Hundreds turn out: Message to IJC is loud and clear
Politicians, scientists, activists, citizens urge action on Upper Great Lakes water levels
By Kate Harries AWARE News Network July 19 2012
MIDLAND – People care about water.
There’s a visceral understanding of how important it is.
We saw that in the Dump Site 41 battle, and we saw it again Monday night, when more than 500 people turned out to tell the International Joint Commission – loud and clear – that it has to address the dramatically lowering water levels in the “forgotten lakes” – Lakes Michigan and Huron.
The occasion: a hearing, one of a series being held by the IJC to obtain public comment on a report that recommends no action be taken to address 13 years of crisis-level low water conditions that have devastated wetland fish and wildlife habitat around Georgian Bay and are having a significant impact on the area’s vital tourism industry.
As residents streamed into the Midland rec centre after participating in a water ceremony led by Roseanne Monague of Chimnissing, it became apparent just how out of touch the IJC is with the concern felt by people of this area. The meeting room they’d reserved could accommodate about 100 people. Hundreds more crowded outside. After a short deliberation, commissioners decided to move to the upstairs meeting space.
The problem: Water flows out through the St. Clair River, and that flow has been increased by expansion of the channel by dredging and modifications to accommodate shipping. Continuing erosion resulting from the modifications are an aggravating factor. Also, lower Michigan shoreline owners oppose controls that they fear would cause flooding.
The report: The IJC set up the International Upper Great Lakes Study Board which, in a report released in March, has made no recommendation to address the water and degradation issues in Lakes Michigan and Huron, and suggests “adaptive management” or dyking of some of Georgian Bay’s stranded wetlands. The board held public meetings in March last year, including one in Midland. The IJC can adopt, reject or modify the report in making its recommendations to the U.S. and Canadian governments later this year.
The message: Commissioners Lana Pollack (US co-chair), Lyall D. Knott (a Vancouver lawyer), Rich Moy and Dereth Glance won’t have been able to miss the visual message: many of those at the meeting wore blue Sierra Club Ontario t-shirts with the slogan: Restore our Water Levels. Canadian co-chair Joe Commuzzi (former Liberal MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North who switched to the Conservatives in 2007 and didn’t seek re-election in 2008) was present by video but did not participate despite being questioned by cottager Denis Gardian.
What was said, with passion: The IJC has to take action to avert a looming catastrophe.
Mary Muter, Great Lakes Section Chair of Sierra Club Ontario, whose presentation exceeded the 3-minute limit set for participants but who carried on, buoyed by crowd support when Knott attempted to cut her off: “In the past four years we have given you carefully documented verbal and written submissions, expecting that that well-founded proposals would be treated with respect and that changes would be made to address legitimate concerns. Sadly that has not happened.” Full text
Patricia Watts, Anishinaabe Kweag: “You continue to harm our Mother Earth and our water. You talk about responsibility? I don’t see it. I see our Water levels going down, I see our fish going away. Water is our life… Where are we going to be when there is no water?” What will you say when your grandchildren ask, what did you do to stop this? I will stop it! The Anishinaabe people are going to stand up and protect this water.”
Dr. Pat Chow-Fraser, McMaster University: “I am speaking on behalf of those organisms that cannot speak: the fish, the turtles, the frogs and all the other micro-organisms… We cannot afford to lose more habitats. We need you to tell the governments to restore our water level. Our fish need to go home! And speaking of going home, diking wetlands as an adaptive management strategy is not going to work in Georgian Bay because fish like pike and musky are migratory and cannot cross dikes.” Full text
Bruce Stanton, Simcoe North MP: “May I suggest that you consider an 8th recommendation in this Phase 2 and Final report – “that as the hydro-climatic science and adaptive management strategy begins to build a body of scientific knowledge around this question – the remedial, restorative measures on the St. Clair River be revisited by the new Advisory Board on an annual basis – and if the downward water level trend on Huron-Michigan is persisting over that time – the Advisory Board recommend the IJC reverse its 2009 position – and indeed recommend that remedial measures in the St. Clair River be implemented without delay.” Full text
Richard Banigan recounted the disappearance of pike and other game fish off Lafontaine Beach, and the toxicity of water where people used to swim. He welcomed Stanton’s support for remedial measures but noted current government’s aversion to environmental protection. “I think he should take it up with his boss…Mr. Stanton, how are you going to convince your boss that this is what we need right here?”
George Lawrence, Tiny deputy mayor: Computer data are only as reliable as the information it is fed. We were taught that lesson on a proposed landfill to be built on top of our most precious resource – water. Reality eventually has to be addressed! Commission members, you will not have heard the end of this issue if status quo is your choice. Do nothing is not an option! STOP THE DROP!” Notes
Christopher Barnes, the Georgian Bay appointee to a IUGLSB advisory committee noted that none of the remedial options considered in the study board report involved new technology and urged consideration of inter-lake management. He deplores the “silos of interest” on the Great Lakes. “Michigan’s not seeing our pain, just hearing our complaints. Doing nothing is not an option.”
Paul Cowley, chair of Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations: “FoTTSA has specifically engaged in full support of the Sierra Club’s findings and recommendations because to date, the IJC has not even acknowledged receipt of the Sierra Clubs submissions to them. The IJC has equally not given any considerations to the many errors that The Sierra Club has found in the flawed analysis of the IUGLS. Full text
A possible solution
A Sierra Club Ontario engineer has designed a prototype of a solution: submerged sills installed on piers above a river bed stabilized with large rocks. These sills will allow fish to move beneath them and spawn among the rocks. They could be rotated 90 degrees as needed, or even temporarily removed, to allow more water to flow through in case of high water.
Let your voice be heard
Comments will be accepted until Aug. 31 by email (commission@ottawa.ijc.org), fax (613-993-5583) or in writing to: Canadian Section Secretary, International Joint Commission, 234 Laurier Ave. W., 22nd Floor, Ottawa, Ont., K1P 6K6. For more information, visit the IJC website.
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