At a September 26 meeting, the leadership of the Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership voted to add the director of EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office as a third co-chair of the organization. Chris Korleski, the current GLNPO director, joins co-chairs Natural Resources Conversation Service State Conservationist John Wilson and Lieutenant Colonel Colby K. Krug, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District.
“By gaining a third co-chair in the U.S. EPA, the Western Lake Erie Basin partnership hopes to bring more assets to the table as we work towards protecting this important natural resource both now and in the future,” said John Wilson, state conservationist for Natural Resources Conversation Service.
“Improving water quality across the Western Lake Erie Basin will require a whole-of-government approach,” said Lieutenant Colonel Colby Krug, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District. “Applying new technology, continued effort by many partners, and resources at the federal, state and local levels to develop and implement a comprehensive plan will protect the basin’s economy, environment and fresh drinking water for millions of Americans. Through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a proven track record to be able to make a difference and I welcome them to the Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership.”
The Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership is a long-standing collaboration of federal, state, and local government agencies; academia; and non-governmental organizations from the tri-state western Lake Erie watershed. The watershed encompasses 7 million acres in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. When initially formed in 2006, the group’s focus was sediment and erosion control. In recent years the partnership has shifted its focus to nutrient reduction and addressing harmful algal blooms in western Lake Erie.
EPA already has a major role in Lake Erie nutrient reduction efforts as the lead agency responsible for coordinating the U.S. implementation of Annex 4 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, in partnership with the states. EPA works with the states to develop and implement strategies for achieving the phosphorus reduction goals adopted by the United States and Canada in 2016. In addition, EPA oversees the implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. The initiative invests $20 million a year in Lake Erie nutrient reduction and monitoring harmful algal blooms.
“The partnership brings together federal, state, and local agency resource managers; scientists; and non-government organizations, including organizations representing agricultural producers and environmental interests, to review the latest information on the nutrients issue,” said Chris Korleski, director of EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office. “There is a natural fit here for EPA to assist in developing, implementing, coordinating, communicating, and tracking nutrient reduction efforts, and the timing is ideal with the states and federal agencies working to update the U.S. Action Plan for Lake Erie in the coming months.”
EPA’s larger role in the partnership reflects the Administration’s desire to maximize the involvement of all the existing partners to enhance nutrient reduction efforts in Lake Erie.
For more information on the Partnership, click here.
from EPA News Releases https://ift.tt/t1P3TxZ