The Great Lakes are receiving support in the federal Water Resources Development Act.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the legislation, passed in December, will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) to complete several risk management studies on flooding and start new projects that are key to New York’s water restoration, waterway resiliency, and emergency flood protection.
It also includes provisions to prevent invasive species from accessing New York’s waterways, including the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.
WRDA has recently been passed every two years and authorizes water resource studies and projects and sets policies for navigation, flood control, hydropower, recreation, water supply, and emergency management for the Army Corps.
]]>23rd Congressional District Rep. Nick Langworthy, while visiting Dunkirk, NY, announced legislation he’s introduced that would eliminate Federal tax credits for the construction of wind turbines in the Great Lakes.
Nick Langworthy
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Rep. Nick Langworthy with County Legislator Marty Proctor speaking about wind turbine legislation in Dunkirk (January 18, 2023)
Congressman Nick Langworthy has introduced legislation that aims to prevent the development of wind turbines in the Great Lakes.
Speaking in Dunkirk, Langworthy said the Lakes Before Turbines Act would strip part of the tax code from 1986 that gives tax credits for wind projects in the Great Lakes, “Any developer who chooses to pursue wind farm production on our beautiful Lake Erie will no longer have access to Federal investment tax credits for those projects. And due to the massive capital that’s necessary to construct these turbines, if developers do not have the Federal tax credits to subsidize it, it would like prove far too costly for them to move forward with any project like this.”
Langworthy said Lake Erie is a gem for the area and the need to protect and restore it is greater than ever, “It’s a resource for fresh drinking water that the entire country envies, the fresh drinking water that we have available to us as a Great Lakes state. It’s a place for many species of birds and fish to call home. It’s a place for sport and recreation. A lot of memories have been made on this lake. It’s a place to watch a beautiful, world class, million dollar sunrise and sunset. But more importantly, though, our local economies depend on this lake.”
When asked what kind of support there might be for the bill, Langworthy said he plans to contact representatives with districts around the Great Lakes to gain their support.
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A feasibility study into placing wind turbines in the Great Lakes found lacking benefits to the potential projects.
The report on the study, released by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, noted that,”Great Lakes Wind currently does not offer a unique, critical or cost-effective contribution toward the achievement of New York State’s Climate Act goals beyond what more cost-competitive programs are expected to deliver.”
This report said the conclusion is based on, “a fulsome analysis of the resource development costs, ratepayer impacts, expected State benefits, transmission and interconnection limitations, infrastructure and supply chain constraints, visual impacts, and potential environmental impacts of Great Lakes Wind.”
State Senator George Borrello heralded the report, saying, “I am encouraged that after nearly two years of intense study and stakeholder engagement on the environmental, economic and social issues surrounding the potential siting of wind turbines in Lakes Erie and Ontario, the commission members came to essentially the same assessment that opponents of this effort have advanced all along: the risks, costs and uncertainties are too great and the possible benefits too little to make a compelling case for these projects.
Borrello added that the study proves that, “Not all forms of renewable energy are worthwhile or make sense.”
To read the report, visit https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/great-lakes-wind-feasibility-study
]]>Tina Toole of the Pennsylvania section of the 4,800 mile, eight state long North Country Trail talks with WRFA’s Anthony Merchant about the amazing parts of the NCT that run through PA’s Allegheny National Forest and NY’s Allegany State Park. They also get into this years NCT100, NCTPA50 and FLT60, finding your love for nature, why the trail is perfect for every level hiker, how people can volunteer and help out on the North Country Trail and more.
northcountrytrail.org/hike-100-challenge/
www.nps.gov/noco/index.htm
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WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed is pleased to announce increased support for both the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) under the House-passed consolidated appropriations bill. Both projects saw increased funding levels under the bill, a move Reed says is due to focusing on programs that are results driven and deliver tangible returns on investment.
Last week, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also announced the GLRI component in the Senate version of the bill.
GLRI saw funds increased to $300 million under the House bill. Those dollars will go toward combating invasive species like hydrilla, restoring wetlands and other habitats, protecting wildlife, cleaning up toxins and protecting watersheds. The 23rd district, which includes Lake Erie and Lake Ontario watersheds has more than a dozen projects funded through the GLRI.
SRFs help to fund critical drinking water and water quality protection projects across the country. New York is able to use this funding to assist municipalities and privately-owned water systems and infrastructure with improving drinking water systems and upgrading waste water treatment facilities and storm water management projects.
]]>WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is announcing several provisions within the federal omnibus appropriations bill that she says would increase the environmental health of the Great Lakes, including Lake Erie. Specifically, the provisions will go toward addressing the threat of Asian carp and increasing the resources for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
The federal funding bill addresses the Asian carp threat on two fronts. First by providing $3.5 million to the Department of Interior to prevent the spread of Asian carp, and second by authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to take emergency measures to stop an imminent threat of Asian carp between the Mississippi and the Great Lakes.
Asian Carp are detrimental to the Great Lake ecosystem because they can grow to be as heavy as 100 pounds and as long as four feet. Because of their massive size and equally big appetite, they have the potential to eliminate entire populations of fish within the Great Lakes thereby putting a $7 billion industry at risk.
The bill also allocates up to $300 million to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative program for fiscal year 2014. This is an increase from the sequestered levels in fiscal year 2013 of $284 million.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has leveraged the resources and expertise of 11 agencies across the federal government to collaborate on improving the health of Great Lakes ecosystems by:
- Cleaning up Areas of Concern;
- Reducing nutrients entering the Lakes; and
- Preventing the introduction of new invasive species.