Archived GLMRIS News
September 25, 2012
Focus Area 2 Minnesota Reports Released
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released today the Focus Area 2 Aquatic Pathway Assessment Summary Reports for the State of Minnesota: Swan River and Libby Branch of Swan River. These reports present the methodology and key evidence used to assess the potential for transfer of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins through several aquatic pathways.
As part of the Focus Area 2 portion of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS), USACE evaluated two potential pathways within the State of Minnesota, Swan River and Libby Branch of Swan River to consider the probability that a viable aquatic pathway exists. The reports show that both pathways in Minnesota were rated as low probability for movement of ANS. These reports are posted on the FA2 Documents page.
Comments will be accepted beginning today, September 25, 2012. The comment period will close 30 days later on October 25, 2012. Comments may be submitted electronically through the GLMRIS Web site or mailed to GLMRIS Focus Area 2, Summary Report Comments, 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207-3199.
USACE will host a conference call on October 9, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. (Central). Call-in information is:
USA Toll-Free: 877-336-1839
USA Caller Paid/International Toll: 636-651-0008
Access Code: 8506361
Security Code: 0000
If you have any questions about this document, please contact the GLMRIS Focus Area 2 Team at 716-879-4260 or glmris@usace.army.mil.
September 14, 2012
Focus Area 2 Aquatic Pathways Assessment Summary Report
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released today the Focus Area 2 Aquatic Pathways Assessment Summary Report. This report presents the methodology and key evidence used to assess the potential for transfer of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins through several aquatic pathways. A total of 18 potential aquatic pathway reports, and one report for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, will be released in phases, by state, as part of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS), Focus Area 2.
The overall objective of the Focus Area 2 portion of GLMRIS is to produce an interim report for each potential aquatic pathway that is found between the two basins. Each report evaluates key evidence from the available information to qualitatively estimate the likelihood of an aquatic pathway forming and ANS being able to utilize it to reach the adjacent basin. Included in many of these pathway assessments, and included in the summary report, are some potential actions or opportunities that were identified that might prevent or reduce the probability of ANS transfer occurring between the basins. These reports are the next step in a tiered approach to assess the risk associated with the spread of ANS between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins.
The USACE identified interested parties and solicited input early in the process for Focus Area 2 and has included individual visits and discussions with the state agencies responsible for water resources, and fish and wildlife management in the eight states bordering the Great Lakes. The process used for the Focus Area 2 assessments has also been discussed in meetings with representatives of the Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
Comments will be accepted beginning September 14, 2012. The comment period will close 30 days later on October 14, 2012. Comments may be submitted electronically at www.glmris.anl.gov or mailed to GLMRIS Focus Area 2, Summary Report Comments, 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207-3199.
The report is available for download on the GLMRIS website at Focus Area 2 Aquatic Pathways Assessment Summary Report.
USACE will host a conference call on September 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. (Central). Call-in information is: USA Toll-Free: 877-336-1839, Access Code: 8506361, Security Code: 0000.
If you have any questions about this document, please contact the GLMRIS Focus Area 2 Team at 716-879-4260 or glmris@usace.army.mil.
August 23, 2012
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 3
Volume 2, Issue 3 of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter is now available. In this issue of the GLMRIS newsletter, meet new Project Manager Nicole Roach, discover more about the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, and get an update on other ANS efforts!
July 5, 2012
GLMRIS releases Subsistence Fishing and Pro-Fishing Reports
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released two reports today, "Treaty Rights and Subsistence Fishing in the U.S. Waters of the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi River and Ohio River Basins" (Subsistence Fishing Report) and "Pro-Fishing Tournaments in the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi River and Ohio River Basins" (Pro-Fishing Report). These reports are Interim Products of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
The Pro-fishing Report acts as a snapshot of pro-fishing tournaments within the study area. It provides qualitative data for various tournaments, including descriptions of the types of tournaments and information on the rules and other elements.
The Subsistence Fishing Report is an overview of the harvest activities by Native American tribes through treaty rights within the study area and assesses the economic and cultural importance of subsistence harvesting for tribal communities.
Among the findings from the Subsistence Fishing Report, there are 37 federally recognized tribes in the study area, 16 of which engage in subsistence fishing, mostly in the western Great Lakes Basin. The annual approximate value of subsistence fishing activities to an individual subsistence household is between $15 thousand and $16 thousand. The main target species for subsistence fishers are walleye, whitefish, yellow perch and trout.
The Pro-fishing Report indicates that tournaments occur frequently in the study area. The Upper Mississippi and Ohio River Basins showed more occurrences of pro-fishing tournaments. In the Great Lakes Basin, it is estimated that states such as Wisconsin and Minnesota host 450 to 700 pro-fishing tournaments annually. Bass fishing events seem to be particularly popular within the study area.
USACE will host a conference call on July 17 at 10 a.m. (CDT) for interested parties to ask questions on this report. Call-in information is:
| USA Toll-Free: | (866) 233-3842 |
| International: | (651) 291-9113 |
| Access Code: | 253963 |
An assessment of recreational angling in the GLMRIS study area is anticipated at the end of 2012.
The various fisheries baseline assessments are critical to developing study alternatives, as GLMRIS considers impacts of ANS controls on waterway uses and significant natural resources in accordance with law and policy. GLMRIS will include an assessment of measures to mitigate the impact of ANS controls on existing uses of the waterways and significant natural resources.
If you have any questions about the report, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at (312) 846-5522 or David.M.Wethington@usace.army.mil
May 23, 2012
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 2
Volume 2, Issue 2 of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter is now available. In this issue of the GLMRIS newsletter, meet the new Interim Program Manager, discover more about the Commercial Fisheries Report, and get an update on other ANS projects!
May 1, 2012
Commercial Fisheries Report Release
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released today the "Commercial Fisheries Baseline Economic Assessment - U.S. Waters of the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi River, and Ohio River Basins" (Commercial Fisheries Report), an Interim Product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
This baseline report provides a thorough summary of the most recently available commercial fisheries data in the GLMRIS study area. This GLMRIS Team will use this and other baseline reports to further the understanding of existing conditions, as well as to help forecast impacts from potential aquatic nuisance species transfer.
The average harvest level in the U.S. waters of the Great Lakes is estimated at 19.3 million pounds of commercially-caught fish with an associated average value of $22.5 million. Similar analysis estimates 10 million pounds with an associated value of $4 million for the Upper Mississippi River Basin and approximately 1.4 million pounds with an associated value of about $2 million in the Ohio River Basin.
The average harvest level is calculated from the most recent five years of state-licensed and tribal commercial fishing annual harvest data available.
Two complimentary fisheries baseline assessments will be released later this spring: subsistence fisheries and pro-fishing tournaments. An assessment of recreational angling in the GLMRIS study area is anticipated at the end of 2012.
USACE will host a conference call May 10 at 10 a.m. (CST) for interested parties to ask questions on this report. Call-in information is:
| USA Toll-Free: | (866) 233-3842 |
| International: | (651) 291-9113 |
| Access Code: | 246867 |
If you have any questions about the report, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at (312) 846-5522 or David.M.Wethington@usace.army.mil
April 18, 2012
GLMRIS Technology Team releases final ANS Control Paper based on public input
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released today the revised Inventory of Available Controls for Aquatic Nuisance Species of Concern – Chicago Area Waterway System (ANS Control Paper), an Interim Product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
The paper was originally released in December 2011. During the 60-day public comment period, USACE received input that was incorporated into the document. It is now being released as a final product.
In response to public comment on the available options or technologies that may be effective at preventing the transfer of ANS through aquatic pathways in the Chicago Area Waterway System, new information has been added to the ANS Control Paper. In the category of "Lethal Temperature", three new control methods are outlined, including: 1) freezing, 2) carbon dioxide pellet blasting and 3) desiccation (drying). The team has also expanded the discussion of predatory fish in the "Biological Controls" category to include fish that eat mollusks, and added a new sub-section to the "Benthic Barriers" category regarding the use of silt as a type of sediment surface barrier.
