< About this document > Title: Michigan Areas of Concern NEWS - Volume VII, Spring 1995 Description: Biannual newsletter of the Michigan Statewide Public Advisory Council (SPAC). Provides general information on the RAP process in each AOC, the SPAC's grant program and the SPAC Annual Citizens' Conference, and updates on Michigan's 14 AOCs. Date: Spring, 1995 Author: Matt Doss (editor) Agency: Great Lakes Commission Keyword: RAPS, Areas of Concern Contact: Matt Doss (mdoss@glc.org) Great Lakes Commission 400 Fourth St., Argus II Building Ann Arbor, MI 48103-4816 Phone: 313-665-9135, Fax: 313-665-4370 MICHIGAN AREAS OF CONCERN NEWS Newsletter of the Statewide Public Advisory Council for the Michigan Areas of Concern Program - Volume VII, Spring 1995 < Chair's Report: New SPAC Chair to seek consensus > By Nancy Douglas, Chair Having been recently elected chair of the Statewide Public Advisory Council (SPAC), let me begin by introducing myself and providing a little background. For the past 20 years I have been president of the Menominee, Michigan, Chamber of Commerce. Recently that position was expanded to formally include responsibilities as the economic devel-opment director for a partnership formed by my chamber and the city and county of Menominee. When the Menominee River was designated an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1988, a local Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed to work with staff from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin DNR in developing a Remedial Action Plan (RAP). The head agency in the Menominee River RAP process is the Wisconsin DNR. I have served as chair of this committee since that time. We have completed a Stage 1 document and are currently finalizing our Stage 2 report. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on a number of proposed remedial actions, and we have even restored one of our previously impaired beneficial uses. I have served on the SPAC as the Menominee River representative since its formation in 1991. I also serve as the SPAC representative to the Environmental Protection Agency's Lake Michigan Forum, a public advisory board on the Lakewide Management Plan process. While I can't claim a formal scientific or environmental education background, I can tell you that I've learned a great deal in serving on these boards and committees. In addition, my professional background in economic development and business also provides me with insight into the concerns and issues that our job providers have as we wrestle with the cleanup and, more important in my mind, prevention of future AOCs. I believe one of the real successes of the Menominee River RAP process has been our ability to bring the full range of stakeholders environmentalists, government, education, sports and recreation enthusiasts, business and industry to the table, and keep them there through what has become a very long process. We have argued issues, debated technologies, cleaned up the river shoreline (several times), heightened public awareness and reached consensus on a multitude of issues. It's been a difficult but very rewarding effort. If I bring a strength to the SPAC process, I believe it's the ability to move an agenda, to keep us focused and to strive for consensus on what needs to be done. I'm not interested in placing blame, endless arguments about who should pay, or how and why we arrived at where we are today. We have a problem and a large one, we need to work on a solution, and we need to work together. In a nutshell, that is how I view the SPAC's mission and my role as the Council's chair. I'm honored to have been elected chair, and I look forward to working as hard as I can to make the SPAC a strong and effective advocate on behalf of the AOC Program. One way to further the process is to attend the annual Michigan Citizens' Conference for the Great Lakes Areas of Concern Program being held May 17 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. I hope to meet you there and hope you can take the time to share with us your ideas for moving the AOC Program forward. < CITIZENS' CONFERENCE COMING SOON--REGISTER NOW! > The Fifth Annual Michigan Citizens' Conference on the Great Lakes Areas of Concern Program is just around the corner! This year's conference is being held on Wednesday, May 17, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. Limited space remains, so if you haven't already registered for this important event, call (313) 665-9135 now to sign up. The theme of this year's Citizens' Conference is ensuring a healthy future for the Areas of Concern Program by building initiative at the local level. The conference agenda includes workshops on working with the media to reach stakeholders, using the Great Lakes Information Network to retrieve information on environmental issues, and incorporating public health concerns into the RAP process. Morning and afternoon panel discussions will examine the SPAC's priorities for moving the AOC Program forward and how various stakeholders can support the process at the local level. The Citizens' Conference promises to be an exciting opportunity to learn more about the AOC Program, develop strategies for supporting the RAP process in your community, and talk with others working to restore and protect Michigan's environment. The conference is free of charge and is open to residents, agency staff, elected officials, and others interested in the AOC Program. Space is limited to the first 150 registrants, however, so call now to reserve your place. For more information on the May 17 Citizens' Conference, or