October 13, 2009
I am so pleased to have met many of you at our recent events (e.g., Waterlife
screening and the Detroit River Seminar)! It is encouraging to see so
many people interested in learning more about the issues facing the
Detroit River Area of Concern as well as the Great Lakes. Over 240
people attended the screening of Waterlife.
Since the screening, I have received several inquiries about the
documentary. It is now available for purchase--ask your local film
store if they can order it for you. For more information about the
documentary or to organize a screening of your own, please visit www.ourwaterlife.com.
Remember, we love to hear from you! Please email
your environmental events/news or newsletter suggestions. Depending on
timing, we can include your event in our newsletter or on our events calendar.
Natalie Green, RAP Coordinator
postmaster@detroitriver.ca
The DRCC is a community-based partnership between government, industry, academics, as well as environmental and community organizations that work collectively in helping to improve the health of the Detroit River. Our key goal is to implement the Canadian Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in order to restore the beneficial uses and remove the River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
Did you know??
...that the DRCC has prepared a draft Detroit River Canadian Stage 2 Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Report?The draft Stage 2 RAP Report was developed to identify and prioritize actions required to restore the Detroit River's beneficial uses and to, ultimately, remove the Detroit River from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern.
The draft Stage 2 RAP is available for public comment until November 9, 2009. The DRCC is looking for comments, input, and suggestions to help improve the draft RAP Report. You can submit your comments in writing by contacting the RAP Coordinator, online, or in-person by attending one of our upcoming Open Houses.
For more information regarding the draft Detroit River Canadian Stage 2 RAP report, visit www.detroitriver.ca or contact Natalie Green.
Does delisting mean clean?
Article by John Jackson - Great Lakes United
Originally published July 6, 2009 - www.glu.org
Let's celebrate! Your
Great Lakes toxic hotspot is about to be erased from the International Joint
Commission's Areas of Concern map. In three instances this celebration has
occurred. For forty other communities, grit and hard work is trying to bring
that day forward.
But what does it mean to be delisted?
As we work to meet a clean up objective that ensures the area is "fishable,
swimmable and drinkable", isn't it reasonable for the public to make the
assumption that we have met those targets when we announce that the toxic
hotspot is being delisted? Of course it is. Yet, even when delisted,
communities still face fishing advisories and the water must be treated before
it is drinkable.
Fishable?
The first area of concern to be delisted was Collingwood Harbour in Ontario in
1994. Fifteen years later, the provincial government's guide to sports fish
consumption still calls on people to avoid or limit their consumption of fish
caught in the harbour.
These warnings are the result of the levels of mercury, PCBs, mirex,
pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and dioxins and furans measured
in the fish. For example, the Ministry of the Environment asserts that
"sensitive populations" should not eat any pink salmon or whitefish that are
over 45 centimetres (18 inches) in length caught in Collingwood Harbour.
How can Collingwood Harbour be considered 'cleaned up' if the fish are still
contaminated with a toxic soup of chemicals and metals?
An Area of Concern can be officially delisted if it is determined that the
contamination of the fish is no longer a result of local sources. Instead, the
fish consumption advisory is as a result of contaminants washing in from the
lake or dropping from the air from sources outside of the area.
When the announcement was made in July 2006 that the lower Oswego River in New
York State was no longer an area of concern, Dr. Christopher De Rosa, then
Director of the Division of Toxicology for the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances
and Disease Registry, urged the governments to be cautious in their
announcements so as to not mislead the public into thinking that the waters are
now truly "fishable" without limitation. He pointed out that we should still be
warning people to limit their fish consumption.
Swimmable and drinkable?
Severn Sound, which is in a major cottage and tourist area in southern Georgian
Bay in Ontario, was delisted in January 2003. The report that justified the
delisting said that the objective for swimmability "can be considered to have
been met."
This conclusion was reached despite the fact that the same report stated all
swimming areas in Georgian Bay Islands continue to be posted "swim at own risk"
and that the area off the Coldwater River wharf is posted "No Swimming:
Contaminated Water." Midland Beach bacteria levels exceeded provincial
standards in 5 to 10 percent of the samples. In other words the area was
delisted despite the fact that it is only swimmable in some places, some of the
time.
