Rouge Project Comments: Reply from the Army Corps of Engineers

I've discovered "The Agency Tone" of written voice. Very polite! Possibly because I submitted comments over a month ago (several agencies dealing with the National Environmental Protection Act [NEPA] are obligated to give response within the month of communications from the public).  Having spoken to EPA employees, the EPA has legal obligation to respond to any citizen communications--probably within a month timeframe too.  

The Army Corps of Engineers  (ACE--what a fine acronym to have!) was supposed to respond with 30 days (I'm no longer sure, but I suspect it's a direct stipulation from NEPA), but I had to prod them earlier in December to see if there'd be any follow-up.

This is about as exciting as I'd imagine getting a personal letter from an elected official. For those who can't really see what's here--it's a personal letter from the DOD's Army Corps of Engineers in response to my questions--stamped and signed too! 

In reply to my procedural and project comments to the Army Corps of Engineers from November, Detroit district sent a personal letter with detailed replies to both comment sets I submitted.

One of my primary concerns involved the poor degree of outreach--had it not been for friends who major in environmental studies/science and work with the Friends of the Rouge, I might not have known about the proposal at all!

It turns out (as you'll see in their reply letter) the Army Corps of Engineers did what they could and needed to inform local governments and organizations. From what I read, the ACE's response to one of my questions (about watershed outreach plans) means that promotion/marketing/pr is more of an issue than having the right community stakeholders and closer coordination between federal and local government.

I suspect poor infrastructure for communication and outreach is an endemic issue for our beloved but under-budgeted/staffed local governments and not-for-profit organizations alike.

Also, I learned county government plays a more significant role in the project than previously thought.

I believe PR organizations/institutions and colleges (with education and marketing programs or willing interns from any discipline) can better help coordinate and promote the outreach in the future.

Page 1 (click the image[s] to read)
I'll let you decide what happened with
the date that they entered--by the looks of things
I submitted my comments in the future!
Also, I couldn't resist blacking out my address
on a government document,
it now looks even more official than the original.

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4  Hand signed with a real person's signature!

A random remark: this post has a lot of meta text--I wrote (and you read) about photos of writing--how odd!


And my follow-up e-mail (from Dec. 8th):
To whom it may concern,

I submitted a procedural recommendation on Monday Nov. 7th and (according to my e-mail) comments on Nov. 8th at 12:00 AM and would like to know about the status of the project. I did not receive any message of acknowledgement or reply within the 30 day timeframe and therefore am writing to request for follow up.

I hope the procedural recommendation merits a reply since it was submitted within the comment deadline.

Thank you...

Great Lakes [policy]! H2O Now! The International Joint Commission Biennial Meeting

Friends,

The International Joint Commission (IJC) has a meeting for everyone in the Great Lakes region-U.S., Canadian, First Nations--every two years in October. They coordinate with the EPA, Environment Canada, countries, various watershed groups, businesses, academics, and take comments from the public to inform better water policies. It also hosts free workshops for all who wish to attend and is open to comments from the public.

That meeting is happening now! (Oct. 11-14, Tuesday-Friday) You can register here http://meeting.ijc.org/, registration is free! Be aware that parking is $5 though!

Your voice and insight is important! This year the meeting takes place in Detroit at Wayne State University and (again) is free to attend. Please spread the word and attend if you're available to do so.

David Dempsey, a Policy Advisor with the IJC, spoke at the UM-Dearborn Social Science building urged the audience likewise today reiterating the importance of education and vigilant community engagement at events like the IJC Biennial Meeting--"possibly one of the few times the public can deliver remarks in person to major decision makers of the Great Lakes." Having attended the 2009 IJC meeting, I was surprised to find myself as one of the only people in the 30 years and under age bracket attending the comment session.

Dempsey also urged audience members that even though Asian Carp and the condition of Lake Erie will likely be well vocalized issues, don't forget to represent what's going on near you too!

Not ready to submit comments but want to learn?

In addition to public comment sessions, there will be workshops and educational sessions to bring the community up to date on timely developments in science, policy, and perhaps even the economics surrounding the Great Lakes, other inland water bodies and the communities they're integral to.

For those who are looking for things to ponder prior to attending a session, here are some questions for you to consider: Is surface and ground water where you live drinkable, swimmable, fishable (a goal in the EPA Clean Water act on behalf of the citizens who sought a healthy place to live)? Do legal questions about commerce and water access keep you up at night? Does your community's storm water system and sewer drains still discharge into local rivers and tributaries? What are things that citizens can do to make a difference in their community to help improve the condition of the Great Lakes? This is a great time to find out.

