Great Lakes video informs Congressional legislation

Posted July 2nd, 2013 in Great Lakes Cleanup, Video
before aoc
The new Sea Grant video, Revitalizing Local Waterfront Economies: The Great Lakes Legacy Act, welcomes people and partners to the benefits of restoring degraded rivers, harbors, and lakes. This week the video helped inform lawmakers in the U.S. Senate as they developed bipartisan legislation to protect and restore the Great Lakes.
 
The Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act was introduced by Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), co-chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, along with Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Al Franken (D-MN), Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
In addition to reauthorizing the Great Lakes Legacy Act, which provides support for communities to clean up waterways that are designated Areas of Concern (AOC) the United States and Canada, the new legislation would continue funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office.

 

The 10-minute video, produced by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Wisconsin Sea Grant, explores Great Lakes waterways blighted by decades of industrial discharges like heavy metals, oil, and chemicals such as PCBs and PAHs. The 2002 Great Lakes Legacy Act created an initiative to clean up contamination in these AOCs. There are currently 29 AOCs in the United States. The habitat, water, and sediment quality have become severely degraded at these sites.

 

The video informs anglers, boaters, residents, and local businesses of the benefits that can come from a remediated AOC through the Legacy Act. The procedures and successes are the result of strong partnerships among states, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Under this voluntary, collaborative program, the EPA and its non-federal partners have allocated almost $400 million toward sediment remediation.

 

As of September 2012, the program has removed or capped 2.1 million cubic yards of degraded sediment. But more waterways need to be cleaned up, and community involvement is essential.
 
In the short time that it has been available, Revitalizing Local Waterfront Economies has more than 1,200 views. The video was funded by a grant from the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office.

Learn more about the Great Lakes Legacy Act at the EPA’s GLLA webpage.

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🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists!
We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.

They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.

Full story at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17925527007208099
🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists! We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.Full story at the link in bio.

Ripple Effects is a collection of 8 activities for grades 6–12 that introduces students to aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes.

Through research, reporting, and role-playing games, students will:

✅ Explore how non-native species arrived
✅ Understand why they threaten native ecosystems
✅ Investigate their impact on the Great Lakes

Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Great Lakes Literacy Principles, this curriculum is perfect for engaging students in real-world science and stewardship.

🔗 visit the link in bio to learn more

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17951809740076508
Ripple Effects is a collection of 8 activities for grades 6–12 that introduces students to aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes.Through research, reporting, and role-playing games, students will:✅ Explore how non-native species arrived✅ Understand why they threaten native ecosystems✅ Investigate their impact on the Great LakesAligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Great Lakes Literacy Principles, this curriculum is perfect for engaging students in real-world science and stewardship.🔗 visit the link in bio to learn more

Graduate students: don’t miss your chance to advance your research and expand your professional network! The 2026 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Graduate Scholars Program is now open for applications. Whether your work focuses on coastal resiliency, Great Lakes science, water resources, or community engagement, this opportunity offers funding and professional development to support your graduate research. Learn more and apply today — opportunities like this don’t come every year!

👉 Read the full details at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17914034181268469
Graduate students: don’t miss your chance to advance your research and expand your professional network! The 2026 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Graduate Scholars Program is now open for applications. Whether your work focuses on coastal resiliency, Great Lakes science, water resources, or community engagement, this opportunity offers funding and professional development to support your graduate research. Learn more and apply today — opportunities like this don’t come every year!👉 Read the full details at the link in bio.