Status and Needs of Michigan’s Aquatic Invasive Species

Management Plan

Roger EberhardtOffice of the Great Lakes

Context

Statewide planning Invasive species recommendations What you can do

Michigan’s Vision

It is our collective vision that the Great Lakes and the rivers bringing water to the Great Lakes will be the premier freshwater resource in the world and will sustain a healthy environment, strong economy, and high quality of life long into the future.

Purpose of the EffortPurpose of the Effort

The expected outcomes are:

Development of an integrated collaborative plan to move Michigan forward toward protecting and restoring the Great Lakes.

Identification of protection and restoration programs that should be undertaken in Michigan.

Identification of Michigan protection and restoration priorities for federal funding.

MI Great Lakes PlanMI Great Lakes Plan

The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy reflects the efforts needed throughout the Great Lakes Basin.

The MI Great Lakes Protection and Restoration Plan will

provide specific direction to address the recommendations of the Collaboration and to take further steps to address the specific needs within Michigan.

The Plan will stress that the health of the Great Lakes is

dependent on the health of the waters that feed the lakes, and the near-shore areas that buffer the lakes.

Michigan Plan ProcessMichigan Plan Process

Internal Action Teams (May-July)Internal Action Teams (May-July) background statementbackground statement goalgoal recommended actions recommended actions

Stakeholder Sessions (Aug-Sep)Stakeholder Sessions (Aug-Sep) provide input, expand upon the action provide input, expand upon the action

frameworks and assist in identifying specific frameworks and assist in identifying specific Michigan effortsMichigan efforts

Local Meetings (Oct-Nov)Local Meetings (Oct-Nov) provide input on plan, identify local prioritiesprovide input on plan, identify local priorities

Final Michigan Plan (Dec)Final Michigan Plan (Dec)

Eight Watershed MeetingsEight Watershed MeetingsPurpose:Purpose:

Ground truth the draft planGround truth the draft plan

Inform the draft plan, adding missing Inform the draft plan, adding missing information and recommendationsinformation and recommendations

Identify impediments to restoration and Identify impediments to restoration and protection efforts and discuss suggestions or protection efforts and discuss suggestions or solutions can remove those impediments.solutions can remove those impediments.

Identify opportunities for better collaborationIdentify opportunities for better collaboration

Recommendations of local watershed Recommendations of local watershed restoration actionsrestoration actions

Suggestions on prioritizationSuggestions on prioritization

Implementing the PlanImplementing the Plan

An Implementation Team will be An Implementation Team will be developed to assist state and local developed to assist state and local efforts to implement the efforts to implement the recommendations of the Michigan recommendations of the Michigan Plan.Plan.

Framework DevelopmentFramework Development

Development of the draft framework took into Development of the draft framework took into consideration:consideration:

Input received from stakeholdersInput received from stakeholders

The Collaboration strategy recommendationsThe Collaboration strategy recommendations

The recommendations of the recently released The recommendations of the recently released MUCC report, MUCC report, Michigan’s Role in Great Lakes Michigan’s Role in Great Lakes Protection and Restoration; Analysis and Protection and Restoration; Analysis and RecommendationsRecommendations including the gap analysis including the gap analysis

Michigan’s current activities, programs and policiesMichigan’s current activities, programs and policies

Great Lakes Governors’Great Lakes Governors’Great Lakes PrioritiesGreat Lakes Priorities

Water Management/DiversionsWater Management/Diversions Aquatic Invasive Species Aquatic Invasive Species Habitat/Species Habitat/Species Coastal Health Coastal Health Areas of Concern/Sediments Areas of Concern/Sediments Nonpoint Source Nonpoint Source Toxic Pollutant Toxic Pollutant Indicators and Information Indicators and Information Sustainable Development (including sustainable Sustainable Development (including sustainable

energy and assuring a strong economy) energy and assuring a strong economy)

Priority Area GoalsPriority Area Goals Aquatic Invasive Species - Aquatic Invasive Species - Prevent all new Prevent all new

introductions of AIS into Michigan, stop the introductions of AIS into Michigan, stop the spread of AIS within the state and clearly identify spread of AIS within the state and clearly identify and organize responsibilities and authorities for and organize responsibilities and authorities for AIS prevention, control, monitoring, regulation AIS prevention, control, monitoring, regulation and outreach/education within the appropriate and outreach/education within the appropriate state agency.state agency.

Habitat/Species - Habitat/Species - Conserve, enhance and restore Conserve, enhance and restore Michigan’s fish and wildlife by restoring and Michigan’s fish and wildlife by restoring and protecting natural communities, the diverse protecting natural communities, the diverse habitats they provide and the ecological habitats they provide and the ecological processes that sustain them.processes that sustain them.

