|
WRDA
DEBATE CONTINUES
For
the first time in seven years, Congress seems poised to adopt a Water
Resources Development Act, but we are not quite out of the clear yet.
Congress is supposed to pass a new WRDA
bill every two years. However,
no new WRDA bills have been signed into law since 2000 because the
House and Senate have repeatedly been unable to reach a compromise on
the legislation since then. Despite a veto threat from the
White House because of its hefty price tag, the House passed the
Water Resources Development Act conference report. House passage clears the way for the
Senate to take up the measure, the final step before WRDA is sent to
Bush's desk for signature. The
WRDA vote in the Senate has been delayed to September.
WRDA
authorizes several programs to restore the Great
Lakes, including the construction of an electric barrier
on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to keep the non-native Asian
carp from entering the lakes. In addition to the Asian carp barrier,
the comprehensive water projects bill authorizes Great
Lakes programs that support:
·
Restoration of habitat and fishery through the
Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem Restoration Act;
·
Clean-up of toxic harbors through the Great Lakes
Remedial Action Plans;
·
Reduction of soil erosion and non-point source
pollution through the Great Lakes Tributary Model Program; and,
·
Removal of dams to restore habitat through the
Aquatic Ecosystem and Estuary Restoration Program.
NOW
AVAILABLE: “A LANDOWNERS GUIDE TO PHRAGMITES CONTROL”
The
Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of the Great
Lakes has released a brochure focusing on the control of
phragmites entitled, “A Landowner’s Guide to Phragmites Control.”
The invasive,
non-native variety of Phragmites australis, commonly known as
phragmites, is a perennial wetland grass that can grow up to 15 feet
tall. Phragmites tend to grow
creating dense stands which degrade wetlands and coastal areas by
crowding out native plants and animals, blocking shoreline views,
reducing access for swimming, fishing, and hunting, and potentially
creating fire hazards from dry plant material. Phragmites can generally be found
growing in coastal and interior wetlands, lake margins, roadside
ditches, and other low, wet areas, although it can also be found in
dry areas.
“This
extremely tall and invasive plant is becoming widespread and is
threatening the ecological health of Michigan’s
wetlands and Great Lakes coastal
shoreline,” said Office of the Great Lakes Director Ken DeBeaussaert.
“This guide provides landowners with information to help them
effectively control and manage phragmites on their property.”
The guide was
developed as part of a larger cooperative project involving the
Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative, the DEQ, other state and federal
agencies, and various stakeholders to address the rapid spread of
phragmites in Saginaw Bay and other areas in Michigan. The guide was created to
better demonstrate and communicate effective treatment methods and
regulatory requirements to the public and resource managers.
Local, state
and federal permits may be required for phragmites control. For state
permit information and deadlines for applications, contact the DEQ Environmental Assistance
Center at
1-800-662-9278 or email deq-ead-env-assist@michigan.gov.
Financial
assistance for this project was provided, in part, by the DEQ
Michigan Coastal Management Program through a grant from the U.S.
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. For copies of the guide, contact the Office of the Great Lakes at (517) 335-4056 or fax at (517)
335-4053. The guide is also available at the DEQ web site at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-ogl-Guide-Phragmites_204659_7.pdf.
-DEQ news
release, August 6 2007.
|
