[dailynews] February 28, 2012

Great Lakes Daily News: February 28, 2012
For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


Groups urge open talks on Great Lakes cleanup
-------------------------------------------------
Environmental groups urged the United States and Canada on Monday to share 
more information about future cleanup efforts in the Great Lakes. The 
groups, including Great Lakes United and about 60 others, complained that 
officials have been short on details regarding renewing the Great Lakes 
Water Quality Agreement. Source: Watertown Daily Times (2/28)


EDITORIAL: Doing battle for the Great Lakes
-------------------------------------------------
Operation Great Lakes has been launched. Its two main objectives: maintain 
funding of the Great Lakes Initiative at $300 million, and pass the Stop 
Asian Carp Act. The annual battle to save the nation's largest freshwater 
ecosystem hits the ground in the nation's capital today. Source: The Plain 
Dealer (2/28)


Ice boom to be removed, earliest ever
-------------------------------------------------
Due to mild temperatures, the lack of ice on Lake Erie, and the absence of 
an ice build-up below Niagara Falls, the New York Power Authority and 
Ontario Power Generation have decided to remove the ice boom. Source: 
WGRZ-TV - Buffalo, NY (2/28)


COMMENTARY: Aggressive water conservation could cancel pipeline plan
-------------------------------------------------
Some time this year, the Waterloo, Ont., region will complete work on a new 
long-term water supply plan. Early indications suggest it will, among other 
things, call for dramatic increases in water conservation and delay the 
construction of a pipeline from Lake Erie. Source: The Waterloo Region 
Record (2/28)


Muskegon's winter that wasn't: Anglers enduring fishing season minus ice
-------------------------------------------------
The ice fishing season in Muskegon County has been a great disappointment to 
many anglers this year. For those who prefer the county's larger inland 
lakes of Muskegon Lake and White Lake, the fishing has been nearly 
nonexistent. Source: MLive.com (2/28)


Climbing melting ice
-------------------------------------------------
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a special place for Midwestern ice 
climbing. Every February, hundreds of climbers meet in Munising for Michigan 
Ice Fest. That's because the Lake Superior shoreline has one of the highest 
concentrations of accessible ice climbs in North America. Source: Michigan 
Radio (2/28)


Michigan farm program that mitigates environmental impacts may expand
-------------------------------------------------
A proposal to increase state spending on the Michigan Agriculture 
Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) would reduce pollution from farm 
operations in the next few years, advocacy groups said. Source: Great Lakes 
Echo (2/28)


Muskegon County Drain Commissioner asks for approval to fight Mona Lake 
algae blooms
-------------------------------------------------
The roughly 200-acre celery flats on either side of Black Creek on the east 
end of Mona Lake in Muskegon County, Mich., are responsible for about 70 
percent of the phosphorus in Mona Lake, according to a recent study. Source: 
MLive.com (2/27)

Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story 
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html