Priority Area GoalsPriority Area GoalsCoastal Health - Coastal Health - Protect public health through the Protect public health through the

elimination of pollution sources which can cause elimination of pollution sources which can cause closings at beaches due to bacterial closings at beaches due to bacterial contamination to enhance recreation contamination to enhance recreation opportunities and support a strong and vibrant opportunities and support a strong and vibrant Michigan economy.Michigan economy.

Areas of Concern/Sediments - Areas of Concern/Sediments - Restore and protect Restore and protect beneficial uses in 14 Michigan AOCs where beneficial uses in 14 Michigan AOCs where human activities have caused or are likely to human activities have caused or are likely to cause impairment of beneficial human uses or the cause impairment of beneficial human uses or the area's ability to support aquatic life and to serve area's ability to support aquatic life and to serve as an important step toward virtual elimination of as an important step toward virtual elimination of persistent toxic substances within the Great persistent toxic substances within the Great Lakes. Lakes.

Priority Area GoalsPriority Area Goals

Nonpoint Source - Nonpoint Source - The goal is to control or The goal is to control or eliminate NPS pollution in Michigan to provide for eliminate NPS pollution in Michigan to provide for healthy and diverse aquatic ecosystems, protect healthy and diverse aquatic ecosystems, protect public health, enhance environmentally public health, enhance environmentally compatible recreation opportunities and support compatible recreation opportunities and support a strong and vibrant Michigan economy.a strong and vibrant Michigan economy.

Toxic Pollutant - Toxic Pollutant - Virtually eliminate the release of, Virtually eliminate the release of, and exposure, to persistent toxic substances and exposure, to persistent toxic substances (PTS) into the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem to (PTS) into the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem to protect human health, fisheries and wildlife protect human health, fisheries and wildlife populations and the aquatic environment.populations and the aquatic environment.

Priority Area GoalsPriority Area Goals

Indicators and Information - Indicators and Information - Standardize and enhance Standardize and enhance scientifically valid standardized methods by which scientifically valid standardized methods by which information is collected, recorded and shared within information is collected, recorded and shared within Michigan to provide high-quality data for managers, Michigan to provide high-quality data for managers, scientists, and the public to measure environmental quality scientists, and the public to measure environmental quality status and trends and to evaluate the effectiveness of status and trends and to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention, remediation, and restoration activities.prevention, remediation, and restoration activities.

Sustainable Development - Sustainable Development - Have human activities support a Have human activities support a strong and vibrant Michigan economy, meeting societal and strong and vibrant Michigan economy, meeting societal and cultural needs while achieving balance with a diverse and cultural needs while achieving balance with a diverse and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem. This includes resilient Great Lakes ecosystem. This includes development and maintenance of a Great Lakes community development and maintenance of a Great Lakes community that has fully embraced and routinely applies sustainability that has fully embraced and routinely applies sustainability guideposts in all decisions and actions. guideposts in all decisions and actions.

Plan OutlinePlan OutlineFor each priority area the plan includes:For each priority area the plan includes:

Success stories Success stories

Recommendations requiring Congressional actionRecommendations requiring Congressional action

Recommendations requiring MI legislative actionRecommendations requiring MI legislative action

Actions that can be accomplished within existing Actions that can be accomplished within existing

funding constraints through increased collaborationfunding constraints through increased collaboration

Actions that would need significant new funding to Actions that would need significant new funding to

accomplish.accomplish.

Recommendations by watershedRecommendations by watershed

Invasive Species Invasive Species Recommendation ExamplesRecommendation Examples

Success story:Success story: Michigan’s ballast water regulations

Congressional Congressional action needs:action needs: Development of a screening tool

Legislative action Legislative action needs:needs: Rapid response funding

Increased Increased collaboration collaboration needs:needs: Organisms in trade educational program

AIS Recommendations Establish a screening process for organisms proposed for trade;

classifying species into three lists—prohibited, accepted, and conditionally accepted by permit. The burden of proof of non- injuriousness should be on the importer.

Michigan should establish an early detection and rapid response program for AIS new to the state including a $1 million revolving fund for rapid response actions and collaborating with an interagency Great Lakes Federal Rapid Response Team

Work with the Michigan legislature to develop a viable, long-term funding source for AIS prevention and control actions

Continue to develop a comprehensive AIS education program prevention and control

AIS Recommendations, Cont.

State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference:– Phragmites spread

– Cladaphora spread

Your Input

Response to the plan by mid-November

Specific ideas today Thoughts on prioritizing Implementation

To submit comments To submit comments

or request to be added to the or request to be added to the distribution list email:distribution list email:

DEQ-Greatlakesrestoration@michigan.gov

or visit our website:or visit our website:www.michigan.gov/deqgreatlakes

Office of the Great LakesOffice of the Great Lakes

P.O. Box 30473 P.O. Box 30473

Lansing, MI 48909-7973 Lansing, MI 48909-7973

517-335-4056517-335-4056

FAX: 517-335-4053FAX: 517-335-4053