Great
Lakes
National
Program
vvEPA
On the Web at:
www.epa.gov/greatlakes
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)
Significant Activities Report
June 2007
IN THIS ISSUE:
POLLUTION PREVENTION
• 10th Anniversary of Binational Toxics
Reduction Effort
• Earth Day Pharmaceuticals
Collection a Whopping Success
• North American Workshop on
Sound Management of Chemicals
RESEARCH and MONITORING
• State of the Great Lakes 2007 Report
Released
• 2007 Spring Water Quality Survey
• Special Effluent Study Concludes
• Dry Cargo Sweepings Study
HABITAT PROTECTION,
RESTORATION, SUSTAINABILITY
• Hog Island-Newton Creek Draft
Restoration Plan Workshop
• Green Infrastructure and
Transportation
SEDIMENT REMEDIATION
• Ashtabula River Dredging
Accelerates
• Tannery Bay Cleanup Resumed
• Sediment Sampling Season in Full
Swing
• New Grand Calumet River Great
Lakes Legacy Act Project Agreement
Signed
• Ruddiman Creek Remediation Pro-
ject Honored
• Great Lakes / Detroit River Success
Story: From Black Lagoon to Ellias
Cove
OUTREACH/EDUCATION
• GLLA Presentation to Michigan As-
sociation of Environmental Profes-
sionals
Raising Invasive Species Awareness
Learn Not to Burn
Kids' Clean Water Celebration
Pollution Prevention at IKEA
Pennsylvania State Assn. of Town-
ship Supervisors Annual Meeting
• Hands-on Activities at Duneland
School
• Women in Science and Engineering
• National Environmental Partnership
Summit in New Orleans
• P2 Toolkits on Display at Michigan
Recycling Coalition Annual Confer-
ence
• Mercury Fish Advisory Protocol
Finalized
• Lake Guardian at Dedication of
Schooner Harbor at Milwaukee's
Discovery World
LAKEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLANS
• Lakes Superior LaMP Task Force
Meeting at Isle Royale
POLLUTION PREVENTION
Great Lakes Binational
Toxics Strategy
Tenth Anniversary Edition
2006
Annual
Progress Report
5-EPA
10th Anniversary Progress Report
of the Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy
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June 2007
Significant Activities Report
10th Anniversary of Binational
Toxics Reduction Effort
A Ten Year Anniversary Great Lakes Binational
Toxics Strategy (GLBTS) Stakeholder Forum
was held in Chicago on May 23, 2007. Presenta-
tions were made by U.S. and Canadian Substance
Workgroup Chairs, alongside stakeholders from
industry, environmental non-governmental or-
ganizations and States, for mercury, PCBs, di-
oxin, HCB and PAHs. Presentations detailed pro-
gress made over the past ten years to reduce toxic
substance use and discharges to the Great Lakes
and featured some of the most effective multi-
stakeholder projects coming out of the GLBTS
Forum to date. Presentations were also made on
long range transport modeling studies, sediment
remediation of toxicants in Areas of Concern,
and an update on the North American Commis-
sion for Environmental Cooperation Sound Man-
agement of Chemicals program (SMOC), which
is seeking closer cooperation with the GLBTS. A
dinner, hosted by Environment Canada, was held
the evening of May 23 a at the South Shore Cul-
tural Center to acknowledge Stakeholder contri-
butions to the GLBTS over the past ten years.
Tracy Mehan, former AA for the Office of Wa-
ter, delivered a Keynote Speech, and also in-
cluded comments by Michael Murray, National
Wildlife Federation, Claude Andre LaChance, of
Dow Canada, and several Canadian dignitaries
that focused on the importance of the GLBTS to
the continued improvement of the Great Lakes as
well as the challenges of the future. Forum and
Dinner presentations may be found at http://
www. epa. gov/glnpo/bns/1 Othann .html.
On that same day, the Great Lakes Binational
Toxics Strategy released its 2006 Annual Pro-
gress Report, which presents progress toward the
goal of virtually eliminating persistent toxic sub-
stances such as mercury, PCBs and dioxin from
discharging into the Great Lakes environment. In
1997, EPA and Environment Canada established
17 source and emissions reduction goals for the
United States and Canada. Over the past 10
years, both governments (with the help of state,
provincial, tribal and local governments and
stakeholders from industry, academia, environ-
mental and community groups) have worked to-
gether to reduce the use and release of targeted
toxic substances. To date, 12 of the 17 goals have
been met, and the rest are well advanced. The
report discusses the significant voluntary projects
of the Strategy, such as the burn barrel outreach
campaign and the wood stove exchange cam-
paign, some of which have been adopted nation-
ally on both sides of the border. The report also
presents trends of these substances in gull eggs
and fish as well as open water, air and sediment.
Overall, significant environmental improvements
have been realized for legacy pollutants in the
Great Lakes. Looking forward, new challenges
are presented by emerging substances of concern,
such as flame retardants. The U.S. - Canadian
Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy Tenth
Anniversary Edition 2006 Annual Progress Re-
port is available at http ://binational .net/bns/2006.
