Great Lakes Roundup

1. Great Lakes Roundup Lake Erie Environmental Forum 12/12/2016

2. 84% of Surface freshwater in North America 1/5 of the Surface freshwater in the world.

4. 77 miles of coastline. • 2% of the total Great Lakes watershed area.

5. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update • The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) is a commitment between the United States and Canada to restore and protect the waters of the Great Lakes. • The Agreement provides a framework for identifying binational priorities and implementing actions that improve water quality. • It enhances water quality programs that ensure the “chemical, physical, and biological integrity” of the Great Lakes. • EPA coordinates U.S. activities that fulfill the Agreement. States participate in Lake Partnerships, Annex Subcommittees, and Work Groups.

6. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update

7. Great Lakes Public Forum - Toronto • As called for in the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the governments of Canada and the United States convened a Great Lakes Public Forum, with the International Joint Commission, to: • Provide an opportunity to discuss and receive public comments on the state of the lakes and binational priorities for science and action; and • Provide an opportunity for the International Joint Commission to discuss progress reporting. • The Forum takes place once every three years, and allows for significant public input to the implementation of the amended Agreement. • The 2016 Forum was held at the Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Archived footage of presentations can be found at:www.binational.net

8. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update • Annex 2: Lakewide Management • 2013 Lake Erie Planning Year, 2014 Field Year (CSMI), 2015 Lab Analysis, 2016 Data Analysis, 2017 - Lake Erie Report and Outreach, 2018 - Creation of Lake Erie LAMP. • The Lake Erie LAMP will: • Establish Lakewide Ecosystem Objectives (LEOs) • Provide a “State of the Lake” • Identify science priorities. • Prioritize protection and restoration actions. • Integrate nutrient issues from Annex 4. • The Lake Erie LAMP Partnership Work Group will be assisting in the writing of the LAMP. • Nearshore Framework was finalized in late September.

9. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update • Annex 2: Lakewide Management • Nearshore Framework was finalized in late September. • The Framework is a systematic, integrated and collective approach for assessing the nearshore health of the Great Lakes and identifying and communicating cumulative impacts and stresses. • Through the Nearshore Framework, the Governments will: • Provide a comprehensive assessment of nearshore waters; • Share the information from the assessment; • Identify areas that would benefit from protection, restoration or prevention activities; and, • Identify causes of impairment and threats.

10. GLWQA – Materials Currently Available • 2016 annual reports for each of the Great Lakes were made available in October. • 2016 progress report of the parties (US & Canada) made available in October. • Nearshore Framework

11. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update • Annex 4: Nutrients • Adopted new phosphorus reduction targets in February 2016. • Developing a Binational Phosphorus Reduction Strategy 2018 • US and Canada each developing a Domestic Action Plan 2018 • States developing individual DAPs by January 2017 for integration. • Great Lakes Commission developing ErieSTAT tracking.

12. Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and Agreement • Governs water use and diversions within the Great Lakes Basin. Designed to protect resource and reduce conflict between political jurisdictions. • Compact is signed between the states, ratified by Congress, implemented by states. • Agreement is between states AND provinces. Has same language as the compact. • Both were formalized in 2008.

13. Compact and Agreement Provisions • Created Water Resources Council (Compact Council) and the Regional Body. • Pennsylvania maintains two alternates and designees of Governor Wolf. • Each state must implement a water resources inventory, registration and reporting program. • Each state must implement a water conservation and efficiency program.

14. Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and Agreement • All new or increased withdrawals must meet criteria. • BAN on all new or increased diversions from the basin (with 3 specific exceptions). • Established Regional Review process for evaluating withdrawals and diversion exceptions. • Compact Council may begin a public review of Regional Review procedures. What could be improved?

15. Waukesha, WI Diversion Proposal • Contaminated water supply. Chlorides/Radium • Located outside of basin by approx. 1.5 miles but within groundwater boundary of influence. • Applied for 10.1 MGD diversion of Great Lakes water from Lake Michigan. • Approved with conditions on June 21, 2016. • www.waukeshadiversion.org

16. Waukesha, WI Diversion Proposal • Great Lakes Cities Initiative has requested a hearing before the Compact Council regarding decision. • Hearing brief is due by December 19th, 2016. • Should brief be submitted, schedule will be released for hearing.

17. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – 2016-2017 PA Cooperative Partnerships • PA Sea Grant • Pennsylvania LEEF • Environment Erie • Begin ANEW Urban Stormwater • Regional Science Consortium • Harmful Algae Bloom Monitoring and Detection Program • Erie County Department of Public Safety • Purchase of Spill Response Trailers (5) • Erie County Department of Health • Mapping and monitoring of Small Flow Treatment Facilities (SFTF) in Erie County, PA

18. PA State Water Plan • The Plan is a non-prescriptive, non-regulatory, non-binding policy and guidance document related to the water resources of the Commonwealth. • Discusses how much water we have, how much we use, and how much we need. • Plan is accomplished through 7 regional water resources committees. The Great Lakes has one. • GL Committee will be staffed by Tim Bruno and Jake Moore. • Activities will begin in 2017 with Plan revision in 2018.

19. Thank you!

20. Pennsylvania’s Phosporus Reduction Domestic Action Plan (DAP) Lake Erie Environmental Forum 12/12/2016

21. QLWQA 2012 – Annex 4: Nutrients • Manages phosphorus concentrations and loadings. • Establishes Lake Ecosystem Objectives. • Establishes Substance Objectives for TP Concentrations and Loadings • Requires program evaluation and enhancement.

