CONfERENCE AGENdA - Healing Our Waters Coalition

CONFER ENCE Agenda All meeting rooms are designated in italics.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 7:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Registration and Exhibitor Set-Up (7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. ONLY) Grand Assembly 3rd floor 9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Opening Remarks and Welcome to Cleveland Grand Ballroom A/B — 3rd floor • Jeff Skelding, Campaign Director, Healing Our Waters — Great Lakes Coalition • John Jackson, Interim Executive Director, Great Lakes United and Co-Chair, Healing Our WatersGreat Lakes Coalition • Kristy Meyer, Director of Agriculture and Clean Water Programs, Ohio Environmental Council • Frank G. Jackson, Mayor of Cleveland • Frank Greenland, Director of Watershed Programs, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

What the End of the Year Fiscal Train Wreck Means for the Great Lakes This panel will examine what sorts of decisions the President and Congress — new or old — will have to make following this year’s November elections. Panelists will examine the political landscape and describe the major decisions that have to be made, including on government funding, sequestration, and tax cuts. Special emphasis will be given to the impacts various budget proposals will have on Great Lakes restoration funding. • Moderator: Chad Lord, Policy Director, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition • Dino DiSanto, Chief of Staff, Rep. Steve LaTourette (invited) • Paul Isely, Professor and Chair of Economics, Grand Valley State University • Emma White, Senior Director, Belden Russonello Strategists

11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Break

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch Grand Ballroom A/B — 3rd floor • Lynn McClure, Midwest Director, National Parks Conservation Association and Co-Chair, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition • Roy Norton, Consul General, Canadian Consulate General, Detroit • Chris Kline, Federal Practice Leader, Cardno JFNew • Rachel Jacobson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the Interior 1:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Break

1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Breakout Sessions New Farm Bill Potential for Great Lakes Grand Ballroom A/B — 3rd floor The new Farm Bill has exciting new and modified programs to advance Great Lakes restoration, and improve the health of our soil, water and wildlife resources. Come learn and discover from local and Washington experts how the Farm Bill can lead to meaningful advancements in the health of the Great Lakes, and how your group can participate. • Moderator: Marc Smith, Senior Policy Manager, National Wildlife Federation • Tina May, Senior Professional Staff, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry • Gildo Tori, Director of Public Policy, Mid-Atlantic Region, Ducks Unlimited • Joe Logan, Director of Agriculture Programs, Ohio Environmental Council Towards a Complete and Green Cleveland Whitehall Ballroom — 3rd floor To restore Lake Erie to full health, we must reduce the amount of stormwater runoff it absorbs. Fortunately, green infrastructure can provide relatively low-cost solutions that contribute to this restoration. This workshop explores green infrastructure policies, programs, and projects in the City of Cleveland, leading to more effective stormwater management. • Matthew Gray, Director, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, City of Cleveland • Ossie M. Neal, Manager of Marketing, Department of Public Utilities, City of Cleveland • Cecilia Mazzei, Consulting Engineer, Water Pollution Control, City of Cleveland

Eighth Annual Great Lakes Restoration Conference

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Tuesday, September 11 – Continued Challenges of Multi-Goal Urban Stream Restoration Projects Blossom Meeting Room — 4th floor The restoration of this degraded, urban stream yields ecological function and value while providing high school students with hands-on environmental science experience and an enriching, living outdoor classroom. Participants will learn from this real-life example how city officials can work with local school districts to empower students to restore habitat, while ensuring the protection of downstream property and preventing flooding. • Paul Kovalcik, Senior Environmental Scientist, Biohabitats, Inc. • J. Meiring Borcherds, Watershed Coordinator, Cuyahoga County Board of Health Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Coastal Wetland Restoration Success Stories Van Aken Meeting Room — 4th floor Great Lakes coastal wetlands exist in severely altered watersheds and landscapes that can result in degraded wetland conditions and the management actions required to maintain biologically diverse wetlands can be ecologically limiting. We report on three Great Lakes Restoration Initiative projects designed to improve coastal wetland ecosystems by restoring hydrologic connectivity, increasing fish passage, and enhancing wetland ecosystem functions and services. Biological monitoring is an integral component of each project and includes traditional and innovative research efforts focused on results with broad application across the Great Lakes basin. • Moderator: Jason Hill, Manager of Conservation Programs, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. • Sarah Fleming, Regional Biologist, New York, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. • Roy Kroll, Manager of Conservation Programs, Ohio, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. • Kurt Kowalski, Research Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center “A Return of Mother Earth’s Life Giving Artery” Boardman River Restoration George Bush Meeting Room — 3rd floor There are over 75,000 dams in the United States, of which many are approaching or past their design life. As we move towards a cusp in dam removal the Boardman is at the forefront of efforts in Michigan. This presentation describes the project and is followed by a Native American perspective. • Frank V. Dituri, Wetland Ecologist/Project Manager, Natural Resources Department, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians • Hank Bailey Odawa, Fish & Wildlife Technician, Natural Resources Department, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians 2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Break