Over the next 2 days, a workshop was held for
stakeholders to consider future directions for the
GLBTS. Over 70 people were in attendance.
Stakeholders were asked to consider future work
of the GLBTS and included group sessions tar-
geted at specific questions of how the program
may need to evolve to be able to address needs
including the identification and reduction of addi-
tional persistent toxic contaminants in the Great
Lakes basin. Details may be found at the web site
above.
(Contact: Ted Smith, 312-353-6571,
smith.edwin@epa.gov)
IF
-.990
Year
Graph from GLBTS 10 Anniversary Progress Report
showing the decline in PCBs in the eggs of herring
gulls from Snake Island in Lake Ontario
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June 2007
Earth Day Pharmaceuticals
Collection a Whopping Success
People turned in more than a ton of unwanted
pills, powders, and liquid medicines - including
an estimated $500,000 worth of narcotics - dur-
ing the Earth Keepers Earth Day collection on
April 21, 2007 from 9am-noon. The annual Earth
Keepers Clean Sweep focused this year on drugs
that are typically just flushed down the toilet and
into our waterways. An estimated 2,000 people
dropped off their own unwanted medications
from their own medicine cabinets as well as cast-
off medicines from relatives and friends. Some
also brought personal care products such as
soaps, shampoos and sunscreen. Studies have
detected traces of pharmaceuticals such as birth
control hormones, antidepressants, and antibiot-
ics in waterways downstream from wastewater
treatment plants. Their effects are largely un-
known, but scientists are concerned that they may
be linked to reproductive and development prob-
lems in aquatic wildlife.
(Contact: E. Marie Wines, 312-886-6034,
wines.emarie@epa.gov)
North American Workshop on
Sound Management of Chemicals
GLNPO's Ted Smith traveled to Monterrey,
Mexico to participate in a workshop hosted by
the North American Commission for Environ-
mental Cooperation Sound Management of
Chemicals (SMOC) on April 16-19, 2007. The
SMOC is a trilateral agreement between Canada,
the U.S. and Mexico to work together coopera-
tively on persistent bioaccumulative toxic sub-
stances in North America. Ted Smith and Envi-
ronment Canada's Danny Epstein gave a presen-
tation on the Great Lakes Binational Toxics
Strategy (GLBTS) program, including a short
portfolio of projects that were of interest to the
SMOC. These included the burn barrel campaign,
the wood stove campaign, the tire pile campaign,
and PCB financial software. Mexican officials
expressed an interest in obtaining copies of these
materials and having them translated into Span-
ish. A follow-up meeting is planned with SMOC
officials in Chicago to explore further how the
GLBTS and SMOC programs can work together
more closely.
Container of drugs collected on April 21, 2007 by
EarthKeepers Earth Day collection
(photo courtesy of Earth Keepers)
(Contact: Ted Smith, 312-353-6571,
smith.edwin@epa.gov)
RESEARCH and MONITORING
State of the Great Lakes 2007
Report Released
The State of the Great Lakes 2007 Highlights
Report was released on June 7, 2007 at the Inter-
national Joint Commission Great Lakes Biennial
Meeting and Conference at the University of Illi-
nois - Chicago. English and French versions are
available online at: http ://www.binational .net.
Every two years, the Great Lakes community
reports on the condition of the Great Lakes eco-
system at the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Con-
ference. The last conference was held on Novem-
ber 1-3, 2006 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The
State of the Great Lakes 2007 Highlights is a
plain-language summary of the information pro-
vided in the more detailed indicator reports and
the information presented at the biennial confer-
ence.
(Contact: Paul Bertram, 312-353-0153, ber-
tram.paul@epa.gov)
2007 Spring Water Quality Survey
The 2007 Spring water quality survey of all five
Great Lakes was completed on April 24th. The
annual survey by the R/VLake Guardian and its
crew and scientists began in Lake Michigan on
March 31st Samples were taken for chemical in-
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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Significant Activities Report
The R/V Lake Guardian cuts a path through the ice
leaving Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on the 2007
Spring Survey of the Great Lakes
dicators of eutrophication, standard water quality
parameters, and biological components of the
ecosystem, including phytoplankton, zooplank-
ton, benthos andMysis relicta. Analysis of the
samples began at the completion of the survey.
Additional samples, including a transect begin-
ning near Harbor Beach, Michigan and moving
offshore, were taken in support of the Lake
Huron Cooperative Monitoring effort. This sur-
vey continued GLNPO's long-term monitoring
program that was begun in 1983.
(Contact: Glenn Warren, 312-886-2405, war-
ren.glenn@epa.gov)
Special Effluent Study Concludes
The Spring intensive sampling campaign for the
project "Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care
Products (PPCPs), Hormones, and Alkylphenol
Ethoxylates (APEs) in the North Shore Channel
of the Chicago River" concluded on Monday,
April 23, 2007. Over 200 effluent and stream
samples were collected since late February 2007.