USACE received 195 comments during the public review period. The majority of comments (120) were related to hydrologic separation, which is included as a control for further evaluation in GLMRIS. Other comments mentioned variations of control categories previously identified, including controlled harvest -and overfishing, sensory deterrents (such as water guns and acoustic, bubble or electric barriers), biological controls (native predators), vertical drop barrier, ultraviolet light and the alteration of water quality. View the comments on the paper.
Using the information contained in the paper, USACE will develop screening criteria consistent with study objectives and refine the list of ANS Controls to determine which warrant further consideration. USACE will formulate plans comprised of one or more of the screened ANS Controls in consideration of the criteria established by the Principles & Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies: completeness, effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability. USACE will then evaluate and compare the effects of the alternative plans.
The revised paper and ANS Control Fact Sheets have been posted on the ANS Controls Page.
Thank you for your continued interest in GLMRIS.
If you have any questions about this document, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at 312-846-5522 or David.M.Wethington@usace.army.mil.
April 12, 2012
GLMRIS Navigation & Economics Team Responds to Comments on Cargo Assessment
The GLMRIS Navigation & Economics Team has made available responses to the public and agency comments generated from a conference call held to ask questions on the Baseline Assessment of Cargo Traffic on the Chicago Area Waterway System (PDF, 3.6 MB). A Memorandum for Record documents the comments and GLMRIS Team responses.
View the response Memorandum on the Interim Products page of this Web site.
The Team thanks all parties for their review and suggestions for improvement of this interim product.
February 29, 2012
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 1
Volume 2, Issue 1 of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter is now available. In this issue of the GLMRIS newsletter discover more about the ANS Controls Paper, Q & A's on the CAWS Cargo Assessment, an update on other ANS projects and much more!
February 20, 2012
ANS Control Comment Period Closed
USACE has closed the comment period for the: Inventory of Available Controls for Aquatic Nuisance Species of Concern – Chicago Area Waterway System (ANS Control Paper). The public comment period opened December, 21 2011 and closed February 17, 2012.
USACE asked interested members of the public to review the list of potential controls contained in the paper and provide information regarding ANS Controls that may be effective but not included in the paper or comments regarding ANS Controls listed in the paper. Comments were received via electronic submittal through the GLMRIS Web site and mail.
USACE will review these comments and will update and re-issue the ANS Control Paper in spring 2012. The updated, final paper will be posted to this Web site.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the paper and to comment. The GLMRIS Team appreciates your input.
December 21, 2011
ANS Control Paper Release & Comment Period
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released today, Dec. 21, the Inventory of Available Controls for Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) of Concern – Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), (PDF, 2.3 MB) an Interim Product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
This paper identifies available options or technologies (ANS Controls) that may be effective at preventing the 39 ANS of Concern, as identified in the ANS White Paper released in July 2011, from transferring through the aquatic pathways in the CAWS, as well as other potential aquatic pathways.
The paper is posted, along with ANS Control Fact Sheets and the ANS Control Comment Period details on the new ANS Control Paper page.
It is important to note that the ANS Control Paper is intended to inventory available ANS Controls. It does not contain specific recommendations, rank the effectiveness of the Controls, or identify constraints, impacts, regulatory requirements or technological feasibility of application.
USACE is announcing an ANS Control comment period that begins on Dec. 21, 2011, and ends on Feb. 17, 2012. USACE is asking the public to submit: i) information on ANS Controls that may be effective at preventing the transfer of ANS of Concern but are not included in the paper, or ii) comments regarding ANS Controls identified in the paper.
USACE is hosting two conference calls for interested members of the public to ask questions about the paper. The calls will be held on Jan. 10, 2012 from 2 – 4 p.m. (CST) and Feb. 8, 2012 from 10 a.m. – noon (CST). Call-in information for both calls is:
| USA Toll-Free: | (877) 336-1839 |
| Access Code: | 8506361 |
| Security Code: | 0000 |
If you have any questions about this document, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at 312-846-5522 or David.M.Wethington@usace.army.mil
December 7, 2011
Baseline Assessment of Cargo Traffic on the CAWS
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released today, Dec. 7 the Baseline Assessment of Cargo Traffic on the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) (PDF, 3.6 MB), an interim product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
This assessment is intended to present commodity traffic data, as it relates to its movement into CAWS, through CAWS and within CAWS. The report also details commodity traffic and commodity group traffic through the CAWS locks, relative to the CAWS and the overall Illinois Waterway passing through the Lockport Lock and Dam, the Thomas J. O'Brien Lock and Dam and the Chicago Harbor Lock and Dam; historic traffic trends; consumers of the products and how they are typically used and how they generally move throughout the system.