We hope to see you there! The SEA is arranging for a few carpools, but to our friends at Wayne State University and those among the greater Detroit community, please be sure to check it out!

Detroit Frack Ban Resolution status: unanimously passed!

The resolution didn't get on Tuesday's agenda, but it has been well represented and
voted on today (Friday the 22nd) during the noon session.

I called Chris Corrigan of the Detroit Food and Water Watch office at about 1:30 today and learned that the Detroit City Council passed the ban by unanimous vote.  This is literally a watershed event.  Most of the communities upstream in the Rouge River watershed (Westward from Dearborn out to Superior/Salem Townships, and North out to Rochester Hills, Bloomfield/West Bloomfield Townships, and Novi) get their municipal tap (drinking) water from the Detroit river--which the Rouge drains into.

As far as I could reckon, Food and Water Watch, Dearborn/Dearborn Heights League of Women Voters, the SEA, and Akinpelu twins were in attendance on Tuesday.  Details forthcoming as we find out what happens next. Those who spoke got their concerns for safety and its regional relevance to Southeast Michigan across--it piqued councilman Brown's interest and he expressed his thanks to all of the youth who came to represent their solidarity in the issue.  

Congratulations for your leadership Detroit, it's a major step forward in citizen and environmental protections.  Also, please be vigilant in following through--you can propose similar resolutions in your hometown too!

That said, I believe the city of Detroit and groups like Food and Water watch will also need to look in earnest toward something creative and solutions oriented for responsibly meeting energy and employment needs.  They've got very bright talents in the area, and it's time to make it known that Detroit's leadership is happening from all directions at all levels of Southeast Michigan.

What the Frack!?! Fracking Party: Gasland Screening Wed. April 20th 6:00pm-9:00

What  the  [is] frack!?!

Wed. April 20th 6:00pm-9:00 the SEA will be screening Gasland in the Environmental Interpretive Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn:

Gasland is a documentary concerning Hydraulic fracturing (fracking)--a means of natural gas extraction within deep natural gas well drilling.  Once a well is drilled, millions of gallons of potable (drinking) water, along with sand and proprietary chemicals are injected under high pressure into a well. The pressure fractures shale rock and props open fissures that enable natural gas to flow more freely out of the well.

Awareness of this process and issue is especially relevant to us because Michigan and the Great Lakes basin are prime locations for natural gas extraction, and several communities have reported affliction  (see USGS/EIA maps below for existing natural gas locations).

 Furthermore, it's ongoing at present within our state. 

Gasland has been subject to several criticisms.  See some from:

1.  Energy In Depth--a blog assembled by a collection of U.S. Natural Gas and Oil producers 
2.  Blogger Kirian Stacey of the Financial Times
3.  Ongoing discussion by insightful folks at the Oil Drum (see comments near the end for people who actually worked in the industry and/or watched the film)--some of whom claim that the criticisms from Energy In Depth can be rebuked

We'll try to make sense of them and weigh out its merits with some geology, environmental science, sensibility, and civility.

Join us to examine the topic at hand, as well as the documentary itself--how are the issues communicated?  What does it mean to all of us as citizens and consumers of media and energy?  Also important to consider: what alternatives can we pursue to minimize our dependence on fossil fuel extraction and consumption altogether?

Trailer:

Please join us at this fracking party, popcorn and beverages will be served at the event, so it's a fine opportunity to stop by and take a break from your studies!!  Please RSVP to greenwolverines (at) ymail (dot) com

Public meeting for offshore wind energy development--in Dearborn!

I just found out that the Michigan Great Lakes Offshore Wind Council has a public meeting for offshore wind energy development at UM-Dearborn next week!


July 21: Fairlane Development Center, UM Dearborn Campus, Dearborn.  (www.umd.umich.edu/maps_directions/)

There's also one at GVSU the day before:
July 20: Eberhard Center, GVSU, Grand Rapids  (www.gvsu.edu/meetatgvsu/)


(Source: http://www.michiganglowcouncil.org/coastal_community_meetings_spring2010.html Kudos to whoever updates the UM-Dearborn facebook page for posting this announcement yesterday--but why so late?)


I recommend doing some research on offshore wind and zoning before attending if you have the time. I'm also wondering if the Nearshore Framework has anything to implications on offshore wind development.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a ready document from the International Joint Commission that speaks directly to offshore wind.  If you're wondering what the nearshore framework is about you read about it here:

http://www.ijc.org/en/priorities/2009/reports/2009-nearshore-framework.pdf
The document is about 1/2 as long as it looks--they alternate pages with note space.

Does anyone know of research on offshore zoning?  I thought the International Joint Commission did a piece on it but it seems like I was mistaken.