John Jackson
Waterkeeper takes lead role in implementing Buffalo’s clean up plan
Waterkeepers have arisen in communities around the world as grassroots advocates for clean water and conservation of water resources. Usually these groups act as advocates outside of the government structures; however, the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper has moved from campaigning for cleanup, to leading the job itself.
State of the Lakes? Not that Great
After decades of monitoring the Great Lakes ecosystem, the Canadian and U.S governments still have only limited knowledge of the status of human and wildlife health in the Great Lakes and do not know whether that status is improving or getting worse.
The Northern Waters Complex: A dream come true?
The Montreal Economic Institute announced a plan to divert the spring runoff of three Northern Quebec Rivers down to the St. Lawrence River. According to the proposal, the plan would make 70 million cubic meters of freshwater newly available, provide 14 terawatt-hours of energy each year through hydroelectric generation, and generate $7.5 billion to $20 billion of revenue from water sales annually and another $2.3 billion of revenue annually from energy sales.
Nipigon AOC receives final funding push
While the province and federal government came to the aid of Nipigon, municipalities across the Canadian side of the basin still struggle to find the third of funding for clean up projects expected of them.
Great Lakes United wins mining lawsuit
The Canadian Federal Court decision requires Environment Canada to make the mining industry annually report the toxic waste accumulating in tailings ponds and waste rock piles.
Study says drop in lake levels natural, no need to act
In May, an International Joint Commission’s study board released a report asserting that relative changes in the levels of Lakes Michigan-Huron and Lake Erie since the last major dredging of the St. Clair River in 1962 is not the result of human activity.
The accidental environmental treaty
When it was signed in 1909, the Boundary Waters Treaty was a means of settling water use disputes that could have led to armed conflict. At the time, no one anticipated that one sentence would set in motion a century of progressive, binational environmental protection initiatives.
Does delisting mean clean?
When an area of concern is delisted, it doesn’t mean pristine waters. A healed hotspot still faces challenges and citizens must be vigilant to prevent relapse.
Great Lakes can’t wait
In a letter to President Obama and Prime Minister Harper, groups across the region urged the leaders to commit to revitalizing an historic water quality pact.
Toxic ‘not’ spots
Across the region, heavily polluted and impaired waterways are going unnoticed, despite pleas from citizens to designate their site an Area of Concern. Unfortunately, these appeals are falling on deaf ears. But why would any community want to be deemed a toxic hotspot?
© 2009 Great Lakes News. 