In September 2011, USACE released the Baseline Assessment of Non-Cargo CAWS Traffic, which assessed lock traffic by commercial passenger, recreational and governmental vessels. The data from these two reports will be used to develop navigation system models and waterway traffic forecasts in order to make the best potential recommendation for aquatic nuisance species controls on the waterway and, if necessary, mitigation measures.
USACE will host a conference call Jan. 5 at 10:00 a.m. (CST) for interested parties to ask questions on the Cargo Assessment. Call in information is:
| USA Toll-Free: | (877) 336-1839 |
| Access Code: | 8506361 |
| Security Code: | 0000 |
If you have any questions about the report, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at (312) 846-5522.
November 9, 2011
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 3
Volume 1, Issue 3 of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter is now available. In this issue of the GLMRIS newsletter discover more about Interim Products, GLMRIS Partners, and meet a member of the Natural Resources Team!
September 28, 2011
Baseline Assessment of Non-Cargo CAWS Traffic Release
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released today, the Baseline Assessment of Non-Cargo CAWS Traffic Report (PDF, 927 KB), the third interim product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
This document serves as a baseline assessment of lock traffic by commercial passenger, recreation and governmental vessels. Further, the report will inform and educate on past and current usage of the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) locks and non-cargo lock traffic from which to compare possible changes as a result of the potential implementation of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) controls.
USACE will host a conference call on Oct. 11 at 10:00 a.m. (CDT) for interested parties to ask questions of the GLMRIS Team. Call in information is:
USA Toll-Free:
Access Code: |
(888) 622-5357
772768 |
If you have any questions about the report, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at (312) 846-5522.
September 23, 2011
New Zealand Mudsnail removed from list of riskiest invaders – GLMRIS High-Risk Species List reduced to 39
The initial publication of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) White Paper, the first interim product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS), listed 40 High-Risk Species to potentially transfer between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins through the Chicago Area Waterway System. A late incorporation of a comment made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the secondary agency review reduces the list to 39, as the New Zealand Mudsnail, which is already found in both basins, will be removed.
The purpose of the ANS White Paper is to catalog potential non-native species within the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins and identify which high-risk species will be an initial focus in GLMRIS.
With the removal of the New Zealand Mudsnail from the list, 10 species are high risk for potential transfer to the Great Lakes Basin and 29 are high risk for potential transfer to the Mississippi River Basin.
The identification of the species in the ANS White Paper will aid the GLMRIS Team in focusing efforts toward identifying available prevention and control technologies for further analysis.
The Other Pathways Team (Focus Area II) will be using the ANS White Paper to develop site-specific High-Risk Species lists for all other potential aquatic pathways along the basin divide.
View the ANS White Paper at http://glmris.anl.gov/documents/docs/Non-Native_Species.pdf, and explore the 39 High-Risk Species on this Web site.
If you have any questions about the paper, please contact GLMRIS Project Manager Dave Wethington at (312) 846-5522.
September 16, 2011
GLMRIS Natural Resources Team Responds to ANS Comments
The GLMRIS Natural Resources Team has made available responses to the public and agency review comments generated from a conference call held to ask questions and provide comment on the Aquatic Nuisance Species White Paper. A Memorandum for Record documents the comments and GLMRIS Team responses. In light of the stakeholder input, several revisions have been made to the ANS White Paper.
The total number of potential High Risk invasive species remains at forty (40), with no changes to individual species identified on this list.
View the response Memorandum and the updated ANS White Paper on the Aquatic Nuisance Species Documents page of this Web site.
If you haven't already, take a moment to explore the 40 high-risk species that are poised to potentially transfer between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins through the Chicago Area Waterway System via our High Risk Species fact sheets.