Similarly, the drinkable goal doesn't mean that you can go and drink straight
from the waters. For example, Michigan's guidelines for delisting state that
the "drinkable" goal is met if the water is safe to drink after the use of
standard water treatment methods. A similar criterion for the drinking water
goal is found in all jurisdictions.
What needs to happen after delisting?
We must be cautious when we delist an area of concern. We must make sure that
our celebratory news announcements are tempered with cautions to the residents
that they should not assume that the waters are now "fishable, swimmable and
drinkable" without restriction.
In addition, at the same time as we celebrate the delisting of the toxic
hotspot, we need to publicly commit ourselves - as governments, industry,
environmental groups and the public who worked on the RAP - to continue with
our work in at least three areas.
Firstly, we must work in the broader Great Lakes arena for the elimination of
pollution sources beyond our area of concern that are affecting the local area.
As Collingwood Harbour demonstrates, contamination doesn't follow city limits.
Our communities are interconnected and only by eliminating pollution can we
truly overcome the toxic burden.
Secondly, we must work for continued improvement of the area so that the
environment is enhanced beyond current conditions. Meeting the minimum
standards of cleanliness is no different than celebrating a 'C' grade on a
report card. Delisting isn't the end of a journey, it's the start of a new
effort to truly revitalize a community that has turned its toxic tide. We must
take advantage of the momentum delisting creates.
Finally, we must be strong watchdogs to ensure that there is no backsliding and
that no new threats are introduced to the former area of concern. Delisting
isn't immunity. New threats are constantly emerging. We must use the knowledge
and experience gained through the past to safeguard us against the threats of
the future, and to act swiftly when pollution problems re-emerge.
Delisting is a time for celebration. But this must not be blind revelry; it
must include cautions and long-term commitments. The pride of the community and
the effort of the people whose hard work made the celebration possible deserve
nothing less.
Great Lakes United is an international
coalition promoting and coordinating basin-wide initiatives to protect and
restore the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River ecosystem. Visit their website for more information.
Save the Date...
for these upcoming events
A Day of Horticulture
Saturday, October 17, 2009 - 9:30 am to 2:30 pm
The LaSalle Ambassador Horticultural Society is hosting a Day of Horticulture on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at the Vollmer Culture & Recreation Complex, 2121 Laurier Drive, LaSalle, (behind Sandwich Secondary) from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
The day will feature several gardening how-to demonstrations:
- Simple garden watering system
- Caring for Orchids
- Introducing Native Trees and Plants into your garden
- China Ball garden ornaments
- Hypertufa Pots
- Flower Arrangements in a Pumpkin
- Making Topiaries
- Overwintering Tropical Bulbs
- PLUS, the Master Gardeners will be on hand to field gardening questions.
After a light lunch the Guest Speaker will be "Dugald Cameron, Owner
and President of GardenImport Inc. of
Richmond Hill, Ontario. Dugald is an expert presenter at Canada Blooms and will discuss
"Spring Flowering Bulbs and Perennials for Fall Planting".
Tickets that include a light lunch are $12 at the door. For additional
information contact Linda Christy by phone at 519-972-5888.
Essex County Historical Society's 2009 Lajeunesse Award Presentation
Saturday, October 17, 2009- lunch at noon
The Essex County Historical Society's 2009 Lajeunesse Award for distinguished achievement in local history will be presented to the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) on Saturday, October 17, 2009. The award is to recognize ERCA's heritage works including the international designation of the Detroit River as a Heritage River. The award presentation will be made at a luncheon (12 noon) held at the John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area (915 County Road 50 East, Harrow Ontario - 45 min. drive from Windsor).
Advance tickets ($15) are required.
Please contact Dr. Trevor Price at 519-734-7725 for more information.
Fall Excursion - Essex County Field Naturalists Club
Sunday, October 18, 2009 - 2 pm
Join club member Ian Woodfield in a tour of Malden Park, a naturalized area with extensive trails, hills and ponds, including the highest point in Windsor. Meet at 2 pm at the Banquet Centre parking lot at 4200 Malden Road, Windsor. For more information, visit ECFNC's website.
