NEMWI To Host Webinar On Climate Change In The Great Lakes on Friday, October 27 at 2 PM EDT

Please join the Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) for a webinar on Friday, October 27^th at 2 PM EDT exploring climate change's impact on the Great Lakes region. This program is part of NEMWI’s Great Lakes Primer and Orientation Program, which provides in-depth overviews of critical issues impacting the health of the Great Lakes. 

The Great Lakes region faces significant challenges from climate change and rising temperatures. In recent years, our planet has experienced some of the warmest temperatures ever recorded, record-breaking weather extremes, powerful storms, tragic flooding from rising sea levels and associated storm surges, massive wildfires, and continued melting of glaciers and polar sea ice. While these global events impact many living by the oceans, those living on our freshwater coast will have unique challenges. 

Climate change will exacerbate a range of risks to the Great Lakes, including changes in the range and distribution of some species, increases in invasive species and harmful algae blooms, and declines in beach health. Additionally, at-risk communities in the Great Lakes are becoming more vulnerable to climate change impacts such as flooding, drought, and increases in urban heat islands.

Participants will include:

• The Environmental Law and Policy Center (EPLC);
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL); and
• The Great Lakes Commission.

To register, please visit here. For all questions, please contact Matt McKenna at mmckenna@nemw.org.

EPA Announces Historic Clean-up Effort in

Great Lakes Region

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last Thursday, October 12, announced the largest cleanup project ever under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the Great Lakes Legacy Act. This ambitious project, which is funded through the GLRI, will invest $450 million of federal funds for the cleanup of two million cubic yards of contaminated sediments in the Milwaukee Estuary. The project aims to address contamination that has “gone unaddressed for more than 150 years,” according to Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore. 

Decades of industrial activity have resulted in dangerous pollutants collecting in the Great Lakes region, ranging from PCBs and petroleum compounds to heavy metals, including mercury and lead. This presents a significant hazard to both the water supplied to local communities and the ecosystem health. Addressing the contamination would allow for improved water quality, healthier fish and wildlife, and improved recreational opportunities, in addition to community revitalization. 

This project culminates unprecedented bipartisan cooperation between federal, state, and local entities that promotes public health and environmental wellbeing. The project agreement was lauded by various partners, including the State of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and WEC Energy Group, which all expressed their support for the initiative and its potential to make the region cleaner, safer, and more sustainable. 

To view the project announcement visit here

Reported by NEMWI Intern James Li, Brown University

Connect With the Northeast-Midwest Institute

on LinkedIn

CONNECT with us on LinkedIn! The Northeast-Midwest Institute is re-vamping our LinkedIn page with new updates and information on our regional research and policy education programs. On LinkedIn we’ll be sharing timely updates on upcoming briefings, hearings, and events. NEMWI will also share important Great Lakes, water conservation, and manufacturing policy developments on LinkedIn to keep you in the know. 

Please consider joining us as we continue to foster connections both within and outside our organization. We hope that our new LinkedIn page will serve as a hub of collaboration among our partners and supporters. Our use of the site constitutes an exciting new opportunity to network and forge new relationships with organizations closely aligned with NEMWI and will provide a forum for discussion among a large network of stakeholders.