to register by phone, call Lori Reynolds or Matt Doss at the Great Lakes Commission at (313) 665-9135. We hope to see you at the conference! < SPAC awards 1995 public involvement grants > At its January 19, 1995 quarterly meeting the SPAC selected six proposals for funding under its 1995 Public Involvement Demonstration Grant Program. The program provides grants to support public involvement and education efforts in Michigan's 14 AOCs. Of the 15 proposals submitted this year, the SPAC was able to fund six projects totaling $20,405. The following are the grant award recipients and a brief description of their projects: -Saginaw Bay Watershed Council; $1,875- This project will continue a series of Water Watcher workshops begun in the fall of 1994. Using hands-on activities related to water testing, wetland issues, wastewater treatment, and watershed ecology, the workshops educate participants on the importance of good water quality and increase awareness of the watershed and what they can do to protect it. Participants are asked to initiate or volunteer for environmental cleanup projects, such as adopt-a-stream or storm drain stenciling programs. - Saginaw County Environmental Resource Protection and Restoration Team; $4,199- This grant will help develop the next issue of The Swan, a ten-part Watershed Protection Education Series of newsletters for residents of the Swan Creek Watershed. The next newsletter will focus on wildlife habitat protection and conservation at the grassroots level. The newsletter series is an ongoing process to build awareness of the Swan Creek Watershed and acquaint citizens with the actions they can take to sustain the value of the watershed's natural resources. - River Raisin Watershed Council; $4,972 - Through this proposal, a number of projects will be implemented to raise public awareness and understanding of the RAP process in the River Raisin AOC. These include a traveling RAP information show, a video on pollution prevention and water quality projects, informational handouts, and presentations at public meetings, service clubs and other community meetings. -Luce-Mackinac-Alger Schoolcraft District Health Department; $720- This project will develop an educational curriculum that will involve K-12 students in the hands-on inventory of the macroinvertebrate community of the Manistique River and adjacent upstream areas. Students will collect and identify benthic samples in various parts of the river and prepare a comparative analysis of biodiversity, microhabitat status and water quality in the Manistique River AOC. -Muskegon County Soil Conservation District; $4,200- This project includes a series of interactive products designed to inform, educate and involve the public in the remedial action process in the Muskegon Lake AOC. A fact sheet and newsletter on the AOC will be prepared and distributed with a new mailing list of residents and other interested parties in the area. Also, a traveling display about the AOC will be prepared for use at public meetings and community events. -Houghton/Keweenaw Soil Conservation District; $4,439- The proposal includes a variety of activities aimed at educating residents, land owners, elected officials, and others about the history and current condition of the Torch Lake AOC, as well as proposed strategies for remediating stampsand deposits in and around the lake. Public meetings and bus and boat tours will be held, supplemented by informational displays and pamphlets. These activities will incorporate issues related to a local Superfund site as well as the new Keweenaw National Historical Park. < Media Relations for RAPs; Getting Your Story Covered > For SPAC members and other RAP participants, the story on their RAP process and AOC cleanup will often be the most important story around. Local reporters and their editors may not always agree, however, and the competition for media coverage is bound to be fierce. To address this challenge, the SPAC invited Dave Poulson, environmental writer for Booth Newspapers, to speak at its January 19, 1995 quarterly meeting, focusing on how SPAC members can work with the media to educate their community on the AOC Program and the RAP process. Environmental issues affect virtually every aspect of our lives and, ideally, every local newspaper should have an environmental reporter, noted Poulson. Most local newspapers cannot devote a reporter exclusively to environmental issues, however, and reporters and editors often do not recognize how these issues relate to other news topics, such as business and economic affairs. To overcome this problem, Poulson encouraged SPAC members to get to know their local reporters and help them "sell" RAP stories to their editors. The following are some of Poulson's specific recommendations for getting RAP stories in print or on the air: -Choose Your Angle Carefully: The way a story is told is as important as the story itself. With strong competition for media coverage, SPAC members, and their counterparts in the local PACs, need to develop an interesting "hook" that will draw reporters in and provide a compelling theme around which to build a story. Also, work the depth of the newspaper to get coverage in different sections, such as the business section, feature section, editorial page, guest columns, etc. Most stories can be covered from a variety of angles, so consider which will be of greatest interest to a reporter or editor. -Get to Know Your Local Reporters: Find out which reporters cover AOC/RAP issues and get to know them. Invite them for a tour of key sites in the AOC, explain the technical issues, and provide them with as much background information as possible. Help them understand why their readers will be interested in the story and what you can do to assist them in covering it. Connect them with others who can contribute to a story, such as RAP coordinators or community leaders. If you're dissatisfied with a story, complain right away, and speak with the editor or publisher if necessary. Building relationships with the media in advance will help you get their attention when story opportunities arise. Be prepared to repeat the process with new reporters. -Provide Photos or Graphics to Accompany Stories: When possible, provide reporters with photos or graphics to accompany stories. Editors will be more likely to run a story if they have an attractive photo to go with it, or graphics to help break up solid blocks of text in a newspaper. Radio reporters will want sound bites and TV stations will look for striking visual scenes. -Take Advantage of Special Opportunities for Coverage: Look for special opportunities to promote coverage of RAP issues. These might include local events such as stream cleanup days, or new developments such as RAP updates or legal settlements. Also, put a local spin on national stories or events, like Earth Day celebrations or major political developments related to the environment. Finally, suggest that your story be run during the holidays, when the media will seek articles that can be prepared in advance. -Provide Accurate and Easy to Understand Information: Make sure the material you give to reporters is accurate, well-written, and appropriate for the general public. Avoid bureaucratic complexities and think about what the average person will be interested in and what they will understand. If some issues are controversial, explain your side of the story and identify your opponents. This will build credibility and help deflect criticism. Above all, don't try to mislead the media. This will only hurt you in the long term. If you help write a story, make it clear, succinct, and as concise as possible. The media will not waste space on irrelevant material. Ultimately, positive media coverage will be critical to increasing the public's awareness of and support for the AOC Program and cleanup activities in their community. If you want to learn more about working with the media, plan on attending the May 17 Citizens' Conference, where an entire workshop will be devoted to "Working with the Media to Reach Stakeholders." < Guest Feature, Senator Carl Levin: Guidance > This space is reserved for guest articles from elected officials, agency representatives, citizens, and others with a special interest in the AOC Program or the environment of the Great Lakes. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the SPAC, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or the Great Lakes Commission. Guidance Offers Fair, Cost-Effective Protection for the Great Lakes By Senator Carl Levin Five years ago, on an EPA vessel called the Mud Puppy, I watched the crew collect sediment samples from the bottom of Michigan's Trenton Channel. What the crew extracted eight feet of foul-smelling muck was pungent evidence of the need for the Great Lakes Initiative, a partnership begun between the eight Great Lakes states and EPA to standardize key state water quality protections throughout the Great Lakes Basin. After years of work, this state-federal partnership has produced the Great Lakes Guidance, a set of federal guidelines representing the first time different states have had common rules for a shared body of water. This Guidance, which the states now have two years to implement, will increase Great Lakes protections and level the regulatory burden throughout the region. And it does so in a common sense, fair and affordable way. Currently, the Great Lakes are subject to a hodge-podge of inconsistent state controls which provide widely varying levels of protection for the Great Lakes and even put states with tough pollution controls, like Michigan, at a competitive disadvantage. For example, an Illinois business can discharge into Lake Michigan up to 7000 kilograms per year of lead, while a Michigan business is restricted to 700 kilograms. That doesn't make sense, and it isn't fair. By providing common water quality controls, the Great Lakes Guidance will help level the regulatory playing field and discourage states from competing for industry by weakening environmental protections. By targeting persistent toxins that bioaccumulate in fish, wildlife and humans, it also focuses on some of the toughest pollution problems in the Great Lakes. Without the Guidance, Michigan communities will not only continue to suffer an economic disadvantage, but also the degraded waters that result when other states on the same lake do less. The Guidance has been a bipartisan, regionwide effort. It began in 1989 under President Bush and was endorsed by the U.S. Congress in 1990 legislation which I authored and which President Bush signed at a White House ceremony. Work on the Guidance began only after the states had agreed to participate and were given seats at the drafting table. Provisions were tailored to Great Lakes needs. The guidelines underwent rigorous cost-benefit analysis and scrutiny by a science review board. There was wide consultation with the regulated community and the most extensive state involvement in any federal water quality rule to date. An entire year was set aside for public comments, which led to significant revisions, greater flexibility and lower costs. Costs have, in