fall of 1988, and a Technical Workshop on Testing
for Mutagenicity in Bottom Sediments in the Summer of 1988.

Contact Person:  Anthony Kizlauskas, 353-3576

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ORD-LLRS In-Plaoe Pollutants Modelling Meeting

Researchers participating in the In-Place Pollutants Study being
coordinated by the Office of Research and Development Large Lakes
Research Station met at LLRS in Grosse lie, Michigan on November 24, 1987
to review progress and determine next steps for the modelling aspects of
the study.  Participating scientists included:  Dr. Dominic DiToro of
Manhattan College (overall fate and effects and toxicity modelling), Dr.
Joseph DePinto of Clarkson University (adsorption/desorption behavior of
contaminants from sediments), Dr. Wilbur Lick of the University of
California at Santa Barbara (sediment deposition, resuspension, and
transport), and Dr.  Keith Bedford of Ohio State University
(probabilities of sediment resuspension, entrainment of bottom
sediments).  The scientists presented progress reports on their separate
activities.  Then discussions were held on what information each
scientist needed from the others in order to complete their tasks in a
coordinated manner.   The intent is to provide a final report including
the results of all data and modelling activities on the In-Place
Pollutants studies in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River by
September, 1988.

Contact Person:  Anthony Kizlauskas, 353-3576
              •I

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ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING STAFF

ROBERT TOLPA, ACTING CHIEF



   NPS Conference Meets in Milwaukee

   A conference entitled "Political, Institutional and Fiscal
   Alternatives to Accelerate Nonpoint Pollution Programs" was
   held in Milwaukee, WI on Dec. 7-9, 1987.  The conference was
   co-sponsored by the Great Lakes National Program Office and
   Marquette University's Water Resources Center and the National
   Nonpoint Source Institute.  The three-day meeting provided papers
   and discussions of political, institutional, organizational,
   social and fiscal problems associated with establishment and
   implementation of nonpoint pollution abatement programs.  Ralph
   Christensen participated in a panel of public officials and made
   a presentation for Valdas V. Adamkus, Region V administrator.
   Proceedings are expected to be available shortly.

   Contact Person:  Ralph G. Christensen   353-3545
   Upper Gre.at Lakes Connecting Channels NPS Workgroup

   Ralph Christensen participated in the final review of the
   Agricultural NPS level 2 report of the OGLCC in Windsor, Ontario
   Dec. 9-10, 1987.  The report will be ready to present to the
   synthesis committee by Dec. 23rd, 1987.  Tom Davenport, NPS
   Coordinator or Region Vs Water Division has provided excellent
   support in preparing the U.S.  portion of the Report.

   Contact Person:  Ralph G. Christensen   353-3545
   Ralph Christensen Receives Bronze Medal Award
                                                            4
   GLNPO is pleased that Ralph G. Christensen received a Bronze Medal
   Award at Region V's annual honor award ceremony, for successful
   management of Great Lakes, Section 108, demonstration projects.  This
   series of demonstration projects led to the development and voluntary
   implementation of low cost measures to reduce phosphorus loadings to
   the lakes from nonpoint sources.  Reduced loadings are leading to
   reduced algal growth, a shift away from nuisance species, and
   reduction of hypolimnetic anoxic areas.  Future load reductions
   will come, primarily as advances in conservation tillage and other
   farm practices take hold.  The projects provided a valuable basis for
   the new EPA nonpoint source program authorized by the Water Quality
   Act of 1987.

   Contact Person:  Kent Fuller    353-3503

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SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH STAFF

WAYNE WILLFORD, CHIEF


  Lake Ontario Toxics Committee Meets

  W. Willford attended a meeting of the Lake Ontario Toxics
  Committee on Dec. 10-11, 1987 in Toronto, at which the members
  reviewed comments received on the draft Lake Ontario Toxics
  Management Plan.  In response to the comments, the Committee made
  major revisions in the plan.  The revised plan is now premised
  upon whether or not ambient data exists for a toxic of concern
  and, if ambient data exists, whether the levels present exceed
  existing standards, or most sensitive use criteria.  In each
  situation, a specific action is called for by the involved
  jurisdictions.   If ambient data is not adequate, actions needed
  to obtain the data will be specified.