The Team wants to thank all those who took time to review and comment on the ANS White Paper. We sincerely appreciate your interest in GLMRIS!
September 9, 2011
NEPA Scoping Summary Report Available
The US Army Corps of Engineers released the NEPA Scoping Summary Report today, an interim product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). The purpose of this report is to document those methods and procedures which were followed during the NEPA Scoping process, as well as to summarize the comments received. USACE solicited public comment on the scope of GLMRIS from November 16, 2010, thru March 31, 2011. For more information on NEPA see What is NEPA Scoping?
Over 900 comments were submitted through the GLMRIS Web site, via mail and at 12 NEPA public scoping meetings held throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. All comments, as well as transcripts from the public meetings, have been posted to this Web site.
The NEPA Scoping Summary Report will be utilized by the GLMRIS Team to assess topics of interest in order to refine the scope of GLMRIS to focus on significant issues, as well as eliminate issues that are not significant from further detailed study.
If you have any questions about the report, please contact Dave Wethington, GLMRIS Project Manager at (312) 846-5522, or e-mail glmris@usace.army.mil
Thank you for your interest in and support of GLMRIS, the Team truly appreciates and values your input!
July 27, 2011
ANS White Paper Release
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released today an Aquatic Nuisance Species White Paper (PDF, 550 KB), the first interim product of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). The purpose of the ANS White Paper is to catalog potential non-native species within the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins and identify which high-risk species will be an initial focus in GLMRIS.
Identification of the species in the ANS White Paper will aid the GLMRIS Team in focusing efforts toward identifying available prevention and control technologies for analysis.
A new page on the Documents tab of the GLMRIS Web site has been launched in conjunction with the release of this paper. Explore the 40 high-risk species that are poised to potentially transfer between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins through the Chicago Area Waterway System in our new high-risk species fact sheets.
The Army Corps of Engineers will host a conference call on August 10, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. (central) for interested parties to ask questions of the technical team that developed the paper. Call in information is:
USA Toll-Free:
Access Code:
Security Code: |
(888) 684-8852
3027302
3010 |
If you have any questions about the paper, please contact Dave Wethington, GLMRIS Project Manager at (312) 846-5522.
July 6, 2011
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 2
Volume 1, Issue 2 of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter is now available. In this issue of the GLMRIS newsletter meet key members of the GLMRIS Team and learn about the first interim GLMRIS product - a white paper to better define the species of concern in the study area.
June 13, 2011
Public Scoping Comments Available for Viewing
USACE solicited public comment on the scope of the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) during the NEPA scoping period held from November 16, 2010, thru March 31, 2011. Over 900 comments were submitted through this Web site, via mail and at 12 NEPA public scoping meetings held throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. All comments, as well as transcripts from the public meetings, have been posted to the GLMRIS Web site. Use the Web site's interactive search tools to view these comments.
The GLMRIS Team thanks those who commented on the scope of this significant study. We truly appreciate and value your input and interest!
June 13, 2011
Transcripts for St Louis, Vicksburg, Milwaukee, New Orleans and Ann Arbor Scoping Meetings Available
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Metro Area of St. Louis, MO (February 8, 2011) Meeting Transcript (1.0 MB) |
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Vicksburg, MS (February 10, 2011) Meeting Transcript (550 KB) |
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Milwaukee, WI (February 15, 2011) Meeting Transcript (809 KB) |
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New Orleans, LA (February 17, 2011) Meeting Transcript (652 KB) |
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Ann Arbor, MI (March 8, 2011) Meeting Transcript (1.6 MB) |
The transcripts for the public scoping meetings for St Louis (February 8, 2011), Vicksburg (February 10, 2011), Milwaukee (February 15, 2011), New Orleans (February 17, 2011) and Ann Arbor (March 8, 2011) are now available on this web site on the Completed NEPA Public Scoping Meetings & Transcripts page.
May 6, 2011
Transcript for Cincinnati Meeting Available
The transcript for the public scoping meetings for Cincinnati (February 1, 2011) is now available on this web site on the Completed NEPA Public Scoping Meetings & Transcripts page.
