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Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species and their Impacts on Milwaukee, WI. Prepared for : City of Milwaukee, Department of Administration, Budget and Management Division May 7, 2010. By : Adam Felts, Evan Johnson, Margaret Lalor, Scott Williams, Noah Winn-Ritzenberg.
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Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species and their Impacts on Milwaukee, WI Prepared for: City of Milwaukee, Department of Administration, Budget and Management Division May 7, 2010 By: Adam Felts, Evan Johnson, Margaret Lalor, Scott Williams, Noah Winn-Ritzenberg Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Objectives • Define the context in which AIS affect Milwaukee • Develop policy-relevant goals and priorities • Identify potential policies that Milwaukee should support • Consider connections to the Port of Milwaukee
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Motivation • Great Lakes are important for Milwaukee economy, recreation, resources, heritage • Harmed by last two centuries of human activity • Role of Port of Milwaukee
Roadmap • Context • Ecological impact of AIS • Economic Impact of AIS • Economic benefits of Great Lakes shipping • Regulatory environment • Goals for AIS policy • Policy recommendations Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Aquatic Invasive Species • Non-native species • Cause economic or environmental harm • Potential for more invasions Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
How AIS Enter the Great Lakes • AIS enter Great Lakes in many different ways-Canal systems-Dumping-Fish farming-Boats & trailers moving between water bodies-Ballast water release • Ballast water is key • 55 to 70 percent of AIS introductions since 1959 Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Lessons from Current Ecological Damage • Numerous impacts • Many different species
Economic Impact of AIS • AIS threaten a number of industries • Great Lakes fisheries – $7 billion annually • Great Lakes recreation • Industrial raw water users • Sources of uncertainty • Difficult to measure ecological damage • Difficult to monetize Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Estimated Costs of AIS • Estimated costs of AIS in the Great Lakes range from $200 million to $5.7 billion annually • Impacts on Milwaukee • Raw water users and • lakefront recreation Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs AIS Prevention Options • Ballast water treatment • Onboard • Offboard • Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway infrastructure changes (GL-SLS) • Close the GL-SLS to oceangoing ship • Close the Chicago locks • Build a longer term electrical barrier
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Economic Impacts of Ports • Wisconsin ports generate 11,338 jobs • Transport 78 percent of state commodities • Port of Milwaukee generates 2,028 direct and indirect jobs • $80 million industry revenues • $35 million tax revenues
Regulations • International Maritime Organization • 2004 Treaty • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Federal permit system • U.S. Coast Guard • Proposed ballast water regulation Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
State Level Regulations • Great Lakes states such as Minnesota, Michigan, New York and Wisconsin • Wisconsin regulations are designed • to incentivize innovation Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Inferences from Research • Milwaukee cannot tackle AIS on its own • AIS policy should be guided by the precautionary principle • Prevention is more cost-effective than managing an established AIS • AIS management options are cheaper than doing nothing at all
Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Policy Goals • Ecological responsibility • Prevent economic damage by AIS • Preserve economic vitality of Milwaukee • Political feasibility
Policy Recommendations • Support strong but flexible national regulation on ballast water • Do not support closing the Chicago Locks as a sole means of controlling Asian carp • Collaborate to secure funding for AIS management • Use media attention to educate public Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
Additional Information For copies of report, email: publications@lafollette.wisc.edu Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs