Nipigon Bay PAC Meeting – April 9th
The Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to the Nipigon Bay Remedial Action Plan, or cleanup plan, met at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9th in the Rotary Room of the Nipigon District Hospital. The meeting featured a presentation by Rick DeCal of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation about stormwater drainage at the new Nipigon River Bridge.
Go to the meeting agenda, complete information package and meeting minutes.
North Harbour Contamination – How to Clean up?
How should mercury contamination in the northeast portion of Thunder Bay Harbour be cleaned up? This was the only item on the agenda at the 7 p.m., March 19th meeting of the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP), or harbour cleanup plan. The meeting took place at Lakehead University and was attended by Public Advisory Committee members and many interested members of the public for a total of just over 50 people.
- View the presentation on cleanup options by Cole Engineering Inc.
- View/listen to a CBC Radio report regarding Thunder Bay Harbour Cleanup options
Key information:
- the harbour location in question is adjacent to a former paper mill near Current River mouth and the Shipyards.
- the area of highest contamination is in the water and is approximately 55 acres or 22 hectares in size
- mercury is mixed with a thick layer of pulpy fiber suspended in harbour water
- there is approximately 350,000 cubic metres of contaminated material.
Related documents and information:
- meeting agenda and complete information package
- directions to the meeting room
- North Harbour overview
- poster boards outlining sediment management options, developed by Cole Engineering
- documents and studies characterizing North Harbour contamination
- Pictures
- short Environment Canada video outlining a L. Superior mercury cleanup at Marathon, Ontario
- directions to join the March 19th meeting online.
- short audio interview (podcast) regarding the Thunder Bay North Harbour site
- Chronicle Journal Letter to Editor – Monday, March 17th 2014
If you are unable to attend the March 19th Remedial Action Plan Public Advisory Committee meeting at Lakehead University, EcoSuperior is hosting a public information session the next day, March 20, 2014 between 4:00-8:00 PM at the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel and Suites. Cole Engineering will be in attendance to present the results of their “Sediment Management Options Study.” This study outlines options for cleanup of mercury-contaminated sediment in the north portion of Thunder Bay Harbour. Click here for more information about this March 20th event.
Podcast Series – March Edition – Jamie Saunders – North Harbour Clean-up
Monday, March 10th 2014
MARCH EDITION
For the March, 2014 edition of InfoSuperior’s podcast, or audio interview series, Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan Coordinator Jim Bailey speaks with Jamie Saunders of EcoSuperior, a representative of the North Harbour Steering Committee. This committee is exploring methods for dealing with mercury contamination in the northeast portion of Thunder Bay Harbour. The interview deals with questions like how this harbour site became contaminated in the first place, who is working to bring about cleanup, how serious is the contamination and what are the next steps in resolving this issue.
To listen to the interview, please click the above photo!
Related: How should mercury contamination in the northeast portion of Thunder Bay Harbour be cleaned up? This will be the only item on the agenda at the 7 p.m., March 19th meeting of the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP), or harbour cleanup plan. The meeting takes place in Room 1022 of the Ryan Building at Lakehead University. Evening parking at Lakehead University is free of charge and all PAC meetings are open to the public and free of charge. The focus of the meeting will be a presentation and input about options for dealing with contaminated sediment in Thunder Bay Harbour.
A complete overview about Thunder Bay North Harbour contamination can be accessed here.
Check out archived podcast interviews here.
See photos from the Thunder Bay North Harbour site below.
State of the Great Lakes 2011 Report
The “State of the Great Lakes 2011 Report” is now available online and includes an overview of the Great Lakes conditions, issues facing the Great Lakes and more than 50 detailed indicator reports written by topic experts from dozens of different organizations.
To access the report, please click HERE.
First two Beneficial Uses restored at St. Marys River Area of Concern
Exciting news for the St. Mary’s Binational Area of Concern
5 Ways Mountaintop Removal Affects Streams
Brandon Peoples, a fisheries scientist and contributor for The Fisheries Blog recently published an article about the effects of mining related mountaintop removal on streams into 5 main reasons:
- Headwater streams are entirely removed
- Water quality changes dramatically
- Water is often acutely toxic to organisms
- Harmful levels of selenium causes deformities and death
- Biotic communities are degraded
New Permits to Allow Fish Net Pens in Wisconsin
A recent article in the Great Lakes Echo written by Alan League investigates the recent proposal by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to allow nonprofit groups to place net pens in Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and associated tributaries. This initiative would be in hopes to increase fish populations for recreational anglers.
See HERE for the article.
“SOS Protect our Water” – Human Message in Regards to Mining in WI
Minnesota Mystery: What’s Killing the Moose?
A recent article in the NY Times, written by Brent McDonald discusses the recent decline of moose in Minnesota and speculates potential causes. Michelle Carstensen, the lead for the moose mortality project operated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has many concerns.
“If we can really pinpoint the overlying cause, then can we even do anything about it? Or are we really just documenting a species on its way out of our state?”
Click HERE to read the article and view the video.
Podcast Series – March 2014 Edition
MARCH EDITION
Monday, March 10th 2014
For the March, 2014 edition of InfoSuperior’s podcast, or audio interview series, Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan Coordinator Jim Bailey speaks with Jamie Saunders of EcoSuperior, a representative of the North Harbour Steering Committee. This committee is exploring methods for dealing with mercury contamination in the northeast portion of Thunder Bay Harbour. The interview deals with questions like how this harbour site became contaminated in the first place, who is working to bring about cleanup, how serious is the contamination and what are the next steps in resolving this issue.
To listen to the interview, please click the above photo!
Related: How should mercury contamination in the northeast portion of Thunder Bay Harbour be cleaned up? This will be the only item on the agenda at the 7 p.m., March 19th meeting of the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP), or harbour cleanup plan. The meeting takes place in Room 1022 of the Ryan Building at Lakehead University. Evening parking at Lakehead University is free of charge and all PAC meetings are open to the public and free of charge. The focus of the meeting will be a presentation and input about options for dealing with contaminated sediment in Thunder Bay Harbour.
A complete overview about Thunder Bay North Harbour contamination can be accessed here.
See photos from the Thunder Bay North Harbour site below.