This study represents a broad partnership among
U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Of-
fice, Central Regional Laboratory, Region 5,
Headquarters and Office of Research and Devel-
opment (Cincinnati, Ohio); the U.S. Geological
Survey; U.S. Department of Agriculture, St.
Cloud State University, the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources, Baylor University, and the
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of
Greater Chicago (MWRDGC).
(Contacts: Elizabeth Murphy, 312-353-4227,
murphy.elizabeth@epa.gov or Todd
Nettesheim, 312-353-9153,
nettesheim.todd@epa.gov)
In a related matter, GLNPO and Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant staff participated in a study session
convened by the Commissioners of the Metro-
politan Water Reclamation District of Greater
Chicago on May 17, 2007. The purpose of the
study session was to discuss the effect of pharma-
ceuticals in the water environment. GLNPO staff
shared details about the North Shore Channel
Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Product study
and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant staff distributed
brochures describing the "Proper Disposal of Un-
wanted Medicines: A Resource for Action in
Your Community" toolkit.
(Contacts: Elizabeth Murphy, 312-353-4227,
murphy.elizabeth@epa.gov: Beth Hinchey
Malloy, 312-886-3451, hin-
chey.elizabeth@epa.gov: or Ted Smith, 312-
353-6571, smith.edwin@epa.gov)
Dry Cargo Sweepings Study
On May 1, 2007, the R/V Lake Guardian docked
in Cleveland after sampling shipping lanes for
dry cargo sweepings on the lake bottom in Lake
Erie. The study is a cooperative effort with the
U.S. Coast Guard. Coal, taconite pellets (iron
ore) and limestone are the main dry cargo com-
ponents expected in the samples. The data col-
lected will be used in an Environmental Impact
Statement to support any rulemaking on sweep-
ings disposal.
(Contact: Paul Horvatin, 312-353-3612, hor-
vatin.paul@epa.gov)
HABITAT PROTECTION,
RESTORATION, SUSTAINABILITY
Hog Island-Newton Creek Draft
Restoration Plan Workshop
The Hog Island-Newton Creek third workshop to
introduce the "Hog Island and Newton Creek
Draft Ecological Restoration Master Plan" (also
called the habitat restoration blueprint) was held
May 1, 2007 from 3 PM to 6 PM at the Bong
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Hog Island, Superior, Wisconsin
(photo courtesy of Biohabitats)
Memorial Center in Superior, Wisconsin. Repre-
sentatives from the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources, Douglas County, City of Su-
perior, Citizens Action Committee (CAC), Mur-
phy Oil, and others attended the meeting.
GLNPO contractor Biohabitats developed the
draft plan with input from stakeholders and out-
lined each section of the draft plan at the meet-
ing. On the following morning, GLNPO staff,
Biohabitats staff, and two members of the CAC
walked through the site with draft master plan in
hand to visualize the extent of recommended ac-
tions.
The draft plan covers the project background; site
history; plan development process; project vision
and guiding principles; existing conditions of
Newton Creek, Hog Island, and the Hog Island
Inlet; potential ecological threats; regional eco-
logical reference sites; and, recommends goals,
objectives and actions to restore the area. The
four goals include improving water and sediment
quality, ecosystem conservation and protection
for ecologically-sensitive habitat areas, restoring
selected ecosystem components, and creating
recreational and environmental stewardship ac-
tivities. Each objective under the goals lists an
ecological trajectory as well as a rationale for the
actions under it. Each action lists procedures,
reference conditions, size of the action area, im-
plementation timeline, range of estimated costs,
permitting requirements, and pre-implementation
needs. Thirty-three actions, from projects to be
commenced in the first year to efforts recom-
mended over the next 11 years, will be initiated
after master plan adoption. The end point is com-
pletion of ecosystem restoration.
The community has been asked to comment on
the draft master plan by June 1st. Biohabitats is
scheduled to finalize the plan by July 1st.
The draft master plan, along with all background
materials gathered by Biohabitats, can be viewed
online at: http://www.biohabitats.com/hogisland/
index.php.
(Contacts: Karen Rodriguez, 312-353-2690,
rodriguez.karen@epa.gov or Danielle Green,
312-886-7594, green.danielle@epa.gov)
Green Infrastructure and
Transportation
GLNPO's Judy Beck participated in the In-
ternational Conference on Ecology and
Transportation in Little Rock, Arkansas on
May 20-25, 2007. Judy Beck and Kimberly
Majerus, an Ecologist and GIS Analyst, of
the Federal Highways Administration's Re-
sources Center gave a presentation in the ple-
nary session of the conference, titled
"Bridging the Gaps, Naturally," dealing with
the many ways to minimize the impacts on
wildlife and the environment in the course of
building transportation routes. Beck and Ma-
jerus outlined the special ecology of the
Great Lakes and the impacts on it as well as
efforts like the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement and the Great Lakes Regional
Collaboration that are currently dealing with
those issues. The next conference is being
planned for Minnesota in 2009, so Judy Beck
offered to help connect the organizers with
the Great Lakes environmental community.