2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Field Trips Trolleys depart from the West Superior Avenue entrance starting at 2:30 p.m. — 1st floor Please see page 11 for field trip options and details. 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Great Lakes Week Joint Reception (Sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Aquarium) Trolleys depart from the West Superior Avenue entrance starting at 5:45 p.m. — 1st floor The Greater Cleveland Aquarium

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 7:00 a.m. - 7:50 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Ambassador Ballroom — 2nd floor • John Jackson, Interim Executive Director, Great Lakes United and Co-Chair, Healing Our WatersGreat Lakes Coalition • Lauri Elbing, Policy Associate – Michigan Chapter, Great Lakes Project Policy Team, The Nature Conservancy • Charlie Wooley, Deputy Regional Director of the Midwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • Heather Loebner, Executive Director, Corporate Responsibilities – Americas, ArcelorMittal

8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Great Lakes Week Joint Session – Welcome to Cleveland • Jeff Skelding, Campaign Director, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition • Theresa Pierno, Executive Vice President, National Parks Conservation Association • Larry Schweiger, President & CEO, National Wildlife Federation • Lyall Knott, Canadian Commissioner, International Joint Commission

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Healing Our Waters– Great Lakes Coalition

Wednesday, September 12 – Continued The Great Lakes Week Joint Session from 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. will take place in the Grand Ballroom A/B on the 3rd floor. 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. U.S. and Canadian Government Overview and Report Out This session will feature reports from U.S. and Canadian federal government officials, who will provide updates on the measurable outcomes being achieved under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Canada-Ontario Agreement and the U.S. and Canadian government plans for the implementation of the pending Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Thirty minutes will be reserved for audience questions. • Moderator: Lana Pollack, U.S. Commissioner, International Joint Commission • Susan Hedman, Region 5 Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Rachel Jacobson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the Interior • Mike Goffin, Regional Director General, Ontario Region, Environment Canada 9:30 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. Addressing Nutrient Problems in the Great Lakes This session will provide a brief overview of nutrient loadings and associated problems in the Great Lakes, an overview of broad programs for reducing nutrient loadings, and innovative state policy and on-the-ground approaches to tackle this serious problem, including examples through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. • Moderator: Dereth Glance, U.S. Commissioner, International Joint Commission • Don Scavia Ph.D, Director, Graham Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan • Dave White, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture • Kurt Heyman, Farmer and Supervisor, Erie County Ohio Soil & Water Conservation District • Melissa Malott, Water Director, Clean Wisconsin 10:55 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. Asian Carp Invasion: What to Expect When You’re Expecting This session will explore different aspects of the Asian carp crisis in the Great Lakes and will include; scientific information from the Asian carp risk assessment, perspectives on the Great Lakes – Mississippi River Interbasin Study, what work is being done now to prevent establishment of Asian carp in the Great Lakes and what is planned for the future, perspectives from businesses on separation options, and user group perspectives on addressing the Asian carp crisis. The session will be run in an interview style, with questions posed to each panelist by the moderator. Thirty minutes of the Asian carp session will be reserved for an interactive question and answer period. • Moderator: Christy McDonald, Great Lakes Now Anchor, Detroit Public Television • Colonel Fred A. Drummond, Commander and District Engineer, Chicago District, US Army Corps of Engineers • Becky Cudmore, Senior Science Advisor and Manager, Centre of Expertise for Aquatic Risk Assessment, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada • Heather Loebner, Executive Director, Corporate Responsibilities - Americas, ArcelorMittal • Pete Mulvaney, Advisor, Greenleaf Advisors • Erin McDonough, Executive Director, Michigan United Conservation Clubs 12:20 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Joint Session Lunch • Tim Eder, Executive Director, Great Lakes Commission • Ken Johnson, Wisconsin Commissioner, Great Lakes Commission and Administrator, Water Division, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources • William D. Friedman, President & CEO, Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Special Announcement • Bob Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1:30 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.

