Workshop & Meeting Proceedings

Related to Great Lakes Areas of Concern

Remediation to Restoration to Revitalization: Building Environmental and Economic Prosperity in Michigan’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern

October 2012 - Kalamazoo, MI

The workshop brought together leaders from Michigan’s 14 Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) to discuss opportunities and showcase resources and techniques that can help AOC communities leverage remediation and restoration efforts to accelerate environmental and economic revitalization. This includes sustaining environmental stewardship; integrating watershed restoration with sustainable economic growth; and developing a long-term vision that celebrates freshwater resources and coastal amenities as key ingredients for building a high quality of life for coastal communities.

Advancing Restoration of Michigan’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern: Opportunities in Year Three of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

February 2012 - Lansing, MI

This workshop convened leaders from Michigan’s 14 Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC) to review restoration priorities and coordinate efforts to address them over the coming year with resources available under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Representatives from federal agencies discussed the status of the GLRI, progress toward meeting its goals, and resources available for AOC restoration projects. Staff from Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes reviewed current plans for the state’s AOC program, including the vision for completing restoration and moving to a new era of stewardship.

2011 U.S. Areas of Concern Program Annual Meeting: Celebrating Progress; Confronting Challenges; Moving Forward!

October 2011 - Detroit, MI

The annual Areas of Concern (AOC) conference convened over 250 participants from the 30 U.S. AOCs to review recent developments affecting the AOC program; discuss approaches for implementing delisting targets; build capacity to implement on-the-ground restoration actions; identify opportunities to address AOC restoration priorities under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; improve linkages between the AOCs, LaMPs and other programs; and consider actions that will strengthen the regional U.S. AOC program.

The 2011 AOC meeting was held as part of the first annual Great Lakes Week (http://glri.us/glweek.html). Live coverage of Great Lakes Week 2011 was provided by Detroit Public Television. Archived videos from the AOC conference and other Great Lakes Week events can be viewed at http://greatlakesnow.org.

Agenda highlights included keynote remarks from Rachel Jacobson, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of Interior, and breakout sessions on a number of topics important to the AOCs. Representatives from local AOC groups, state and federal agency staff, LaMP participants, academic partners, consultants, and other groups were in attendance.

Restoring Michigan’s Great Lakes: Opportunities in Year Two of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

January 2011 - Lansing, MI

Over 200 people attended this workshop to prepare for year two of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The program identified restoration priorities for Michigan’s 14 Great Lakes Areas of Concern; reviewed upcoming funding opportunities under the GLRI; and helped advance partnerships and other arrangements to prepare restoration projects for Michigan’s Areas of Concern. Staff from federal agencies were there to discuss upcoming funding opportunities under the GLRI. The workshop also reviewed the status of the Great Lakes Legacy Act and options for generating non-federal cost share for contaminated sediment cleanup projects. A networking period followed formal presentations and provided an opportunity for participants to meet with Area of Concern leaders, agency staff, consultants and other partners to discuss project ideas and consider the best approach for developing funding proposals.

U.S. Areas of Concern Program Annual Meeting: Advancing Restoration Actions under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

September 2010 - Buffalo, NY

The annual meeting for the U.S. Areas of Concern (AOC) program convened over 200 participants to review recent developments affecting the AOC program; discuss approaches for implementing delisting targets; build capacity to implement on-the-ground restoration actions; identify opportunities to address AOC restoration priorities under President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; improve linkages between the AOCs, LaMPs and other programs; and consider actions that will strengthen the regional U.S. AOC program. The 2010 AOC meeting was held in conjunction with the 6th Annual Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Restoration Conference. In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Best Practices Workshop was integrated into the breakout sessions on the first day of the AOC meeting. Agenda highlights included keynote remarks from Cameron Davis, Senior Advisor to the Administrator for the Great Lakes, U.S. EPA, and breakout sessions on a number of topics important to the AOCs.

U.S. Areas of Concern Program Annual Meeting: Implementing Restoration Targets and Achieving On-The-Ground Results for the Great Lakes

October 2009 - Milwaukee, WI

The annual meeting for the U.S. Areas of Concern (AOC) program convened over 160 participants to review recent developments affecting the program; discuss approaches for implementing delisting targets; build capacity to implement on-the-ground restoration actions; identify opportunities to address AOC restoration priorities under President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; improve linkages between the AOCs, Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) and other programs; and consider actions that will strengthen the regional U.S. AOC program. Agenda highlights included keynote remarks from Todd Ambs, Water Division Administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and breakout sessions on a number of topics important to the AOCs.