Additional scoping meeting transcripts will be posted as they become available.
April 29, 2011
Transcript for Traverse City Meeting Available
The transcript for the public scoping meetings for Traverse City (January 27, 2011) is now available on this web site on the Completed NEPA Public Scoping Meetings & Transcripts page.
Additional scoping meeting transcripts will be posted as they become available.
April 27, 2011
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 1
Volume 1, Issue 1 of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Newsletter is now available. The newsletter discusses the completed public scoping meetings, the progress of the study, the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee public meeting, and much more.
April 22, 2011
April 28, 2011 Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee Public Meeting in Chicago
Asian Carp Director John Goss of the White House Council on Environmental Quality will lead a public meeting of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC) on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at the John G. Shedd Aquarium from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Goss and other members of the ACRCC will discuss the proactive efforts of the Obama Administration and the Great Lakes states to prevent Asian carp from establishing a self-sustaining population in the Great Lakes. Along with updates on the ACRCC Strategy Framework, the event will also provide an opportunity for public comment and feedback.
| When: |
Thursday, April 28, 2011 Public Meeting from 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM (CDT) |
| Where: |
John G. Shedd Aquarium, South Entrance Presidential Conference Room, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois |
| Watch: |
The event will be webcast at https://www.mymeetings.com/tetratech/join/
Conference number: PG7013611
Passcode: ASIAN CARP |
| Listen: |
(888) 603-8914 |
April 22, 2011
Transcripts for Cleveland, Minneapolis and Green Bay Scoping Meetings Available
The transcripts for the public scoping meetings for Cleveland (January 13, 201), Minneapolis (January 20, 2011) and Green Bay (January 25, 2011) are now available on this web site on the Completed NEPA Public Scoping Meetings & Transcripts page.
Additional scoping meeting transcripts will be posted as they become available.
April 1, 2011
Stay Involved Page Launched
The new Stay Involved page includes ways to stay up-to-date with GLMRIS, feeds from the GLMRIS Twitter and Facebook pages and information regarding past involvement opportunities. It also provides links to other federal agency websites for additional information on aquatic nuisance species and what you can do to prevent their spread.
April 1, 2011
GLMRIS Scoping Period Closed
USACE has completed the scoping phase for the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). The public comment period for scoping ran from November 16, 2010 through March 31, 2011. Comments were delivered during 12 USACE-hosted public scoping meetings and received via electronic submittal through the GLMRIS Web site, mail and hand-delivery.
Stay tuned for the posting of these comments and the meeting transcripts on this Web site. The scoping period may be closed, but visit our new page for more ways to Stay Involved!
March 31, 2011
Last Day to Comment on the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study
Today, March 31st, is the last day to comment on the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study. Don't miss your opportunity! Please encourage interested parties to give their input. The US Army Corps of Engineers greatly values the interest and comments received during this comment period, which opened on November 16, 2010. Comments may be submitted online through the GLMRIS Web site. See the project website for additional ways to submit comments.
The GLMRIS Team looks forward to a continuous relationship with our stakeholders. Periodic newsletters will be published to update you on the study's progress. Opportunities for public involvement, new documents and other important news and events will be posted on the GLMRIS Web site (a new Involvement page will go live in April) and sent to the GLMRIS e-mail subscription list. Please, join the conversation and discuss GLMRIS topics with the Corps and other stakeholders at Facebook.com/glmris and Twitter @GLMRIS.
March 28, 2011
Transcripts for Chicago and Buffalo Scoping Meetings Available
The transcripts for the public scoping meetings for Chicago (December 15, 2010) and Buffalo (January 11, 2011) are now available on this web site on the Completed NEPA Public Scoping Meetings & Transcripts page.
Additional scoping meeting transcripts will be posted as they become available.
March 4, 2011
March Marks the Final Chance to Comment On and Attend a Public Scoping Meeting on GLMRIS
The scoping comment period for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) ends on March 31. These next few weeks will be the last chance for the public, through substantive comments, to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with refining the scope of GLMRIS to focus on significant issues, as well as eliminate issues that are not significant from further detailed study. Comments may be submitted electronically through this Web site on the Submit a Scoping Comment page, mailed into the Corps Chicago District Office or given orally at the last public meeting in Ann Arbor. Please see the Getting Involved page for more information on ways to submit comments.