22. Annex 4: Lake Ecosystem Objectives • Minimize hypoxic zones. • Maintain algae below nuisance. • Maintain healthy algae species. • Maintain cyanobacteria at levels below which are a threat to humans or ecosystem. • Maintain oligotrophic/biomass/algal species in Superior, Michigan, Huron Ontario • Maintain mesotrophic conditions in West/Central Erie and oligotrophic conditions in East Erie.

23. Requirements for Review • Within 3 years for Lake Erie: 2016 • Review interim objectives and loading targets. • Determine loading allocations by country. • Develop concentrations for nearshore waters. • Establish load reduction targets for priority tributary watersheds. • COMPLETED • Within 5 years: 2018 • Develop Binational Strategy and Domestic Action Plans (US and CA) Complete program inventory and Evaluation

24. New Phosphorus Targets To minimize the extent of hypoxic zones in the waters of the central basin of Lake Erie: A 40 percent reduction in total phosphorus entering the western and central basins of Lake Erie—from the United States and from Canada—to achieve an annual load of 6,000 metric tons to the central basin. This amounts to a reduction from the United States and Canada of 3,316 metric tons and 212 metric tons respectively.

25. New Phosphorus Targets To maintain cyanobacteria biomass at levels that do not produce concentrations of toxins that pose a threat to human or ecosystem health in the waters of the western basin of Lake Erie: A 40 percent reduction in spring total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the Maumee River in the United States.

26. New Phosphorus Targets To maintain algal species consistent with healthy aquatic ecosystems in the nearshore waters of the western and central basins of Lake Erie: A 40 percent reduction in spring total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads from the following watersheds where algae is a localized problem: in Canada, Thames River and Leamington tributaries; and in the United States, Maumee River, River Raisin, Portage River, Toussaint Creek, Sandusky River and Huron River (Ohio).

27. US Domestic Action Plan • Will merge the DAPs of all of the states into a single document. WHAT DOES PA NEED TO DO? • No Pennsylvania tributaries will be on the priority list for phosphorus reductions. Maumee, Sandusky, Grand Rivers. • Prepare to characterize the nutrient loading properties of our streams to demonstrate our compliance to other Great Lakes states, especially those in the Central Basin. • Participate in action/planning efforts with other Lake Erie states and Ontario (GLC Lake Erie Nutrient Taskforce). • Develop a Pennsylvania Domestic Action Plan to incorporate into US DAP.

28. PA Domestic Action Plan - Status • Data Gathering – In process, 75% • Policy & Goal Clarification – In process, 50% • Objectives & Tactics Development – In process, 25% • Plan Writing – In process, 25% • Public Comment – Upcoming, mid-January

29. PA Domestic Action Plan - Details Purpose and Background • Defines need for participation including relevant GLWQA and Annex requirements. • Focuses resources. • Creates common meaning for any PA party involved with nutrient reductions.

30. PA Domestic Action Plan - Details Goals • Applicable Target: Central Basin Hypoxia 6000 MTA of TP • Load Allocation: • Will require interpretation of available data. • Phosphorus modeling does not fully define PA watersheds, but groups them into the Ashtabula-Conneaut Complex. • Timeframe for Activities – 2017-2021 (5 years) • Stakeholder Engagement

31. PA Domestic Action Plan Objectives • Establish accountability – DEP will be accountable party and timeline for activities will be defined. • Explain methodology for determining watersheds of focus. • Based upon size, location, estimated contributions. • Watershed Specific Loading Characteristics • Specific Programs and Actions. Planning delays have come up for watersheds of focus and loading characteristics.

32. PA Domestic Action Plan - Details Issue #1: What PA watersheds are actually in the Central Basin? From Annex 4 Fact Sheet: Recommended Binational Phosphorus Reduction Targets to Combat Lake Erie Algal Blooms, 2016 From Annex 4 Task Team Report: Recommended Phosphorus Loading Targets for Lake Erie, 2015

33. PA Domestic Action Plan - Details Issue #1: What PA watersheds are actually in the Central Basin?

34. PA Domestic Action Plan - Details Issue #2: Specific Characterization of Loads • Pennsylvania tribs other than Ashtabula Creek or Conneaut Creek are either combined into Ashtabula-Conneaut Complex or lumped into “Direct Discharge” when they were modeled. • Ashtabula and Conneaut consist of 417 km2 in PA, EPA models indicated 900 km2 total modeled(OH & PA) • Total PA basin area is approximately 980 km2for all HUC12 west of Presque Isle. • Assuming all areas west of PI are loading at approximately the rate of the entire Ashtabula-Conneaut Complex, then our 10 year annual loading average to the area considered for hypoxia reductions is approximately 54.9 MTA, or 0.64% of the total HEC, WB, CB load. • Even if it was possible for PA to reduce tributary loading from current levels (which are low), it would only move the needle on the hypoxia issue by a small fraction of a percent.

35. PA Domestic Action Plan Tactics • Possible new monitoring for Flow Weighted Mean Concentrations – Is this a good idea? • Would be expensive, labor-intensive, and not likely to produce information that would lead to any sizeable reductions in phosphorus. • Continuance of Non-Point Source Pollution Programs – Urban SWM and Agricultural BMPs. • STILL IMPORTANT TO LOCAL WATER QUALITY Measuring Progress and Achieving Consensus • Establish timelines, benchmarks, measurement, reporting.

36. PA Domestic Action Plan Development Timeline: • Draft by early January. • Opportunity for public review and comment mid to late January. • Finalize by early 2017 and present to parties and Annex 4. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE PA DAP?