(Contact: Judy Beck, 312-353-3849,
beck.judv@epa.gov)
SEDIMENT REMEDIATION
Ashtabula River Dredging
Accelerates
Dredging operations for 2007 for the Ashtabula
River Great Lakes Legacy Act sediment remedia-
tion project commenced on April 1, 2007 with
system shakedown and limited dredging. Full
dredging started on April 11th. After dredging
approximately 65,000 cubic yards of sediments
during the 2006 dredging season, the project part-
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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ners made several significant upgrades to the wa-
ter treatment system in an effort to increase pro-
duction in 2007. Through July 14th a total of
284,000 cubic yards have been dredged in 2007
bringing the project total to over 351,000 cubic
yards. System improvements made during the
winter shutdown have significantly increased
production rates. Additionally, the dredging sub-
contractor has been given approval to bring a sec-
ond, 8" dredge to the site to perform sediment
sweeping operations address thin layers of sedi-
ments left behind by the larger, 12" dredge, and
allow the 12" dredge to maintain its production
schedule. The 8" dredge is capable of utilizing
the Vic-Vac Suction System, a technology devel-
oped by the dredging subcontractor to attempt to
address residual sediments over hard native river
bottoms. Current projections indicate that dredg-
ing for the GLLA project will be completed by
the end of September 2007.
(Contact: Scott Cieniawski, 312-353-9184,
cieniawski.scott@epa.gov)
Tannery Bay Cleanup Resumed
Sediment remediation on the Tannery Bay / St.
Marys River Legacy Act remediation project re-
sumed on June 9, 2007. The project involves re-
moval of 40,000 cubic yards of sediment con-
taminated with chromium and mercury via me-
chanical dredging and off-site disposal. A total of
8,700 cubic yards of contaminated sediments was
removed during the first season of dredging from
September 28, 2006 to November 3, 2006. Ac-
cess dredging resumed on June 9, 2007, remov-
ing over 4,000 cubic yards of clean sediments to
create a channel to the zone of contaminated
sediments. As of July 14, 2007, an additional
14,100 cubic yards of contaminated sediments
had been removed, for a total of 22,800 cubic
yards removed to date, or 57% of the estimated
total volume to be removed. Dredging is sched-
uled to be completed in August, 2007.
(Contacts: Marc Tuchman, 312-353-1369,
tuchman.marc(g),epa.gov: Susan Boehme, 312-
353-4383, boehme.susan(g),epa.gov: Ajit Vaidya,
312-353-5713, vaidya.ajit(g),epa.gov)
Aerial view of Tannery Bay on the St. Marys River
atSaultSte. Marie, Michigan
Sediment Sampling Season in Full
Swing
On April 2-5, 2007, a basin-wide sediment sam-
pling event was conducted in the Duck and Otter
Creeks in the Maumee River Area of Concern by
GLNPO contractor SulTRAC, in cooperation
with the Duck and Otter Creeks Partnership. The
purpose of the sampling was to fill in data gaps
from previous sampling events, identify sediment
hot spots for possible future remediation, and
obtain data which will be useful for the Partner-
ship to conduct its baseline ecological and human
health risk assessment for the watershed. Sedi-
ment grab samples were collected at roughly 16
stations in Duck Creek and 26 stations in Otter
Creek. The samples will be tested for PCBs,
PAHs, Metals, Grain Size, TOC, Oil and Grease,
AVS/SEM, and sediment toxicity. Samples are
currently being analyzed by U.S. EPA Region 5
Central Regional Laboratory (CRL), as well as
Severn Trent Laboratories, and American
Aquatic Testing.
(Contact: Ajit Vaidya, 312-353-5713, vai-
dya. aj it@epa. gov)
On June 12th, Mike Alexander of the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
and ORISE Associate Jessica Winter conducted
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follow-up sediment sampling at the site of the
Black Lagoon remediation project completed
under the Great Lakes Legacy Act in 2005. Fol-
lowing dredging, a sand and gravel cap had been
placed over the sediments in the area as part of
the project. The survey measured the amount of
new sediment that had accumulated over the cap
and collected surface sediment samples were new
sediments were found. They found little or no
sediment deposition at nine of the fourteen sta-
tions sampled within the Black Lagoon. In the
five remaining sites, all located in the northwest
corner of the lagoon, sediment depth averaged six
inches. This sediment had no oily sheens and ap-
peared to be newly deposited silt from upstream.
Analyses of samples from these five locations by
MDEQ's laboratory showed that metals levels
have been reduced to approximately half of pre-
remediation levels and are currently at or below
the cleanup project target levels.
(Contacts: Jessica Winter, 312-353-3212. win-
ter.jessica@epa.gov: or Marc Tuchman 312-353-
1369, tuchman.marc(g),epa.gov)
GLNPO's 32-foot sediment sampling research
vessel, the R/VMudpuppy was busy sampling
sediments around the Great Lakes.
