Great Lakes Commission Areas of Concern Conference
From Great Lakes Wiki
The Great Lakes Commission hosted a conference in Cleveland June 28-30 to discuss achieving restoration targets and sustaining stewardship It brought together about 200 representatives from the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. US and Canadian officials, citizen groups and representative of philanthropic organizations met to discuss the future of these environmental hot spots.
Breakout sessions focusing on contaminated sediments, fish and wildlife restoration, the role of local Remedial Action Plan (RAP) groups and delisting spanned the afternoon on Thursday. Attendees cruised the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie on a dinner cruise Thursday evening.
Thursday's keynote speaker Jerry Dennis spoke about the importance of getting young people to take an interest in the health of the Great Lakes in a lecture titled "Getting People to Care: Sustaining Great Lakes Stewardship for Future Generations". Dennis is an environmental journalist and author of The Living Great Lakes. He's living in houses all over Great Lakes region for his newest project, A Watcher on the Shore.
Charlie Bristol from Friends of the Detroit River talks about the Black Lagoon cleanup and other projects at the conference.
Jon Jenson of the Gund Foundation gives advice to RAPS trying to engage donors.
Thomas Denbow, Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan
Vicki Thomas, U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
Julie Letterhos, Ohio EPA
Vicki Deisner, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Mark Elster, U.S. EPA, Great Lakes National Program Office
Dave Cowgill, U.S. EPA, Great Lakes National Program Office
Sandra George, Environment Canada
Gail Krantzberg, Center for Engineering and Public Policy, McMaster University
Jerry Dennis, author of The Living Great Lakes
Keith Bowers, Principal, Biohabitats, Inc.
Options for generating nonfederal funding and public involvement in sediment cleanups under the Great Lakes Legacy Act and other programs
Contaminated sediments: Assessment and remedial tools and technologies
Funding options and implementation case studies for fish and wildlife restoration
Approaches for developing restoration targets for fish and wildlife
Engaging elected officials: Key messages and advocacy opportunities
Capacity building and organizational development for local RAP groups
Approaches for delisting beneficial use impairments and Areas of Concern
Technical approach for delisting fish tumor impairments
The conference is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office; the Great Lakes Commission; the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; Ohio Department of Natural Resources; and the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan.