fact, been a constant concern to ensure reasonableness. Michigan's Department of Natural Resources determined that, due to Michigan's already tough environmental controls, the Guidance would cost our state relatively little. A cost study by the Council of Great Lakes Governors determined that the guidelines were "affordable" overall, while identifying several provisions with large price tags, each of which EPA has since altered to lower costs for the region as a whole. In a time when Washington is skeptical of all federal regulations, the Great Lakes Guidance stands as a model of bipartisan, federal-state cooperation, with targeted solutions, scientific validity and modest costs. The Great Lakes are a global treasure, containing 95% of the surface fresh water in the United States and 20% in the entire world. Thousands of concerned citizens devote their time and money to cleaning up past pollution in 43 Areas of Concern; the Guidance is a bold and visionary undertaking to prevent future AOCs while continuing to fuel the livelihood of all who depend on the Great Lakes. Of course, at this point, the Great Lakes Guidance is just that--guidance for state action. And its critics have not stopped trying to derail the movement toward regional consistency. While Congress will be fighting legislative maneuvers to turn back the Great Lakes Initiative, concerned citizens need to urge their state governments to accept the Guidance as it stands, and use the next two years to develop consistent state standards. The goal is not only a level regulatory playing field, but the Great Lakes protections our communities want and deserve. Senator Carl Levin is the author of the 1990 Great Lakes Critical Programs Act which set legislative deadlines for action on key Great Lakes programs such as RAPs, the Lake Michigan LaMP, and the Great Lakes Initiative. AOC NOTES < Clinton River, By Bill Smith > There has been intense activity by MDNR and impacted local governments to cope with and prevent a recurrence of the two summer-long pollution crises that affected the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair shoreline south of the river mouth. Thus far, nearly 40 public meetings have been held by government agencies and a broad spectrum of local groups affected by the problem, and more have been announced or are being planned. Media coverage has been intense and will continue to follow and report on each development. For the first time, the public, government at all levels, and the media are all focusing on the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair pollution as a crisis that requires a long-term solution rather than a quick, temporary fix. Two prominent public meetings each attracted more than 300 people and were covered by three Detroit-metro area TV stations, the two Detroit newspapers, and several other county and community newspapers. These were the "Clinton River in Crisis," hosted by the Clinton River Watershed Council (CRWC) and Clinton River RAP-PAC on September 13, 1994; and "Lake St. Clair and the Clinton River: What Can We Expect this Year?" hosted by the CRWC and Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority on March 15, 1995. The Clinton River pollution was due to unhealthy levels of fecal coliform and the potential for associated disease-causing organisms that came about due to a combination of almost one billion gallons of combined sewer overflows, failing septic systems, and other contributing sources, such as domestic and wild animal feces. Pollution from these varied sources was flushed into Lake St. Clair by unusually heavy spring rains. This resulted in beach closings and river water body contact warnings from Memorial Day through Labor Day 1994. Lake St. Clair was afflicted with a large aquatic plant mass that accumulated along the shoreline and canals south of the Clinton River mouth. The mass consisted of a variety of rooted aquatic plants (primarily elodea) whose environment has been enhanced by the filtering action of the zebra mussel, which produces greater water clarity and better growing conditions for aquatic plant life. The greater water clarity in shallow Lake St. Clair allowed more sunlight penetration and stimulated aquatic plant growth. The combination of wave, wind, ice breakup and navigation channel ice breaking pushed the mass to the shore where it formed a dense, rotting, smelly mass that choked canals, prevented boat movement, and discouraged boating and recreational use of the lake. This translated into economic losses to businesses dependent upon a clean lake. The PAC's habitat, point-nonpoint, and contaminated sediments workgroups finished their input for the AOC's first Biennial Update under MDNR's Strategies to Improve Michigan's RAP Process. The pollution crisis occurred just as the workgroups were completing their input and collecting the data needed to document the issues and actions for the Stage 2 process. With additional MDNR personnel on hand to cope with the pollution crises, and their review of discharge permits and development of new data, a great deal of new information was generated that will be integrated into the Biennial Update. < Detroit River, By Mary Ginnebaugh > The Draft Biennial Report for the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) was released in mid-February for public review and comment. Now that the review period is over, the Binational Public Advisory Council (BPAC) is anticipating a Responsiveness Document from the RAP Team and coordinators on all the comments submitted. The Draft Report is an update of the Stage 1 document