Between April 11th and 20th, 2007, the R/VMud-
puppy was in Ashtabula, Ohio to assist in the col-
lection of sediment samples for a wide variety of
projects. Sediment samples were collected on
April 12th to 14th to identify sources of clean sand
for habitat mitigation work within the Ashtabula
Area of Concern, evaluate the extent of PCB con-
tamination in downstream reaches of the river,
and evaluate sediment chemistry for optimization
of water treatment plant operations. Approxi-
mately 25 sediment cores were collected during
this portion of the survey.
On April 16th to 20th, the Mudpuppy assisted U.S.
EPA's Office of Research and Development
(ORD) in collecting sediment profile photos us-
ing the Sediment Profiling Imaging (SPI) camera
and surficial sediment samples using an innova-
tive sediment sampler from the Las Vegas ORD
Lab. ORD is evaluating the two technologies for
potential use in their dredging effectiveness study
on the Ashtabula River. The SPI camera is de-
View of the Grand Calumet River
signed to take a profile picture of the top 6 to 12
inches of sediment. The camera proved to be
very effective, taking over 60 photos in the river.
The innovative sampler was able to collect ap-
proximately 15 surficial samples from the study
area.
(Contact: Scott Cieniawski, 312-353-9184,
cieniawski.scott@epa.gov)
Then the Mudpuppy traveled to Lake Superior to
sample sediments in the St. Louis River Area of
Concern (AOC). From April 3 0th to May 18th, the
Mudpuppy collected approximately 80 core sam-
ples and 125 ponar surface sediment samples in
the Wisconsin waters of the St. Louis River
AOC. Sediments will be tested for a suite of
chemical, biological and physical parameters.
Analytical results should be available in Septem-
ber. Results will be used to guide decisions on
the need for a feasibility study and evaluation of
potential remedial activities. This work was con-
ducted under the Great Lakes Legacy Act along
with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Re-
sources, the non-federal sponsor on the project.
(Contact: Alie Muneer, 312-886-8031, mu-
neer. alie@epa. gov)
New Grand Calumet River Great
Lakes Legacy Act Project
Agreement Signed
In April 26, 2007, a Project Agreement was
signed by the U.S. EPA, the Indiana Department
of Environmental Management (IDEM), and the
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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Significant Activities Report
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
(IDNR). This agreement is to take the selected
remedy for remediation and develop the final
design plans and specifications, general provi-
sions, and special requirements necessary for
sediment remediation at the West Branch Grand
Calumet River (WBGCR) between Columbia and
Hohman Avenues. This AOC represents one of
the most heavily industrialized areas in the
United States, contains steel mills and heavy
manufacturing sites associated with the steel in-
dustry, petroleum-related land uses, packaging
operations, chemical processing plants, and other
industrial land uses. The WBGCR has received
inputs of contaminants from various sources over
the past century. In general, sediments in the
river have elevated concentrations of heavy met-
als, PCBs, Semi-volatile organics (primarily
PAHs), and pesticides (e.g., DDT and degrada-
tion products). This phase of the project is sched-
uled to be completed in early 2008 with the pos-
sibility that the project may eventually evolve
into a remediation project. This will occur if the
project successfully meets U.S. EPA's selection
criteria identified in the Great Lakes Legacy Act
Implementation Rule, and is agreed to by U.S.
EPA, IDEM and IDNR.
(Contact: Scott Ireland, 312-886-8121, ire-
land, scott@epa.gov)
Ruddiman Creek Remediation
Project Honored
The Michigan Chapter of the American Public
Works Association (APWA) honored the Great
Lakes Legacy Act Ruddiman Creek and Pond
Sediment Remediation Project with an award for
"2007 Project of the Year" in the category of:
"Environment $10 Million to $100 million Pro-
ject." The award was handed out at the annual
Michigan APWA conference on May 24th in
Boyne City, Michigan. The co-awardees for this
project were U.S. EPA GLNPO, the City of Mus-
kegon and the Michigan Department of Environ-
mental Quality. This award follows an award for
the project last year by the APWA Midwest
Michigan Branch.
(Contacts: Susan Boehme, 312-353-4383,
boehme.susan@epa.gov or Marc Tuchman,
312-353-1369, tuchman.marc@epa.gov)
Senator Carl Levin speaks at Ellias Cove Dedication
Great Lakes / Detroit River Success
Story: From Black Lagoon to Ellias
Cove
A celebration was held on June 18th at Meyer
Ellias Park in Trenton, Michigan along the Tren-
ton Channel of the Detroit River to hail the suc-
cessful remediation of the Black Lagoon by re-
naming it Ellias Cove. Scientists, educators, fed-
eral and state government agencies and others
participated in the event celebrating the restora-
tion of the Black Lagoon, the first project com-
pleted under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. The
embayment had been contaminated with oil, mer-
cury, lead, zinc and PCBs until it was cleaned up
by the efforts of U.S. EPA's Great Lakes Na-
tional Program Office and the Michigan Depart-
ment of Environmental Quality.
(Contacts: Russell Kreis, 734-692-7615,
kreis.russell@epa.gov or Rosanne Ellison,
734-692-7689, ellison.rosanne@epa.gov)
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OUTREACH/EDUCATION
GLLA Presentation to Michigan
Association of Environmental
Professionals
On May 16, 2007, GLNPO's Marc Tuchman,
Mike Alexander from the Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality and Dave Bowman
from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave a
presentation entitled: "Great Lakes Legacy Act:
Black Lagoon Sediment Clean-Up Project" to the
Michigan Association of Environmental Profes-
sionals. The presentation focused on all aspects
of the project including: site history, site charac-
terization, implementation and disposal of the
contaminated sediments.
(Contact: Marc Tuchman, 312-353-1369,
tuchman.marc@epa.gov)
Raising Invasive Species Awareness
Staff from GLNPO and Illinois-Indiana Sea
Grant staffed a "Habitattitude" information booth
at the Earth Month Kick-off in Daley Plaza in
downtown Chicago, Illinois on April 18, 2007.
The purpose of the booth was to increase aware-
ness about the threats posed by invasive species
and the importance of citizen participation in
stopping the spread of invasive species resulting
from the accidental and intentional releases by
the home aquarium and water garden industry.
Over 100 people were given informational prod-
ucts. Further information about Habitattitude is
available on the Web at: http://
www.habitattitude.net/.
(Contact: Chiara Zuccarino-Crowe, 312-886-
6793, zuccarino-crowe.chiara@epa.gov)
Learn Not to Burn
U.S. EPA Region 5, GLNPO and Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant staff published an article on the "Learn
Not to Burn: A Guide for Reducing Trash Burn-
ing in Your Community" resource kit in the latest
issue of LINK, the newsletter of the Great Lakes
Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable. The
article can be viewed at: http://www.glrppr.org/
newsletter/LINKSpring2007.pdf.
The "Learn Not to Burn" resource kit educates
against the use of backyard burn barrels
(Contacts: Susan Boehme, 312-353-4383,
boehme.susan@epa.gov or Beth Hinchey
Malloy, 312-886-3451, hin-
chey. elizabeth@epa. gov)
Kids' Clean Water Celebration
The annual Kids' Clean Water Celebration was
held in Peoria, Illinois on April 22 to 23, 2007. A
GLNPO booth staffed by ORISE Associate Jes-
sica Winter and her sister Alison Winter (with
help from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant outreach
specialists) educated elementary and junior high
school students on the issue of medicines in the
waterways. By playing a game and viewing a
poster, students learned about the sources of
pharmaceutical chemicals to the environment and
their effects on aquatic animals. Students, teach-
ers, and parents also learned to avoid disposing
of unneeded medicines by flushing them down
the drain, and to take them back to pharmacies or
to household hazardous waste collections instead.
Over a hundred students from Peoria and sur-
rounding areas visited the GLNPO booth.
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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June 2007
Significant Activities Report
(Contact: Jessica Winter, 312-353-3212, win-
ter.jessica@epa.gov)
Pollution Prevention at IKEA
GLNPO and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant were in-
vited by IKEA's environmental specialist to take
part in their April Environmental Awareness
Month activities. On April 7th (Schaumburg
IKEA) and April 14th (Bolingbrook IKEA), Illi-
nois-Indiana Sea Grant's Susan Boehme and
Elizabeth Hinchey Malloy and ORISE Associate
Jessica Winter staffed a booth in the store that
provided customers with information about inva-
sive species, disposal of unwanted medicines,
electronics recycling, and GLNPO and U.S. EPA
Region 5 environmental educational materials.
The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Water Wheel
game was also used to teach the public about is-
sues facing Lake Michigan.
(Contacts: Susan Boehme, 312-353-4383,
boehme.susan@epa.gov: Jessica Winter,
312-353-3212, winter.jessica@epa.gov: or
Beth Hinchey Malloy, 312-886-3451, hin-
chey. elizabeth@epa. gov)
Pennsylvania State Assm. of Town-
ship Supervisors Annual Meeting
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant staffed a booth at the
85th Annual State Convention of the Pennsyl-
vania State Association of Township Supervisors
in Hershey, Pennsylvania on April 22-24, 2007.
The purpose of the convention is to provide
township officials with information to help them
better serve their constituents. The booth high-
lighted two resources for communities on the
issues of Unwanted Medicine Disposal and Alter-
natives to Backyard Burning. Approximately 150
township supervisors from 38 counties visited the
booth and asked for information.
(Contacts: Susan Boehme, 312-353-4383,
boehme.susan@epa.gov: Jessica Winter,
312-353-3212, winter.jessica@epa.gov: Beth
Hinchey Malloy, 312-886-3451, hin-
chey.elizabeth@epa.gov: or Erin Newman,
312-886-4587, newman.erin@epa.gov)
ORISE Associate Melissa Simon demonstrates how
runoff contributes to water pollution
Hands-on Activities at Duneland
School
On May 18, 2007, Karen Rodriguez and
ORISE Associates Jackie Adams, Jeff May,
Chrissy McConaghy and Melissa Simon
traveled to the Duneland School in Chester-
ton, Indiana to educate students and teachers
on Great Lakes ecology and environmental
problems. 6 teachers and 100 fifth-grade stu-
dents participated in an afternoon of hands-
on activities that were provided by Region
5's Office of Public Affairs (OP A). Using
interactive games and models, GLNPO rep-
resentatives taught lessons on the connection
between wetlands, land-use, point- and non-
point-source pollution, and the water cycle.