On Tuesday, March 8, 2011, the last public scoping meeting will be held in Ypsilanti from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, located at 1275 S. Huron St. Identical presentations about the study will be given at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., each followed by the oral comment period. If you plan to make an oral comment, please register on this Web site on the Public Scoping Meetings page.
Remember, you can also keep up to date with GLMRIS through Facebook and Twitter: http://www.facebook.com/glmris and Twitter @GLMRIS.
January 31, 2011
Ann Arbor Meeting Rescheduled Due to Weather Conditions
The Ann Arbor, Michigan meeting scheduled for February 3, 2011, has been rescheduled due to weather conditions. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 8, 2011.
If you registered to speak at the February 3 meeting, you have automatically been registered to speak at the March 8 meeting. If you would like to cancel your registration, please send an email to glmriswebmaster@anl.gov.
The time and location for the meeting have NOT changed:
2:00pm—8:00pm
Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest
1275 S Huron Street
Ypsilanti, MI
January 14, 2011
Nine Scoping Meetings Confirmed With Additional Meetings Planned for Milwaukee and New Orleans
After the commencement of the first scoping meeting in Chicago on Dec. 15, 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has confirmed the venues, dates and times of nine other public scoping meetings. The meeting times have been revised to begin at 2 pm and end at 8 pm. See the example agenda.
Through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping process, USACE invites you to attend a meeting to help us refine the scope of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) to focus on the most significant issues. To make an oral comment at one of these meetings, please register.
Due to high public interest, USACE will also hold meetings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and New Orleans, Louisiana. Details to follow.
Remember, until March 31, 2011, USACE will be accepting public comments on the scope of GLMRIS. Written comments may be submitted online.
Get others engaged! Direct them to this Web site and tell them to follow our social media sites for more information.
December 10, 2010
Extended Scoping Period, Additional Meetings Announced
USACE announces the NEPA public comment period for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study has been extended to March 31, 2011. USACE also announces that in addition to Chicago, Illinois, USACE will be hosting public scoping meetings in the following metropolitan areas on the following dates:
- Buffalo, NY - Tuesday, January 11, 2011
- Cleveland, OH - Thursday, January 13, 2011
- Minneapolis, MN - Thursday, January 20, 2011
- Green Bay, WI - Tuesday, January 25, 2011
- Traverse City, MI - Thursday, January 27, 2011
- Cincinnati, OH - Tuesday, February 1, 2011
- Ann Arbor, MI - Thursday, February 3, 2011
- Metro Area of St. Louis, MO - Tuesday, February 8, 2011
- Vicksburg, MS - Thursday, February 10, 2011
Public scoping meetings will be held in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) to gain broad-based public and community input to GLMRIS. USACE is seeking comments in order to refine GLMRIS to focus on significant issues, as well as eliminate issues that are not significant from further detailed study. For additional information about the scoping meetings see the USACE Press Release.
Please see the Public Meetings Schedule if you would like to give an oral comment at any of these meetings. You may also submit a comment online through March 31, 2011. Please refer to our website to learn more about the public meetings.
Thank you for your interest in and support of GLMRIS!
November 15, 2010
Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study Web Site Now Live
The Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) web site is now live and will be your main source for important information, news, and events related to the study.
On this site, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces its intent to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), accept public comments, and host public scoping meetings that will refine GLMRIS to focus on significant issues, as well as eliminate issues that are not significant from further detailed study.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to organize stakeholder meetings. Public scoping meetings will be held in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) to gain broad-based public and community input to GLMRIS. The first of these meetings is scheduled in Chicago for December, 15 2010 at The University of Chicago Gleacher Center. Please register if you would like to give a public comment at this meeting. Public scoping in other cities, in both the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins, is anticipated to carry over into early 2011.
Comments will be accepted until March 31, 2011. You may also submit a comment online.
Thank you for your interest in and support of GLMRIS!
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