and a set of recommendations from four Technical Workgroups. If implemented, these recommendations should make significant progress toward remediating the Detroit River. The Technical Workgroups focused on habitat, contaminated sediments, combined sewer overflows and point source/nonpoint source discharges. The plan to have this Biennial Report submitted to the International Joint Commission by the end of June may be optimistic. Many BPAC members have expressed concern about the information in the Draft Report, as well as the format. The report has not prioritized the recommendations and lacks many of the implementation costs. The BPAC members have requested that a "unifying" chapter be added to this report to ensure that the recommendations listed will address the impaired beneficial uses of the Detroit River. The BPAC has also drafted a chapter on Environmental Justice. < Kalamazoo River, By Mary Powers > The Kalamazoo River RAP is still in Stage 1 and we expect to finalize our Biennial Report to the International Joint Commission in the next 60 days. This report will include a section addressing how human and wildlife health is the primary reason we are involved in the RAP in the first place. Our impaired uses may not be as numerous as in some other AOCs, but the effect of our contaminants is sufficient to cause us serious concerns. PAC chair Dr. Charles Mehne, a veterinarian, recently commented that "we've had a pair of Bald Eagles trying to reproduce on the Kalamazoo River for the last six years. They have not been successful. The last historically successful reproduction was in the 1950s. I do not believe that this is due to the lethal effects of contaminants but is more likely due to hormonal and endocrine malfunction, possibly estrogen mimicry." This is an interesting statement, particularly in light of a conference at which I recently spoke titled "Incorporating Human Health in RAPs," sponsored by the New York-based Great Lakes Research Consortium. The issue of endocrine disruptors was a major focus of many of the speakers and was also the subject of a disturbing documentary titled "Assault on the Male," produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation. On March 17, Mehne and Powers testified at a congressional hearing sponsored by Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI) regarding the redevelopment of brownsites (unused industrial sites). The Kalamazoo River AOC has numerous such sites still contributing toxics to the Kalamazoo River, and, as expected, many witnesses focused on Superfund cleanup standards. Although the business and banking interests testified that cleanup standards should be weakened to accommodate reduced liability, Connie Ferguson, president of Michigan's League of Women Voters, Powers and Mehne stated that cleanups in the Kalamazoo area should be completed before brownsites are redeveloped. "I am alarmed at the course that both the state and federal government has taken. I feel that the priority is to weaken the standard of protection for our environment in a time when hard scientific data is supportive of being more protective not less. To weaken our standards is dangerous and unwise," stated Dr. Mehne. At the next meeting of the Kalamazoo River AOC Public Advisory Council the drain commissioners from both Allegan and Kalamazoo counties will make presentations on the rewriting of Michigan's Drain Code and statutes. Drains have a major impact on many of Michigan's AOCs and we expect this to be a very interesting meeting. < Manistique River, By Leif Christensen > Local units of government from the Manistique area, the Manistique River Area of Concern Public Advisory Committee, the Harbor Advisory Committee, the local Native American community, more than 4,000 individual citizens, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the governor, and the entire bipartisan Michigan congressional delegation all strongly support the capping remedy for Manistique Harbor as being more protective of human health and the environment. The EPA Headquarters Review Team recently recommended that dredging appeared to be the best solution based solely on their technical review. However, Superfund also requires that community and state acceptance be considered in selecting a remedy. Because the Review Team found that the technical merits of dredging and capping were closely balanced, and the fact that community and state acceptance were not used in their decision making, they recommend that U.S. EPA Region 5 reconsider its initial decision to pursue the dredging option. The Review Team stated that the federal administration is continuing to move toward containment as an appropriate remedy for sites, with an increased emphasis on community involvement and state responsibility for sites. Therefore, Headquarters states that such a re-examination is "necessary and appropriate" and that U.S. EPA Region 5 should give very careful consideration to the state and community's support for capping. Congress has expressed interest in utilizing the site to illustrate why Superfund should be reauthorized to ensure: 1) that sound science is followed; 2) that protection of human health and the environment are given top priority; 3) that community input is considered; and 4) that cost effectiveness is weighed. These four factors all support capping over dredging for Manistique Harbor. A decision on selection of the remedy is expected during the spring of 1995. Editor's Note: The controversy in the Manistique River Superfund site concerns remedial action for the approximately seven tons of PCBs