OPEN HOUSE: draft Detroit River Canadian Stage 2 Remedial Action Plan Report
October 27-29, 2009 - Locations vary, see below
The DRCC will be hosting an open house in each of the
Canadian municipalities adjacent to the Detroit River (Oct. 27-29, 2009). At
the open houses, visitors will be able to obtain more information about the RAP
Report and the DRCC as well as ask questions and submit their written comments. You can also submit your comments online.
The Open Houses run from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm on each of
the days below.
A brief presentation will be given at 6 pm.
- Tuesday, October 27, 2009: Amherstburg (Fort Malden Visitor Centre, 100 Laird Avenue)
- Wednesday, October 28, 2009: LaSalle (Vollmer Recreation Complex, 2121 Laurier Parkway)
- Thursday, October 29, 2009: Windsor (Mackenzie Hall, 3277 Sandwich Street)
Caring for our Coast Forum 2009: Envisioning a Lake Erie Community Stewardship Trail Network
October 22-23, 2009
Join the Carolinian Canada Colalition and Parks Canada at Pelee Days Inn and Point Pelee National Park on October 22 and 23, 2009. This event will launch a major new initiative, the Lake Erie Community Stewardship Trail Project, to promote enjoyment and understanding of the diverse coastal zone. Can conservation, recreation and tourism work together to make a difference on a significant landscape? This conference will explore eco-friendly ways to link these sectors and recover species at risk on Canada's ecologically diverse southernmost coastline.
For more information on this forum or to register, visit Carolinian Canada's website or call 519-433-7077.
Habitat Restoration Workshop
October 28, 2009 - 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Essex Civic Centre, Room C
Are you interested in restoring a forest, creating a wetland or planting native wildflowers and grasses on your property? If so, you should attend the Habitat Restoration Workshop that will highlight the various grant programs available to help landowners who are interested in a habitat restoration projects or other types of environmental improvements on their property (i.e. windbreaks, rock chutes, septic system upgrades, etc.). The workshop includes a presentation on the types of habitat restoration opportunities existing for landowners with examples from previously completed projects. Essex Region Conservation Authority staff will be on hand to discuss project ideas and to provide information on projects and financial assistance.
The workshop is free but pre-registration is required. To register, please contact Vivian Kennedy at 519-776-5209 x345 or vkennedy@erca.org.
Essex County Field Naturalists Club 25th Annual Dinner
Saturday, November 7, 2009 - cocktails at 6 pm; dinner at 7 pm
Tickets are $30 per person and available at:
Ojibway Nature Centre, 5200 Matchette road, Windsor, 519-966-5852
Pelee Wings Nature Store, 636 Point Pelee Drive, Leamington, 519-326-5193 and
JoAnn Grondin, 519-734-0056
Download the poster for more information.
10th Annual Friends of Canard River Fundraising Dinner
Saturday, November 14, 2009 - cocktails at 6:30 pm; dinner at 7 pm
Join the Friend of Canard River for their 10th Annual Fundraising Dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall in LaSalle, Ontario. Tickets are $18 each and feature a rib, chicken or vegetarian dinner. As this is a milestone for the group,they have a special presentation by the Canadian Raptor Conservancy. Please contact Caroline Biribauer, Friends of Watersheds Organizer at 519-776-5209 x 245 or cbiribauer@erca.org.
Environmental Job Postings
(note: the links will expire after the deadline closes.)- Office Manager - International Wildlife Refuge Alliance
Deadline: none specified - Invasive Species Technician - Credit Valley Conservation Authority
Deadline: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - Aquatic Science Operations Specialist - Ministry of Natural Resources (North)
Deadline: Thursday, October 22, 2009 - St. Clair Canadian Remedial Action Plan Coordinator - St. Clair Conservation Authority
Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2009 - Conservation Biologist - The Nature Conservancy of Canada
Deadline: October 30, 2009
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email: postmaster@detroitriver.ca |