In a question and answer session following
the activities, students inquired about clean-
ing up industrial pollution, working from the
EPA, and how to take pro-environmental
measures in their own lives. GLNPO and
OPA also provided printed outreach materi-
als to the class. Since the EPA's visit, the
students have incorporated their new knowl-
edge into a segment on pesticides they are
pursuing in science class. Karen Rodriguez
has offered to continue to assist the school by
connecting them to other resources in envi-
ronmental education.
(Contact: Karen Rodriguez, 312-353-3690,
Rodriguez.karen@epa.gov)
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June 2007
Women in Science and Engineering
Girls E-Mentoring in Science, Engineering and
Technology (GEM-SET) mentors from GLNPO
(ORISE Associates Chiara Zuccarino-Crowe and
Christine McConaghy and Illinois-Indiana Sea
Grant's Elizabeth Hinchey Malloy) spoke to over
100 middle school students and teachers from the
Young Women's Leadership Charter School in
Chicago, a school designed to inspire young
women to excel in math, science, and technology,
on April 25, 2007. They presented four seminars
which included an overview of Great Lakes
monitoring programs that GLNPO conducts with
the research vessels Lake Guardian and Mud-
puppy, a summary of the mentors' environmental
science backgrounds, and tips for how students
can find environmental internships, resources,
and other science opportunities. Students were
also encouraged to contact GEM-SET mentor
Jackie Adams to learn more about the outreach
she conducts from the R/VLake Guardian during
the GLNPO Spring and Summer surveys. The
GEM-SET program is administered by the Uni-
versity of Illinois at Chicago.
(Contact: Chiara Zuccarino-Crowe, 312-886-
6793, zuccarino-crowe.chiara@epa.gov)
National Environmental Partner-
ship Summit in New Orleans
Staff from IL-IN Sea Grant and GLNPO pre-
sented pollution prevention outreach materials at
a booth at the National Environmental Partner-
ship Summit in New Orleans on May 7-10, 2007.
Beth Hinchey Malloy, Susan Boehme, and Jes-
sica Winter distributed resource kits on safe dis-
posal of households' unneeded medicines and
methods for reducing household trash burning.
They spoke with conference attendees from
across the country on these issues and promoted
the upcoming EPA/Sea Grant toolkit on elec-
tronic waste. The audience ranged from state ex-
perts on these issues to individuals who had
never heard of these concerns before.
P2 Toolkits on Display at Michigan
Recycling Coalition Annual
Conference
U.S. EPA GLNPO and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
provided Michigan DEQ partners with CD copies
of the recent resource toolkits, Learn Not to Burn
and Proper Disposal of Unwanted Medications to
distribute at their display at the Michigan Recy-
cling Coalition Annual Conference, May 15-17,
2007 in Novi, Michigan. Many municipal recy-
cling and household hazardous waste coordina-
tors attended the conference. The 2007 confer-
ence theme was "A Conference of Solutions."
(Contacts: Susan Boehme, 312-353-4383,
boehme.susan@epa.gov: Jessica Winter,
312-353-3212, winter.jessica@epa.gov: Beth
Hinchey Malloy, 312-886-3451, hin-
chey.elizabeth@epa.gov: or Erin Newman,
312-886-4587, newman.erin@epa.gov)
Mercury Fish Advisory Protocol
Finalized
A Great Lakes Consortium drawn from Members
of the Council of Great Lakes Governors' Great
Lakes Fish Advisory Work Group finalized the
"Protocol for Mercury-based Fish Consumption
Advice: An addendum to the 1993 Protocol for a
Uniform Great Lakes Sport Fish Consumption
Advisory."
Mercury is a ubiquitous contaminant in fish. All
the Great Lake States issue fish consumption ad-
vice based on mercury levels in fish. Therefore a
consistent approach for issuing these advisories
will be helpful in providing advice to the public.
Development of a uniform Great Lakes protocol
for mercury-based fish advisories also advances
the objectives and supports the goals of many
Great Lakes programs and initiatives for shared
resources including: the U.S. Policy Committee's
Great Lakes Strategy, State of Lakes Ecosystem
A Great Lakes Walleye
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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June 2007
Significant Activities Report
Conference (SOLEC) indicators, International
Joint Commission (IJC) recommendations and
the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration.
This protocol represents a consensus of the indi-
vidual workgroup participants based on group
discussions and review. Participants did not par-
ticipate as official policy representatives of their
state agencies but as knowledgeable and experi-
enced individuals. Tribal and federal government
representatives participated as observers. This
document has not been officially reviewed or
adopted by any participant's State Health or En-
vironmental Agency. The protocol has been pre-
sented to Environmental Council of the States
(ECOS) and The Association of State and Terri-
torial Health Officials (ASTHO).
