Comments for Great Lakes on the Ground

Comment on March 1 Dispatch from Washington by don mitchel

don mitchel — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:31:52 +0000

love your site,

Comment on Asian Carp Update, Part I: New eDNA Evidence by Tom Matych

Tom Matych — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:19:14 +0000

I would point out that just a few got “loose” in the 70′s, it took some time before they were noticed. In 1999 they started expolding in numbers, (report to congress) and fact. All invasives start out with just a few, a spawn here, a spawn there, then we have millions to deal with. We have native predators for larval and YOY Asian Carp, lack of predators allows invasive species to take over. It’s clear we can;t control where they go, but we can control how many predators they run into. Restore our native predators, they will also eat the other 185 confirmed invasive we have now.

Comment on New York shuts the door on ballast water discharges of invasive species into the Great Lakes by don mitchel

don mitchel — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:49:05 +0000

Anyone who follows the history of ballast water should realize that after Senator Boxer killed legislation in 2008 passed in the House 395-7, to protect us from ballast water our politicians have been caving in to foreign shipping which constitutes the majority of flag ships in US waters. They currently have discussions going on in Congress concerning the economic problems this would create for shipping. California’s action reversing their stance for tough regulations despite Senator Boxers claim that the legislation she killed for the whole country was not strong enough, points out the political game they are playing with American health an environment. Not a single piece of new legislation has been introduced in Congress by either party since, and the EPA had to be sued to even address the idea of creating a standard. Our President as commander and chief, three years after allegedly supporting congressional legislation in 2008 has done nothing but allow a continuous delay on Coast Guard standards, the latest being a delay to “correlate” ( after the next presidential election) with a yet undeveloped EPA standard. New York’s governor, as attorney general developed their purposed tough standards and has now delayed them in conjunction. It is about our dependence on foreign manufactured products to bolster our economy, and sadly although America was capable of putting a man on the moon, because shipping interest say that: ” technology is not out there ” significant action will probably never be taken. What ever weak action is taken environmentalist will have to accept and new shipping investments to develop a fix for the problem will be minimal as they know the political will is gone the same as many of the politicians who did care, Granholm, Schwarzenegger, Patterson, Strickland, Oberstar, etc. Interesting with the political help of our President, Senator Boxer the person responsible for killing national ballast water legislation was reelected. Not surprising since the issue of ballast water is never public-ally broad cast by the news media, despite the severe affects the way it is handled will affect both, Americans and the worlds health and environment forever. The ironic travesty will be the way some who claim to care about environmental stewardship along with the shipping interest will portray weak action with respect and decorum as a great achievement, further destroying a chance for future significant actions. Shipping has won as this problem is not even close to being solved.

Comment on Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled ….. Invasive Species? by Adrian

Adrian — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:30:28 +0000

Thanks for writing what many of us were thinking.

Comment on News on invasives from the back and front doors by don

don — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:58:34 +0000

We are still without comprehensive ballast water policy, law,or regulation to address all the dangers of ballast water discharges.
One can only wonder if this administration is as concerned about nuclear contaminated water from the Pacific in ballast water, as they were to watch ballast systems for tar balls going to Lake Pontchartrain. They have been warned about both. The administration is obviously following an international approach relying on the IMO for direction and enforcement. This is obvious by the failure of this administration to coordinate Federal agencies with a Coast Guard plan,following the IMO. They continue the delay with more and more study until 2013.
Regardless of IMO regulations, international law or treaties, each IMO foreign sea captain works for a different economic interest and performs under independent governance while controlling the ships functions for creating profit. We needed a President who will direct Congress to address this issue with legislation authorizing the Coast Guard to protect our waters from ballast water, or at least direct the Coast Guard to establish a fast strong comprehensive plan to protect America’s waters now. (not after the next presidential election cycle)

Comment on New York shuts the door on ballast water discharges of invasive species into the Great Lakes by Don

Don — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:33:47 +0000

Predictably, it looks as though NY is slowly trying to save face and back down on ballast water despite the money spent creating and defending these laws, illustrated by the 2012 date for compliance reportedly extended by a year and a half. Odd when I wrote to Governor Paterson in 2008 about H.R.2830 and how our state would be represented, a Mr. Tierney from the NY DEC wrote back to me by US mail, on the Governors behalf claiming how great this state ballast legislation would be in comparison to H.R.2830 which would have been well under way by now. I wrote Mr. Tierney back, expressing concern on how they planed on enforcing these State laws, but never received an answer.
Senator Boxer subsequently killed legislation H.R.2830 for the whole country back in 2008, while the three top officials of this administration were all Senators. She allegedly believed it to weak for her states rights. Now California is backing down from her position as well as NY is backing down allegedly because the stricter laws can not be met??? “according to the shipping industry”? So now three years later all we have is a still purposed plan being concocted by the military, which so far appears as little more than following the international Maritime Organization lead of delay.
Our politicians need to act mandating technology other than the ocean flushing, which only uses dilution as the solution for pollution. Flushing dose not address all problems associated by ballast discharges. Just using salinity alone dose not address ocean invasive’s and other substances such as tar balls that can also be taken on during ocean flushing. Human health will continue being at risk and destruction of our waters will continue as shipping traffic continues to increase if our politicians do not start acting prudently.

Comment on More hope in stopping Asian carp by shipping car

shipping car — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:15:03 +0000

There likely would be some loss of barge jobs, but these would be more than replaced by truck, rail, and pipeline jobs needed for transload and transfer movements of the affected cargo.