that are contaminating sediments in the river and harbor. The two choices are capping or dredging. Capping the sediments where they are involves placing an engineered cap of sand and stone over the areas of contamination. The other choice is to dredge the contaminated sediments out of the river and store them in a specially designed confined disposal facility to be located in the area. < Muskegon Lake, By Jerry Engle > The Muskegon Lake Public Advisory Council is gaining momentum in its efforts to transform the 1994 RAP Update from a relatively inert bureaucratic document into a more dynamic plan of action. Working from an EPA-funded grant, administered by the Michigan DNR, the Muskegon County Soil Conservation District has hired a full-time project administrator and a part-time administrative assistant whose efforts are devoted to the implemen-tation of the Muskegon Lake and White Lake RAPs and the support of their respective public advisory councils. The new administrator, working with the Muskegon Lake Council, is nearing completion of a RAP action plan for the Council and is currently forming Council/volunteer action groups to work on selected aspects of RAP implementation. Thanks to a separate SPAC public involvement grant, the Council has already created a new portable display board capable of depicting a variety of messages concerning the AOC, and it is well on the way to developing a mailing list targeted specifically at persons who are interested in information on conditions and activities affecting the environmental health of Muskegon Lake. The Council is also working with the Muskegon-based Lake Michigan Station of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory on the formation of a volunteer-driven Lake Watch group that will engage in scientifically-controlled research on selected ecological data gaps identified by the RAP. And there is more to come. < River Raisin, By Dan Stefanski > The River Raisin RAP is currently working with the local public access television station on the production of a monthly television show titled Monroe Environmental Magazine. The production's focus is on the environmental issues facing the Monroe area. Three, half-hour shows have been produced to date, and the fourth is in the works. In an effort to keep area units of government and residents updated on the progress of the River Raisin RAP, the PAC also is developing a traveling information center, with completion expected in late-summer 1995. Funded through a grant from the SPAC's Public Involvement Demonstration Grant Program, the RAP information center will be displayed at various governmental facilities in the River Raisin RAP area. Ford Motor Company has been issued an Act 64 Hazardous Waste Management Post-Closure Operating License. This will allow Ford to begin work on a corrective action program to clean up more than one million cubic yards of hazardous waste sludge and contaminated soils at the Monroe Stamping Plant, adjacent to the River Raisin. This project will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the River Raisin Area of Concern. Cleanup activities are scheduled for the spring of 1995 and are expected to be completed in two to three years. < Rouge River, By Carla Davidson and Keith Krinn > Two years in the making, the 1994 Rouge River RAP Update is complete. The Rouge RAP Team, Rouge RAP Advisory Council and its six subcommittees, and the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project all contributed to this document, making it truly a team effort! The 1994 Rouge River RAP Update contains new goals, recommendations, information, and progress statements on clean up of the Rouge River. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the update or its executive summary, contact Cathy Bean, Rouge River RAP Coordinator, at (313) 953-1441 or Carla Davidson at (313) 961-4266. On March 31, 1995, at a leadership breakfast at Greenfield Village sponsored by Team Rouge (an interagency team focused on the Rouge River Wet Weather Demonstration Project grant) and the Wayne County Department of the Environment, the 1994 Rouge River RAP Update was released. Funding has been approved by the Wayne County Department of the Environment through the National Wet Weather Demonstration Project to complete the second and final summer of the Rouge River Headwaters On-Site Sewage Disposal System Survey. The project is a cooperative effort with the Southeast Michigan Health Association and the Oakland County Health Division and is aimed at quantifying the failure rate of on-site septic systems in the Rouge River headwaters. < Saginaw River/Bay, By Patrick Howe > Over the past several months many things have happened in our AOC. The Saginaw News published a very educational synopsis of the Saginaw Bay Watershed, which included a history and overview of present planning and usage, as well as future planning for the watershed. Recently, two major organizations in the watershed combined forces. The Saginaw Bay Watershed Council and the Saginaw Basin Alliance have merged to form the Partnership for the Saginaw Bay Watershed. This new partnership runs with the mission of facilitating intergovernmental coordination and public involvement in the use of watershed resources. The organization conducts informational and educational programs, and supports watershed enhancement and protection efforts. Some of the successful programs that will continue to run in 1995 include the Adopt-A-Stream program, which helps clean and enhance waterways within the basin; the Storm Drain Stenciling program, a recent national