Building Capacity and Partnerships to Restore Michigan’s Great Lakes Areas of Concern Under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

August 2009 - East Lansing, MI

In his FY2010 budget, President Obama proposed $475 million for a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, with a substantial portion dedicated to cleaning up the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. The purpose of the workshop was to identify restoration priorities in Michigan’s 14 Areas of Concern and develop partnerships and other arrangements to prepare proposals and seek funding for key restoration projects. At the workshop, staff from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality reviewed restoration needs in Michigan’s Areas of Concern. Representatives from U.S. EPA and other federal agencies discussed funding opportunities under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Local leaders from Michigan’s Areas of Concern were also present to discuss restoration needs, network with project partners and consider next steps for preparing funding proposals.

Lake Erie Areas of Concern Summit

July 2006 - Erie, PA

This meeting convened participants from the 12 Lake Erie AOCs to network and enhance communication; review recent developments affecting the AOC program; identify opportunities to expedite progress on key AOC tasks; and improve linkages between the AOCs and the Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan. The program provided an overview of AOC and lakewide management efforts on Lake Erie; a review of opportunities for Lake Erie’s AOCs to benefit from federal and state programs; and examples of how local RAP groups have developed the capacity needed to advance restoration efforts in their AOCs.

AOC Summit III: Charting a Course to Delisting

February 2006 - Kalamazoo, MI

This AOC Summit convened federal, state and local Remedial Action Plan participants to begin implementation of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) new Guidance for Delisting Michigan's Great Lakes Areas of Concern. The delisting guidance identifies specific criteria that the State of Michigan will use to determine when beneficial use impairments (BUIs) in the AOCs have been restored. It also outlines the process the state will use to track progress in restoring the BUIs and ultimately support delisting of Michigan's AOCs. The purpose of the AOC Summit was to formally present the guidance and begin the process of applying it in Michigan's 14 AOCs.

Development of Delisting Targets for Presque Isle Bay Area of Concern

May 2005 - Erie, PA

This workshop was convened to help establish delisting targets for the Presque Isle Bay Area of Concern (PIB AOC). The PIB AOC Sediment Subcommittee and representatives of the national Science Advisory Group on Sediment Quality Assessment met to:

• Assess the status and trends of sediment quality conditions in PIB AOC; and
• Identify delisting targets that can be used to determine when sediment quality conditions have improved sufficiently to justify petitioning for delisting of PIB as a Great Lakes AOC.

The delisting targets will also provide a basis for designing a long-term monitoring program that will provide the data required to assess trends in sediment quality conditions and to support sediment management decisions in PIB.

Restoring Fish and Wildlife in Great Lakes Areas of Concern: Establishing a Pathway for Action

July 2004 - Monroe, MI

This workshop outlined a process for achieving restoration goals and delisting fish and wildlife impairments in Michigan's Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Workshop presentations assessed the status of restoration efforts for fish and wildlife in the Areas of Concern and provided a recommended “pathway” for establishing measurable targets for fish and wildlife habitat, populations, and benthic communities.

Staying on Target: A Regional Workshop for Establishing Restoration Targets for Great Lakes Areas of Concern

June 2003 - Romulus, MI

This workshop advanced efforts to restore and delist Great Lakes Areas of Concern by facilitating the development of measurable restoration targets for beneficial use impairments in the AOCs. The workshop also informed RAP participants about the role of restoration targets in documenting progress toward, and ultimately achieving, AOC delisting and identified tools for developing measurable goals for beneficial uses.

The Latest and Greatest for the Great Lakes: Innovations in Assessment, Monitoring and Restoration of Beneficial Uses in Great Lakes Areas of Concern

November 2002 - University Center, MI

This workshop reviewed federal and state programs for assessing, monitoring and reporting on progress in restoring beneficial uses in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. The workshop included case studies of the latest technologies and management approaches for restoring environmental quality in the Great Lakes and a review of guidelines for delisting the Areas of Concern. It also reviewed options for setting quantifiable restoration goals for beneficial use impairments.