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Principles plot course for a sustainable Seaway

In June 1959, President Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the St. Lawrence Seaway . The massive project included the construction of the Robert Moses Saunders power dam and the manipulation of the St. Lawrence River to create a deeper, wider waterway, granting international vessels access to the Great Lakes in the hope of economic prosperity.

On the world stage, the scope of this project can be compared to some of the largest waterway and dam projects undertaken in the world, rivaling the Suez Canal in Egypt, opened in the late 1800s, the Panama Canal opened in 1914, and Stalin’s White Sea-Baltic Canal network constructed in the 1930’s, and now largely obsolete. The 2,012 megawatts of power generated by the Robert Moses Saunders dam is akin to the 2,080 megawatt Hoover Dam.

Fifty years ago, there was no environmental review of how this massive project would impact the environment and how those impacts would be mitigated. Today, with 50 years of hindsight, we see how it has ushered in a host of environmental problems associated with artificial water level manipulation, massive and ongoing dredging of shallow areas, and how it precipitated one of the worst ecological crises to hit the region: a proliferation of aquatic invasive species.

As the industry held much smaller anniversary celebrations than those choreographed in 1959, this summer Great Lakes United took this anniversary as an opportunity to lay the foundation for the next 50 years of commercial shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Great Lakes United rallied over 50 public interest groups from across the region to articulate what changes would be needed for the Seaway – and the shipping industry in general – to be a cause of celebration for the entire region, not just the industry itself.

Outlined in “A Better Seaway: Seven Principles to Guide Sustainable Shipping on The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River”, the principles address a broad range of environmental impacts, from invasive species to ice-breaking, to air emissions. While international vessels have been a focal point for many of the environmental impacts associated with shipping on the Great Lakes, particularly invasive species, the principles also address domestic operations. Upon release, the principles quickly gained broad public support, from environmental and conservation NGOs to boating and fishing associations, religious organizations and more. They also triggered discussion throughout the news media on the legacy of the Seaway, and the tension of an industry that depends upon the water that it continues to harm.

The seven principles are aggressive benchmarks that will require a steadfast effort to meet. They lay the foundation of how commercial navigation can benefit the people and economies of the Great Lakes region, ensure its own viability, and become a true steward for this spectacular, yet fragile, natural wonder. The Seaway and shipping industry is at the headwaters of a challenging and exciting future. The decisions they make today will set a legacy that lasts well beyond the next 50 years.

More organizations are endorsing the principles every day. Citizens are also invited to support these principles.

To learn more about these principles and to voice your support, check out the campaign website, www.abetterseaway.com.

Sidebar: Seven Principles for a Sustainable Seaway

1. Ships must not introduce or spread aquatic invasive species.

Imagine a world where protections are in place to stop the next zebra and quagga mussel from entering the Great Lakes and spreading as far west as Nevada and California. That world can, and must, become a reality. The United States and Canada must require ballast water treatment for ships to eliminate this threat. Absent effective federal regulations, a moratorium on international vessel access to the Great Lakes or implementation of state, provincial or coordinated binational regulations for the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River should be put in place.

2. Climate change is real, and proactive steps must be taken to meet this challenge head on.

Scientists estimate that lake levels will drop dramatically – perhaps as much as 3 feet by the 2050s. This presents a formidable challenge to the entire shipping industry. The impact of lower lake levels will include restrictions in vessel draft and tonnages carried, raising transportation costs by as much as 22 per cent. There is a silver lining. The smaller carbon footprint of shipping relative to rail or truck gives this mode of transport an advantage in the fight to slow climate change. Adapting to climate change provides an opportunity to redefine an outdated industrial model and align operations with restoration.

3. Unnecessary and costly system expansion proposals must be abandoned.

For decades, a broad range of Great Lakes stakeholders have repeatedly fought back expansion proposals that would seek to allow larger vessels to enter and operate on the Great Lakes. Expansion is environmentally unsustainable and the region is wasting time and money debating whether it should be an option for a system that is already underutilized. Canada and the United States must make it unequivocally clear that their future pursuit is not a bigger Seaway, it’s a better Seaway.

4. Air emissions should be cleaned up for shipping to truly be the cleanest mode of transportation in regards to air pollution.

While waterborne transportation may be more fuel efficient than rail or truck, when it comes to human health “better than the other guy” is not good enough. The United States and Canada are proposing to create a North American Emission Control Area to control nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter emissions from international vessels. Unfortunately, domestic vessels are not yet required to meet these same standards, but they should.

5. Work towards the elimination of all pollutants into the Great Lakes.

Virtually every other waste stream, from sewage to grey water, is regulated under a host of state, federal and international requirements. However, across the board, monitoring and inspection of regulation compliance is dependent merely upon auditing of vessels log books. Without increased monitoring and enforcement, diligence can turn to negligence very quickly. One glaring inadequacy is the continued practice of sweeping dry waste cargo from decks and into the water. Existing laws that prohibit dry cargo dumping must be enforced.

6. Minimize ice-breaking, especially in sensitive areas.

Winter ice on the St. Lawrence River protects fragile shores and resting species. Migration and feeding of birds, as well as the movement of large mammals, can be disrupted by early ice breaking. In addition, if a vessel has a spill, emergency response is slower and more difficult in ice than in open water. Understanding and addressing concerns around premature ice breaking is part of a transformation to a sustainable and safer Seaway.

7. Citizen engagement and industry transparency should become the norm in Seaway governance.

Good governance, accountability and transparency ensure that decision-makers make informed choices and that the public has the information to help shape them. The culture of the Seaway has historically been resistant to outside input. Seaway planning must reflect willingness on behalf of the agencies themselves to be challenged with fresh ideas and to change a longstanding culture that caters to a narrow group of stakeholders. Public involvement offers an opportunity to develop plans that are compatible with goals of Great Lakes restoration and ensure that the Seaway and the shipping industry operate sustainably for the next 50 years and beyond.

© 2009 Great Lakes News.