Science Needs from the Municipal Perspective

Transcription

1 Science Needs from the Municipal Perspective Sarah Rang, Acting Deputy Director Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative CAWQ February 24, 2009

2 The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Founded in 2003 Chair- Lynn Peterson, Mayor of Thunder Bay Vice Chair- Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell Founding US Chair - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Founding Canadian Chair- Toronto Mayor David Miller Currently 60 members, and counting 2

3 Nipigon Township of Terrace Bay Bayfield Ashland Bruce County Midland Township of Georgian Bay 3

4 Cities Initiative: Strategies A Municipal Seat at the Table Collaboration, Best Practices Local Improvements Working with Governments to improve public policy Communications and Outreach 4

5 Great Lakes One project- coordinating municipal advice on Great Lakes Identified areas of municipal interest Outline areas where gaps between science and policy Seeking ways to better bridge gaps between science and action 5

6 What is the Canada- Ontario Agreement? Agreement that governs role, responsibilities of provincial and federal government on the Great Lakes Translates into budgets and priorities of over 400 projects on Great Lakes No formal municipal involvement in the past 6

7 Why is Canada- Ontario Agreement important to municipalities? Municipalities have a huge interest in clean water, healthy ecosystems and vital waterfonts Municipalities may own or operate waste water and drinking water plants, beaches, waterfront, involved in planning etc. Municipalities can help implement many of COA goals 7

8 What is the COA Memorandum of Cooperation? Signed July, 2008 between Cities Initiative and Ontario Government (MOE, MNR, OMAFRA) Commitment to establish process for Ontario municipal input into COA renegotiation and implementation Process facilitated by GLSLCI, but on behalf of all Ontario Great Lakes municipalities. 8

9 What are Great Lakes issues of municipal interest? 1. Nearshore water quality (drinking water, beaches, algae, natural areas) 2. Wastewater and stormwater management (reducing bypasses, moving up the pipe and climate change adaptation) 3. Appreciation ( trails/tourism, building a business case) 9

10 Municipal Working Group Current Thinking 1) Nearshore quality Reduction in Algae Interest in Better Beaches Protection and restoration of wetlands and natural areas Improved leadership and collaboration 10 10

11 Reduce Algae Photo credit: MOE 11

12 Lake Ontario The Lakes are changing Lake Ontario 2003 ( photo credit: MOE) 12

13 Gap: How to Reduce Algae? Is reducing Phosphorus still a good approach? What aspect of P are we trying to reduce- spring concentrations? Whole lake loads? Nearshore? What are the largest sources of P to a waterfront? How to determine the actions which give the greatest bang for the buck? How to develop a good business case for Council for investment when many benefits hard to value and science has gaps? 13

14 Better beaches Working to increase amount of time beaches are open (not posted) Improving beach monitoring Improving beach leadership and management Improving beach communication 14

15 Gaps: How to improve beaches? How to get better sense of the current state of the beach and time trends, locally and lakewide? How to determine largest sources of contamination to beaches? How to improve data on illness related to beaches? Move to predictive modelling? How to determine biggest bang for buck? How to fund beach science and management? 15

16 Municipal Working Group Current Thinking 2) Stormwater and Wastewater Need to look forward, discuss future of stormwater management Need to move up the pipe and reduce, slow down and clean up stormwater Need to increase green infrastructure Need to reduce bypasses and CSO overflows 16 16

17 Adaptation to Climate Change Climate change impacts on Great Lakes- lower water level, increased storminess, changes in water flow Consider how to increase pace of climate change adaptation Want to encourage long term view in municipal planning- 100 year storms coming more frequently, but still planning and building often based on old assumptions 17

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20 Gaps: Climate change What size storm to design infrastructure for? How to translate global climate models to local scale? How to assess vulnerability of infrastructure and systems? How to best adapt municipal services to changing lake levels, increased temperature and changing water flows? 20

21 3. Appreciation 16% of Ontarian s s think the Great Lakes are in good or excellent condition (2007 polling) Increase people s s connection to lakes through trails, beaches, fishing etc. Municipalities interested in building business case for protection- costs of algae, benefits of Lakes 21

22 Gaps: Appreciation How to dispel myth of abundance? How to reconnect people to the Lakes? How to help build good business cases for protection? Collecting examples of local stories and costs: Algae Beaches 22

23 For more information GLSLCI website: Conference Trois Rivieres June 17-19, 19, 2009 Contact GLSLCI: Sarah Rang, Acting Deputy Director Office: Nicola Crawhall, Deputy Director Office: