GLIN==> RELEASE: As Seaway Opens, Great Lakes Still at Risk from Invasive Species

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press release

March 24, 2010

 

Great Lakes United * Healing Our Waters Coalition * Save The River

 

As Seaway Opens, Great Lakes 

Still at Risk from Invasive Species

 

Buffalo, N.Y. (MARCH 24) -As the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway prepares to
open for its 51st season, conservation groups are once again calling for
protections from aquatic invasive species introduced and spread from ballast
water of commercial vessels.

 

"Invasive species continue to take a staggering financial toll on people,
businesses and communities," said Jennifer Nalbone, director of navigation
and invasive species for Great Lakes United. "Each year, on the eve of a new
shipping season, we call on the nation and the shipping community to slam
the door on this problem, because it will only get worse and more costly."

 

Invasive species introduced by foreign vessels cost the eight-state region
at least $200 million per year in damages and control costs. The No. 1 way
non-native species enter the Great Lakes is through ballast water discharge
of foreign vessels. Lakers, vessels that never leave the Great Lakes, do not
introduce new invasive species from overseas but can spread species from
lake to lake. Despite recent progress last year, including a rulemaking
proposed by the U.S. Coast Guard, and the emergence of state regulations
under the Clean Water Act, sophisticated ballast water treatment and
technology has not yet been implemented onboard foreign vessels or lakers.
Currently the most stringent regulations for foreign vessels coming to the
Great Lakes are two physical methods of management: ballast water exchange,
which has been required in the Great Lakes region since 1996, and flushing
of empty tanks (for vessels termed "no ballast on board"), which was imposed
by Canada in 2006 and the St. Lawrence Seaway in 2008.  

 

The shipping industry is responsible for over 65 percent of invasive species
introductions since the opening of the Seaway in 1959. States across the
Great Lakes region began passing state laws mandating that foreign ships
treat their ballast water after continued failure by the federal government
to put in place national ballast water protections. While the pending Coast
Guard rule offers some hope for a strong, uniform national program, the rule
is not yet finalized. The shipping industry has vigorously challenged in
court state regulations to stop invasive species from entering the Great
Lakes and has also begun to lobby Congress for loopholes that could delay
implementation by lakers of the pending Coast Guard rule.

 

"For those of us living along the St. Lawrence River, it's hard to watch the
ships start coming in as a new Seaway season starts, knowing that more still
needs to be done to clean up ballast tanks," said Jennifer Caddick,
executive director for Save The River. "The shipping industry must do its
part by adopting-rather than fighting-solutions that prevent the
introduction and spread of invasive species into the Great Lakes and other
U.S. waters."

 

Stopping aquatic invasive species is a pillar of Great Lakes restoration and
economic recovery. The Brookings Institution found that restoring the Lakes
will bring the eight-state region at least $2 in economic benefit for every
$1 investment. In November 2009 President Obama signed into law the historic
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative which allocated $475 million dollars
towards lake restoration programs in the eight Great Lakes states. It
focuses investments in solutions to control aquatic invasive species, clean
up contaminated sediments, restore wetlands and other habitat that protect
water quality, prevent flooding, and provide the foundation of the region's
outdoor economy.

 

"The nation is making great strides to advance Great Lakes restoration and
economic recovery," said Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing
Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. "Investing in restoration projects now
while shutting the door once and for all on invasive species will create
jobs and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity."

 

For more information:

More information about ways the shipping industry and Seaway can improve
their environmental performance: www.abetterseaway.com.

 

More information on efforts to restore the Great Lakes:
www.healthylakes.org <http://www.healthylakes.org/>  

 

Contacts:

Jennifer Nalbone, Great Lakes United: 716-983-3831; jen at glu.org

Jeff Skelding, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition: 410-242-2704;
jskelding at nwf.org

Jennifer Caddick, Save The River: 315-686-2010; jennifer at savetheriver.org 

 

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