program aimed at improving water quality by reminding people that anything placed in storm drains will eventually reach Saginaw Bay; the School River Monitoring Program, which provides schools the opportunity for hands-on field experience through the use of chemical testing and species monitoring; and the Water Watcher workshop program, which received a grant under the SPAC's Public Involvement Demonstration Grant Program to continue providing hands-on training to interested groups on watershed ecology and related issues. If anyone would like more information, please contact me or the Saginaw Bay National Watershed Initiative at (517) 791-7367. < St. Clair River, By Bob Spagnoli > Water quality in the St. Clair River is improving! The St. Clair River and its delta are important ecological resources. Use and enjoyment of these beautiful and vital areas by present and future generations depends upon suitable water quality. Public volunteers and government representatives have jointly developed a RAP to restore and protect the St. Clair River ecosystem and are working on its implementation. Volunteers on the St. Clair River BPAC have developed a number of environmental quality goals for the river, including the elimination of spills and the recovery of fish and wildlife habitat. Another important goal is the achievement of environmental standards for the protection of aquatic life and human health. Pollution control measures over several decades have resulted in improved environmental conditions to the point where many RAP goals and objectives are within sight. These actions have included spill prevention initiatives, improved housekeeping and employee training at local industries; planned or completed sewage treatment upgrades at municipalities bordering the St. Clair River; habitat enhancement measures; and nonpoint source controls and pollution prevention initiatives. An example of the river's recovery is shown by the improvements in the health of invertebrates (benthos) living in the river sediments. The RAP will continue to promote partnerships and actions necessary to restore and maintain water quality and to ensure the St. Clair River and delta remain a valuable resource suitable for use by all. Communicating the need for community partnerships will partly be achieved through the public outreach program. Several annual events have been established by the BPAC to inform the community of the RAP and the need for their support and involvement. Events this year include St. Clair River Week, May 21-27; the Fourth Annual Celebrating the St. Clair River Photo Contest; the Third Annual Environmental Achievement Recognition Awards; and the ongoing RAP Education Program including Eco-Friends and the Student International Tour of the Environment. For more information, or to request your copy of the Stage 2 Remedial Action Plan-Recommended Plan, call the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at (517) 335-3265; the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy at (519) 336-4030; or Donna Schmidtmeyer, St. Clair River Public Involvement Coordinator, at (519) 332-3228. < St. Marys River, By Amy Owen > Susan Stoddart has been appointed the new Canadian Coordinator for the St. Marys River RAP. Ms. Stoddart has experience in coordinating habitat restoration workshops, fisheries research and scientific writing. Algoma Steel is committed to several environmental projects under its 1991 business plan, including blast furnace water recirculation, a state-of-the-art biological treatment plant (by September 1996), fixed ammonia removal from coke-making process water (by December 1996), an air quality study and a sediment study of the boat slip. The Friends of St. Marys River, a recently incorporated, grass-roots organization, has planned an extensive cleanup for this summer. Other Friends activities include establishing a public library to house documents concerning the river, promoting the St. Marys River Heritage Water Trail and planning for the St. Marys River Celebration to be held this summer. For the Cannelton Industries Superfund site, shoreline stabilization work to control sediment release will be completed this year, as well as pilot remediation studies to determine cleanup options for the "barren zone" site. The city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, has moved Traders Metal from a waterfront location to an inland site to reduce the possibility of run-off of contaminants to Fort Creek (a St. Marys River tributary). Currently, a study is being conducted to examine hydrologic characteristics in the rapids area. This information will be used to determine the suitability of sites and different options for remediation. A sediment mapping study involving remote sensing will be designed to fill in data gaps and assist in site and remediation options for contaminated sediments. < Torch Lake, By Jim Spence > Remediation of Torch Lake's 442 acres of above-surface stampsand tailings and nine acres of slag have become the focus of recent planning activities by the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office. The NRCS Torch Lake Superfund site project manager has identified suitable soil types, vegetation, and treatment techniques for beginning remediation of these extensive stampsand and slag deposits. Soil donor sites are currently being identified, and the possibility is being explored of creating extensive wetland habitats after capping soils are removed from the donor sites. Even more detailed planning is underway to begin development of a golf course and recreation trail, with