  Contact -Person:  Wayne Willford    353=1369
  Meeting of Green Bay Technical Coordinating Committee

  The Green Bay Technical Coordinating Committee met in Madison, Wl
  on Nov. 19th, 1987 to review and modify the draft Green Bay Study
  Plan.   Attendees included Dave DeVault of GLNPO, John Sullivan,
  Anders Andren, Bill Sonzogni and Dale Patterson of WDNR.  Bill
  Richardson, Russ Kreis, and James Martin of EPA's LLRS participated
  via conference call.

  Several modifications were made to the Plan.  These include: a)
  If calculations of maximum possible loads support it, all tributary
  load monitoring, other than the Fox and Menominee rivers, will be
  reduced to monthly.  The Fox River monitoring will be increased
  from the current 40 samples/year  to appproximately 52.  These will
  be divided*^ J€ § 2 week intervals; approximately 26 event related.
  Sampling wlir continue under the ice on the Fox River, b) Additional
  work on sediment resuspension will be planned for the middle and
  lower  Bay.  The Committee felt that the bay's exchange with Lake
  Michigan could be estimated by sampling stations in the major
  passages during cruises, and from current existing data.  Funds from
  this effort would be redirected toward suspended sediments.

  James  Martin of LLRS will forward the Plan to successful modeling
  bitters prior to final modification.

  Contact Person:  Dave DeVault    353-1375

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External Review Committee Meets on Institute of Water Research

On Oct. 20th David Rockwell represented the Great Lakes National
Program office as a member of the 1987 External Review Committee for
the Institute of Water Research (IWR)-Michigan State University.
The review .committee is comprised of 27 persons representing state,
federal agencies and other universities.

IWR grants are funded currently from two sources, the U.S.
Geological Survey and the Kellogg Foundation.  IWR highlighted its
research capabilities in groundwater monitoring and its
educational outreach.  A geographical information system linking
remote sensing data of land use, and nitrate concentrations from.
well measurements was reported in the contaxt of county development
planning.   The Kellogg Foundation has selected IWR to develop state
wide education programs to inform users of groundwater about
groundwater protection and health hazards.

Several excellent publications were presented and copies obtained
for GLNPO.  Ms. L.G. Wolfson presented a 416-page text on "Rural
Groundwater Contamination."  Ms. M. Wolfram presented a color
pamphlet on "Michigan Water Resources."

IWR was receptive of the expansion of their research interest in
investigations of groundwater contaminant loads to the Great Lakes.


Contact Person:  David Rockwell   353-1373
Winter Great Lakes Surveillance

The Great Lakes National Program Office's strategy for tracking
long term changes in phosphorus concentration levels in the Great
Lakes includes the taking of water samples during isothermal periods
of the limnionic season.  During fall overturn, which usually occurs
between November 15th and January, or during early spring, between
March and April, GLNPO has used the Roger R. Simons.  In between
February and March, samples can be taken using a Huey helicopter when
ice extensively covers the lakes.  The uncertainty of obtaining
samples when the lakes are isothermal in the fall, and the lower
operational cost of the helicopter, has led GLNPO to select the
winter helicopter operations in place of the fall overturn ship
operations.' "

Two winter  lake surveys have been planned for this year to
increase the opportunity of obtaining samples from lakes
experiencing ice cover and to reduce the cost per station visit.
Region II's helicopter, which is based in New Jersey, will be used
for the surveys.  A second sampling run will be included on the
return trip with only a 25% increase in flight time  (9-10 hours)
over a direct return to New Jersey.


Contact Person:  David C.  Rockwell   353-1373

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Limnology Program Surveys
The following is a tentative schedule for GLNPO's 1988 field
operations.  Limnology surveys will include sampling four of the
Great Lakes.  Mass balance surveys are also planned for Green Bay.
The spring survey is scheduled for after ice-out in March/April.
EPA personnel with biology or chemistry backgrounds who are
interested in participating in the program are invited to consider
the schedule.  Written requests approved by your supervisor,
indicating the time interval in which you can serve, may lead to a
meaningful short term detail.  Training can be provided in March
and July for required chemical analysis and filtration tasks.
Surveys
Spring Run 1
Spring Run 2

Survey 1
Survey 2
Survey 3

Summer Run 1
Summer Run 2

Survey 4
Survey 5
Area
M-H-E-0
0-E-H-S-M

Green Bay
Green Bay
Green Bay

M-H-E-0
0-E-H-S-M

Green Bay
Green Bay
Tentative Time
After March 20
After March 20

April 20
June 7
July 18

August 1-11
August 12-26

August 27
October 7
Expected Duration
      (days)

10-12
14-15

5
5
5

10-11
14-15

5
5
Contact Person:  David C. Rockwell   353-1373

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