The Politics of Great Lakes Environmental Protection:Past, Present, and Future

Jack Manno

Executive Director

Great Lakes Research Consortium

SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry

Goals

• Understand link between biophysical and political.

• Appreciate complex history of Great Lakes policy.

• Discuss implications of current biophysical changes for GL institutions.

The majority of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; only 0.003% of that water is fresh, and much of that is frozen in polar ice.

The Great Lakes contain 90% of the U.S. supply of fresh water, and fully 20% of the world’s supply.

• Range of Limnological Conditions• Cold deep Lake Superior, warm shallow Lake Erie

One system, many individual systems.

• Natural transition zone• hard, ancient rocks of the Canadian shield in the north, younger, more fertile layers of limestone and other sedimentary rocks to the south

• Ecological zones• Jack pines to the north (Superior), hardwoods of the Carolinian forest (Lake Erie)

What Makes Something Political?

Problem exists or can be anticipated that transcends individuals/affects the commons

Benefits and costs are inequitably shared across space, time or class

Problem is amenable to collective responses (or can be made so)

Some apparent or real conflict exists between competing interests

Chronological List of Great Lakes Political Themes

1) Access

2) Resource Extraction

3) Resource Management

4) Public Health

5) Pollution Cleanup

6) Persistent Toxics

7) Pollution Prevention

8) Ecosystem Approach

9) Sustainable Development

USEPA REPORT TO CONGRESS ON THE GREAT LAKES ECOSYSTEM

-- February 1994

“Before its development, the Great Lakes region was endowed with extraordinary natural abundance--oceans of freshwater, splendid forests, plentiful animals, rich soil, immense wetlands, multitudes of waterfowl. Waters teemed with fish. Sturgeon up to 6 feet long were common. A fisherman using a dip net could reap many hundreds of whitefish in a day.

Today, few sturgeon survive. Lake trout populations are not self-sustaining. Habitat available to fish and wildlife is greatly reduced, as are their populations.”

Great Lakes Politics at this time involved access to hunting and fishing grounds; frequent warfare resulted.

To achieve peace among the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy, oral history says that the Peace Maker enacted the Great Law of Peace.

This founding constitution of the Six Nations has been considered the precursor to the U.S. Constitution.

Arrival of Europeans

At this time, politics dealt with shipping routes, beaver trade, and portage trails, especially along the Niagara River.

Resource exploitation began a period of destruction, as forests were clear-cut, temperatures in streams increased, and streams were clogged with the log running of the regional lumber industries.

Early Public Health Issues in the Great Lakes

1854: Chicago experiences cholera epidemic because of sewage contamination of drinking water.

1870s: Hamilton, Ontario can no longer draw drinking water from Hamilton Harbour because of contamination.

1891: Sewage contamination of drinking water in Chicago causes typhoid epidemic.

Era of Resource Exploitation/RapidIndustrialization (end of the 19th Century)

DeforestationDam ConstructionFilling of WetlandsDumping of SewageUncontrolled Commercial FishingSea Lamprey

Boundary Waters Treaty: Background

In the late 19th century, technology made it possible to alter system significantly

Drinking water pollution a major concern:

“Neither party to the Boundary Waters Treaty shall pollute the boundary waters on either side to the injury of health or property on the other.”

Proposed dams and diversion on the US side without consulting CanadaMichigan - MississippiDam outlet of Erie to drain Niagara

Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909

“Treaty Between the United States and Great Britain Relating to Boundary Waters, And Questions Arising Between the United States and Canada.”

Formal recognition of shared responsibilityCreated International Joint CommissionApplications and ReferencesMost future US-Canadian agreements get their legal status

through the Boundary Waters Treaty

Eutrophication

View from above Lake 226 divider curtain in August 1973. The bright green colour results from bluegreen algae (Cyanobacteria), which are growing on phosphorus added to the near side of the curtain.

1960s: Large Predator Fish are Depleted

Ecological Instability:

Huge explosion of Alewives

Massive algal blooms

Answer Twofold: Stocking Top Predators

Reducing Nutrient Inputs

1969 - Cuyahoga River in Flames

Politics of Cooperation:The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

April 15, 1972: Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and President Richard Nixon sign the Agreement

Birth defects in colonial waterbirds throughout the Great Lakes

Mouth and skin tumors in brown bullhead associated with contaminated

sediments.

Toxic Chemicals

Exotic Species

Key Issues in the Great Lakes at PresentWater Quality

- nutrients- toxic organisms- new chemicals

Water Quantity- diversions/export- levels- consumption

Management- resources- ecosystems- land use- ANS

Issue Area Issue AgenciesWater Quality

NutrientsEPA, Env. Canada, Ag, IJC,state/provincial/local

Toxic Organisms EPA, Env. Canada, IJC, state/provNew Chemicals EPA, Env. Canada, IJC, state/prov

Water Quantity

Diversions/exportGL Commission, IJC, State/Prov, Council GL Gov, USACE, CEC

Levels IJC, Boards of Control, USACE, ECConsumption State/local, GL Commission

Management

ResourcesState/local/prov., US F& W, NOAA, USGS

Ecosystem SOLEC, IJC, GL CommissionLand use/agriculture Ag, state/local/prov, SWCSANS/shipping EPA, GL Gov, Commerce - NOAA

Issues and Agencies

GL Policy PeriodsPERIOD MAJOR GL POLICY POLICY INSTITUTIONS BINATIONAL STAKE-

ISSUE MISSION TOOLS ACTION HOLDERS

~1900-1965 transportation, Economic Development IJC IJC Major investors

commodities development projects GL Fish Applications

(fish, timber, (canals, dams Commission

waterpower) infrastructure ISLRBC

investment) Corps pf Eng.

~1965-1978 conventional Pollution sewage US EPA IJC Water quality

pollutants, control treatment, fish Env. Canada References, professionals

fishkills, algal stocking, GLWQA Water Quality

blooms industrial GL Commission Agreement

discharge USGS/SWCS

regulations Ag agencies

~1978-1990 persistant toxic Ecosystem Virtual GLWQA 2 Lakewide Broadly

substances, integrity elimination, Council GL Gov Management defined

eco-system ecosystem Plans,

degradation planning Remedial

Action Plans

~1990-2003 ecosystem Sustainable voluntary ILOSLRS SOLEC Professionals,

restoration development measure, Annex 2001 Binational Watershed

watershed SOLEC Toxics Strategy organizations

partnership CEC

Continentalism

Future Issues

Effects of climate changeEcological surprises (ANS)/reducing

uncertainty/ecological forecasting.Water consumption/diversionsSustainable developmentWater level management

Your thoughts

As we face changes in the Great Lakes system, how does the institutional system need to change with it?

Questions and Comments.