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WRDA
REAUTHORIZATION NOT HAPPENING THIS YEAR
Approval of the
long-awaited Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) addressing needs
of the Great Lakes region including
a provision to protect our Lakes from the Asian carp did not come as expected
this year. WRDA authorizes,
among many other projects, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
upgrade the current demonstration barrier into a permanent one,
complete construction of the permanent barrier, and operate the
electric barriers to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species
from entering the Great Lakes. WRDA, intended to be reauthorized
every other year, has not be updated since 2000.
The Senate and House of
Representatives both passed their versions of WRDA, but in the end, they
were unable to resolve differences between the two bills in
conference. The primary
reasons why agreement was not reached was independent review on Corps
projects and differences over the projects to be authorized.
Without reauthorization,
the threat of invasion by the Asian carp to the Great
Lakes ecosystem remains and continues to intensify as
the carp get closer and closer to our Lakes. The longer it takes Congress to act
on completion and long-term operation of the barrier system, the
greater the likelihood that our Great Lakes
will become giant carp ponds. In the coming Congress, preventing the
Asian carp must become a priority before it is too late.
DEQ ACTS ON
WETLAND DESTRUCTION AT CHERRY TREE INN
After three years without
enforcement for violations associated with “beach grooming,” it looks
as though
the DEQ will finally take
action against the destruction of our coastal wetlands . Cherry Tree Inn, located along Grand Traverse Bay, was sent an Order To Comply
letter for the recent bulldozing of the shoreline and near-shore
waters. In the letter, Cherry
Tree Inn is ordered to cease and desist all
unauthorized activities and provide a restoration/mitigation plan for
the adverse impacts to the coastal wetlands from the recent
activity.
The most promising provision
of the letter – “the MDEQ is referring this file for escalated
enforcement action.” It is
about time that the DEQ steps up to the plate and does their
job. Hopefully, the DEQ will
follow through with “escalated enforcement” and provide penalties
that will discourage the complete and utter annihilation of our coastal
wetlands in the future.
While I am pleased that
the DEQ quickly responded to the violations at Cherry Tree Inn in the
name of “beach grooming,” it took three years, blatant violations of
state law and violations of previous Notice of Violations, and the
destruction of more Great Lakes
coastal wetlands for the DEQ to actually act.
Hopefully, this will
cause the tides to turn and the DEQ will continue to enforce
violations to the utmost extent protecting our vital coastal wetland
resources and the values and benefits that provide for every citizen
within Michigan.
WISHING YOU
A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY
As the Holiday Season is upon
us, we find ourselves
reflecting on
the spirit of giving.
We would like to sincerely thank you for your continued
commitment
to protecting
our most precious and magnificent wetland resources. It is truly a
gift that keeps giving throughout the year and for generations to
come.
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