Comment on New York shuts the door on ballast water discharges of invasive species into the Great Lakes by Don

Don — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:37:08 +0000

Looks as though any hope for a meaningful ballast water policy will be up to NY to force the issue, as the latest news from California is not good, but I am willing to bet, that although as attorney general, the new governor spent a lot of the states money creating strong ballast water laws, he will cave to a weak still purposed Coast Guard plan no matter what the timeline is, or even wether it requires technology instalation.
Interesting Senator Boxer of California kills ballast water legislation passed in the house 395-7, back in 2008, that would have protected the whole country equally, over her frivolous wish for California to be able to enact stronger laws. Now articles are saying California is backing down on its current ballast water laws for being to strict. NY laws will be next to go, making President Obamas week military plan look attractive. Senator Boxers position in 2008 killing ballast water legislation, to allegedly preserve her states rights to stronger laws, (despite president Obama’s reported rhetoric voicing support for legislation) was as the sponsor of the bill, former Rep Oberstar suggested “BS” and now it is being proven by California’s latest action.
Now after all the wasted money this administration created leaving the states to create useless laws, the Presidents delayed Coast Guard plan will provide a weakened standard with a longer time line and President Obama and the Coast Guard WILL BE PRAISED by media for creating protection, when THE REALITY will be, that the killing of the legislation the house voted for in 2008 and the delayed weakened plan will favor the foreign shipping industry more than the American environment and human health. Nor will it be of any help createing quick protection, which would level the playing field for American manufacturing cost by ending the free pass given to foreign ships delivering foreign manufactured goods.
It really is not funny how our politicians waste our money to posture their political stature. Odd Paterson, governor of NY, ask by President Obama to step aside created strong ballast water laws- GONE!, Strickland strong advocate for ballast protection- GONE!, Oberstar creator of national ballast legislation h.r.2830- GONE! Granholm strong advocate for national ballast water regulation mentioned for Obama positions,- GONE- PASSED OVER! Governor Schwarzenegger strong environmental advocate for ballast water, GONE!- coinciding with a newly created weakening of California’s ballast water laws. Senator Boxer the killer of national ballast water laws RETAINED!, with large show of support from President Obama during elections.

Comment on New York shuts the door on ballast water discharges of invasive species into the Great Lakes by Don

Don — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:15:01 +0000

At the end of 2008 when the demise of h.r.2830 was assured at the start of this administration, all of the states rattle their swords with predictable response to create meaningful legislation for ballast water, but the foreign shipping industry said, it was just a “pipe dream” they knew they had won and a policy following an international approach,in favor of their economic business interest would prevail, instead of any enforceable, meaningful American law to protect all American waters equally. Now Wisconsin one of the last of the Great Lakes States with a loud bark is considering a policy to be the first to cater to foreign shipping. NY ballast water laws will be the last wasted money this administration will need to create, with pressure to give in favoring a weak military plan. Then this administration can proceed with a slow military delay program helping ease the economic pain to foreign shipping to install equipment forever giving up the opportunity to put America on a level playing field in manufacturing cost. California laws, although tough have historically already, been shown ineffective, because of the cost to make them meaningful through enforcement. This is obvious as the environmentalist, still are fighting for protection, from the ballast water problems that lurk beneath the sea. Unfortunately invasive s, human bacteria and virus, introduction will also be delayed for the whole world with a slow Federal policy or an international plan. As we continue to wait until sometime in the middle of 2011 for the military delay plan, watch NY and their laws, as it will be the tell, to the future, of any “change” in the way America dose business in the world
Unless comprehensive Federal policy (preferably law) is created directing the Coast Guard to enforce strong regulation, (law) the historic attitude, of disinterest the Coast Guard has displayed will continue as they consider this an International Maritime Organizations area to orchestrate compliance.

Comment on New York shuts the door on ballast water discharges of invasive species into the Great Lakes by don mitchel

don mitchel — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:47:35 +0000

The best time to have enacted ballast water legislation was in 2008 when h.r.2830 passed the House 395-7 at the beginning of the global economic crisis when ship traffic, that is needed in economic globalization was curtailed. Unfortunately this administration chose to delay meaningful legislation with another study for a still purposed military plan of 20 plus years.
Knowing a report prepared for Congress in 2009 stated that legislation calling for mandatory technology installation would increase the cost of foreign manufactured products, this administration made a conscious choice to not address the issue passing up the opportunity to again place America on a level playing field in manufacturing cost. Although some forms of economic globalization are inevitable and beneficial, globalization for economic reasons, at the expense of human health and the environment of future generations is nothing more than economic greed.
In the millennium report prepared for the army in 2005-2006 detailing the military role with the environment it is made clear that international treaties are often thwarted by foreign countries and economic interest. Environmental issues are also cited as the cause of military conflicts. Sadly they also detail the governments policy will be to continue to follow the international communities lead, because of interdependency with foreign economies.
This Administration Ocean initiatives policy states that all international treaties that have been ratified and those presently being adhered to will be honored. This means in its present form the ballast water provision in the International Law of the Sea treaty will apply for the waters of the United States at the Federal level. The millennium report also states that many problems exist with coastal countries and the provisions in international treaties.
Fortunate for the environment, is pressure being applied by the individual states of our country enacting their own laws as a results of this administrations failure and the pressure of environmentalist, technology is now available to address ballast water.
Unfortunately the continued failure of this administration to act with meaningful ballast water regulation has the shipping industry procrastinating on the economic investment to retrofit with technology quickly. As more shipping companies began to retrofit slowly the effect that logistics and cost would have to again create a cost competitive America will be forever lost, as human health and our environment continue suffering while waiting for an international solution or a purposed 20 year Coast Guard plan.
Our Great Lakes are also in danger from terrorist attacks using ballast systems according to Homeland Security as stated on their own web site.
Ships used exclusively on the Great Lakes should also be required for technology as it is now know from government studies that influenza, h1n1, bird flue, and mutations occur in FRESH water lakes and glacier and moved by birds. Ballast water should not facilitate this movement.