For Friday, June 17, 2022

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1 – A sea lamprey control project is planned for next week in tributaries of Lake Huron. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to the Cass River in Tuscola and Saginaw counties to kill sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom.  

The applications will be conducted between June 21 and June 29 in accordance with state permits, and take about five days. The dates may change based on weather or stream conditions.

Sea lamprey larvae live in certain tributaries and transform to parasitic adults that migrate to the Great Lakes and kill fish. Officials say failure to kill the larvae in streams would result in significant damage to the fishery.  

Infested tributaries must be treated every three to five years with lampricides to control sea lamprey populations.

As with any pesticide, the public is advised to use discretion and minimize unnecessary exposure. 

People confining bait fish or other organisms in stream water are advised to use an alternate source. Agricultural irrigation also must be suspended for 24 hours during and following treatment.

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2 – Don’t practice dangerous recycling. 

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is reminding people about proper recycling practices. 

Recyclables go to “materials recovery facilities” for sorting. And people who work at those facilities can be injured by dangerous recycling. 

Examples of things not to put into your recycling bin include knives, scissors and cellphones. 

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Sharp objects can injure workers who sort items that are moving down a conveyor line. 

Electronic devices like cellphones and laptops are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which can explode when crushed or shaken.

Information on proper disposal of household hazardous waste is available on the EGLE Household Hazardous Waste Webpage.

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3 – A new report looks at how officials can use funds from the U.S. Infrastructure Act to address environmental justice.

The act is providing $1.2 trillion for improvement projects across water, energy, building and transportation sectors. 

The National Wildlife Federation report provides a framework for communities experiencing environmental-justice issues to finance solutions through infrastructure dollars. 

The report looks at “11 Examples to Build Back Better,” including in Oscoda, Michigan.

For Oscoda, it points to funding to address PFAS contamination in drinking water, available to drinking water systems of all sizes. 

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it’s inviting states and territories to apply for $1 billion to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water, specifically in small or disadvantaged communities. 

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard Friday mornings in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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