enhancement of existing public campgrounds and picnic and swimming beach areas, on a 120-plus acre stampsand bank behind the Village of Lake Linden. Unlike the decision to remediate above-surface stampsand and slag deposits, the U.S. EPA announced last spring that they have chosen a "No Action" alternative for addressing groundwater, surface water, submerged stampsands and sediments within Torch Lake. They will rely on natural sedimentation to remediate bottom sediments contaminated with heavy metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The U.S. EPA will, however, monitor the progress of this natural remediation to determine if other action is needed in the future. Our SPAC-funded Public Involvement Project will also be in full swing this summer to further involve our local communities in the RAP process. Activities will include bus tours for news media, private land-owners, and government officials; two public meetings; and seven interpretive cruises aboard Ranger III, the 180 ft., National Park Service Isle Royale ferry. < White Lake, By Tanya Cabala > The White Lake Area of Concern is gearing up for some busy months! Recently, the Muskegon County Soil Conservation District (MSCD) was awarded U.S. EPA funding through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to coordinate RAP activities for both the White Lake and Muskegon Lake AOCs. Through the funding, the MSCD hired a local RAP coordinator and assistant to organize both PACs in implementing RAP recommendations and numerous other activities. Plans for White Lake include: newsletters and flyers; lake day events and boat tours; displays, educational workshops and programs; natural landscaping scholarships for lakefront property owners; a habitat assessment; and stepped-up action on pollution sites. PAC members are pleased that many of the projects they identified last fall as important to the restoration and protection of White Lake will soon be underway. < St. Clair River Week > The goal of St. Clair River Week (May 21 to May 27) is very simple: we want the people living along both sides of the river to take a few moments to consider how important this beautiful natural treasure is to our way of life. The mighty St. Clair supports a variety of water users including industries, commercial shipping, spectacular fishing and a variety of recreational water uses. Many groups and organizations are currently involved in efforts to protect the river from pollution and other threats. St. Clair River Week is meant to focus public attention on these efforts and broaden public support for these initiatives. During St. Clair River Week there will be a variety of events in which the public is invited to participate: open houses at the Great Lakes Pollution Prevention Centre and at Great Lakes Response; theatrical presentations by Waterwood Productions at schools; Eco-Day for students; tours of Dow Chemical, the Port Huron Waste Water Treatment Plant, the Port Huron Water Filtration Plant, the Lambton Water Treatment Centre and the Bluewater Anglers Fish Hatchery; a mini clean-up by Sarnia Underwater Dive Club; Storm Drain Marking by Scouts, Cubs and students; and a farmers' market by Main Street in Port Huron. All of these events are taking place in several communities along the St. Clair River by interested groups who are encouraging the continuation of the work started by the BPAC. For specific details regarding the time and location of these events, please call Donna Schmidtmeyer, Public Involvement Coordinator in Ontario, at (519) 332-3228. < Statewide Public Advisory Council > Clinton River Representative: William Smith, Mt. Clemens (313) 468-4028 Alternate: Spencer V. Teller, Utica (810) 826-0391 Deer Lake Representative: James Russell-Parks, Marquette (906) 345-9961 Alternate: Philip Doepke, Marquette (906) 227-2812 Detroit River Representative: Mary Ginnebaugh, Grosse Ile (313) 676-1233 Alternate: Richard Armstrong, Detroit (313) 224-1103 Kalamazoo River Representative: Mary Powers, Kalamazoo (616) 345-9295 Alternate: -None- Manistique River Representative: Leif Christensen, Manistique (906) 341-2175 Alternate: Merilee Blowers, Manistique (906) 341-4223 Menominee River Representative: Nancy Douglas (Chair), Menominee (906) 863-2679 Alternate: George Rogers, Menominee (715) 735-7411 Muskegon Lake Representative: Gerald Engle, North Muskegon (616) 744-6330 Alternate: Kathleen Evans, Muskegon (616) 788-3880 River Raisin Representative: Vivian Brighton, Hudson (517) 264-5300 Alternate: Dan Stefanski, Monroe (313) 241-5926 Rouge River Representative: Keith Krinn (Vice Chair), Pontiac (810) 858-1333 Alternate: Orin Gelderloos, Dearborn (313) 593-5339 Saginaw River/Bay Representative: Patrick Howe, Midland (517) 631-8839 Alternate: Robert King, Mt. Pleasant (517) 774-2494 St. Clair River Representative: Bob Spagnoli, Fort Gratiot (313) 845-8037 Alternate: Joe Gallagher, Port Huron (810) 987-4884 St. Marys River Representative: Amy Owen, Sault Ste. Marie (906) 632-0072 Alternate: Gaylord Alexander, Lewiston (517) 786-2613 Torch Lake Representative: James A. Spence, Dollar Bay (906) 482-0443 Alternate: Robert T. Brown, Houghton (906) 482-0945 White Lake Representative: Tanya Cabala, Whitehall (616) 722-5116 Alternate: Thomas E. Hamilton, Montague (616) 894-4301 < For More Information > Contact Lori Reynolds (lreynold@glc.org) or Matt Doss (mdoss@glc.org) Great Lakes Commission Argus II Building, 400 Fourth St. Ann Arbor, MI 48103-4816 Phone: (313) 665-9135 Fax: (313) 665-4370 This newsletter is financed through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.