The protocol is available online at: http://
www.dhfs.state.wi.us/eh/Fish/
FishFS/2007Hg Add Final 05 07.pdf.
(Contact: Jackie Fisher, 312-353-1481,
fisher.jacqueline@epa.gov)
Lake Guardian at Dedication of
Schooner Harbor at Milwaukee's
Discovery World
On Sunday, June 10, 2007, ^R/VLake
Guardian hosted over 400 visitors eager to
learn about the EPA's work in assessing and
improving the ecological health of the Great
Lakes. Six GLNPO staffers traveled to Mil-
waukee, Wisconsin to lead tours of the ship
as part of an outreach event hosted by the
recently renovated Discovery World science
museum. The Lake Guardian was on display
as the first vessel to dock at the museum's
new Schooner Harbor, which was dedicated
that same day. Throughout the day, GLNPO
representatives Beth Hinchey-Malloy, Sue
Boehme, and Todd Nettesheim and ORISE
Associates Melissa Simon, Chiara Zuc-
carino-Crowe, and Jackie Adams explained
the ship's sampling equipment, laboratories,
and living quarters to a stream of curious
visitors. The Guardian's entire crew was also
present to share their expertise on piloting,
engineering, and maintaining the vessel.
GLNPO members spoke on the topics of air
quality, water quality, sediments, benthic or-
ORISE Intern Jackie Adams leads tour of R/VLake
Guardian at Discovery World, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
ganisms, aquatic invasive species, contami-
nants, and other challenges facing the Great
Lakes. They shared with the public that the
EPA regularly monitors the ecological state
of the lakes in order to inform the policy ac-
tions necessary for solving environmental
problems. The Lake Guardian's visitors pro-
vided a meter of public understanding on
Great Lakes environmental issues. Questions
centered on wreckage diving, ballast water,
fluctuating fish populations, and the safety of
Lake Michigan as a source of drinking water.
GLNPO's Melissa Hulting and ORISE Asso-
ciate Chiara Zuccarino-Crowe also volun-
teered as educators aboard Wisconsin's flag-
ship, the S/V Denis Sullivan, as part of a
"Lake Watch Expedition" on Lake Michigan.
Approximately 25 participants of all ages
learned about Great Lakes ecology during a
three-hour voyage on this replica of a 19
century three-masted cargo schooner. The
Sullivan stopped at two stations to sample
water clarity and depth and had four on-
board learning stations that gave participants
a hands-on look at plankton, water quality,
fish adaptations, and benthos.
(Contacts: Melissa Simon, 312-886-0995,
simon.melissa@epa.gov: Chiara Zuccarino-
Crowe, 312-886-6793, zuccarino-
crowe.chiara@epa.gov: Elizabeth Hinchey
Malloy, 312-886-3451, Hinchev-
malloy.elizabeth@epa.gov)
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June 2007
LAKEWIDE MANAGEMENT
PLANS
Lake Superior LaMP Task Force
Meeting at Isle Royale
The Lake Superior Lakewide Management
Plan (LaMP) Task Force met from June 19th
to 21st at Isle Royale National Park on Isle
Royale, Michigan in Lake Superior. Partici-
pation in the event was high, bringing to-
gether senior managers of 10 different state,
provincial, tribal and federal agencies from
the U.S. and Canada. Issues discussed and
presented included critical LaMP projects
such as the Lake Superior Critical Chemical
Milestones Report, the Realtors Outreach
Binder, and the draft Aquatic Invasive Spe-
cies Prevention Plan. The group also partici-
pated in a number of field sessions around
the island and heard presentations from re-
searchers and agency staff on Isle Royale is-
sues on nearshore areas of the Lake Superior
basin. Site visits and topics included: survey
methodology of coaster brook trout popula-
tion; the effects of climate change on critical
ecosystems; moose/wolf predator/prey dy-
namics; air deposition impacts on
megafauna; aquatic invasive species and a
"no ballast water exchange zone" in the park;
and marine pathways and disaster planning
for surrounding waters. The Task Force also
discussed a Parks Canada initiative for estab-
lishing a National Marine Conservation Area
that would protect one-third of the Lake Su-
perior coastline. With new issues emerging
in the Great Lakes, the Lake Superior Task
Force meeting provided opportunities for in-
creased collaboration between U.S. and Ca-
nadian agencies.
(Contact: Elizabeth LaPlante, 312-353-2694,
laplante.elizabeth@epa.gov; Melissa Simon,
312-886-0995, simon.melissa@epa.gov)
An Isle Royale scene
(photo courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey)
We welcome your questions, comments or
suggestions about this month's Significant
Activities Report. To be added to or re-
moved from the Email distribution of the
Significant Activities Report, please contact
Tony Kizlauskas, 312-353-8773,
kizlauskas.anthony@epa.gov.
U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
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