Break

1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.

Breakout Sessions Gray and Green of CSO Control & Stormwater Management in Northeast Ohio Whitehall Ballroom — 3rd floor This workshop explores the implementation of Project Clean Lake — Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s 25-year, $3 billion program to address CSOs to Northeast Ohio’s rivers and Lake Erie. The sewage district is taking a holistic approach to CSO control to improve water quality while ensuring green infrastructure benefits to neighborhoods from this significant investment. This workshop will overview Project Clean Lake’s gray infrastructure components and focus on the green infrastructure


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Wednesday, September 12 – Continued approach to CSO control being implemented in Cleveland. The workshop will also include NEORSD’s Regional Stormwater Management Program that looks throughout our 62 member communities and four main watersheds to protect and restore watershed function and provide comprehensive solutions to flooding and erosion. • Frank Greenland, Director of Watershed Programs, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District • Kellie Rotunno, Director of Engineering and Construction, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District The Clean Water Act at 40: Still Critical to Great Lakes Restoration Grand Ballroom A/B — 3rd floor The collapse of aquatic life in Lake Erie and the flaming Cuyahoga River rallied Americans to pass the 1972 Clean Water Act 40 years ago. Here, on the banks of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga, we will discuss Clean Water Act policies, priorities, and grassroots action essential to Great Lakes restoration. • Ellen Gilinsky, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Kristy Meyer, Director of Agricultural & Clean Water Programs, Ohio Environmental Council • Jan Goldman-Carter, Senior Manager, Wetlands and Water Resources, National Wildlife Federation Climate-smart Restoration Success: Local and Landscape Scale Examples and Tools George Bush Meeting Room — 3rd floor This workshop provides guidance to on-the-ground climate-smart restoration projects that range in scale — from the community scale to the landscape Great Lakes Restoration Initiative scale. At the landscape scale, we intend to show results from a 515-acre habitat restoration project in the Maumee Area of Concern. At the community level, we will highlight an example from projects directed at reducing flooding in a neighborhood in Detroit, Mich. As applied in these projects, workshop participants will learn to use free internet tools as well as hands-on Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Toolkit materials. You will leave the workshop having learned about examples, applied specific tools to those examples, and received free materials you can immediately utilize to make your project climate ready. • Melinda Koslow, Regional Program Manager, National Wildlife Federation • Jill Ryan, Executive Director, Freshwater Future • Celia Haven, Project Associate, National Wildlife Federation Engaging Great Lakes Citizens to Stop the Asian Carp Van Aken Meeting Room — 4th floor After hearing a brief overview of where efforts stand to hydrologically separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems as a means to stop the Asian carp we will dive into the outreach coordinated by environmental organizations that resulted in bringing the voice of thousands of citizens to decision makers calling for their action and how it is making a difference. This will also be an opportunity to learn about upcoming opportunities to keep pressure on decision makers. • Melanie Napoleon Welch, Associate Director, Freshwater Future • Joel Brammeier, President and CEO, Alliance for the Great Lakes • Robert Hirschfeld, Coalition Organizer, Prairie Rivers Network Continuity of Conservation — From Science to Practice Blossom Meeting Room — 4th floor Where do our collective conservation efforts fall along the Continuum of Conservation? We will discuss the applicability of this concept, focusing on the soon-to-be released Lake Erie Biodiversity Conservation Blueprint and implementation of conservation. We will highlight innovative tools and practices for agriculturally-dominated watersheds that will provide cost-effective conservation outcomes. • Dr. Patrick Doran, Director of Conservation, The Nature Conservancy: Michigan • Carrie Volmer-Sanders, Western Lake Erie Basin Project Director, The Nature Conservancy: Indiana 2:40 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

Break

2:50 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Breakout Sessions Plastics in the Great Lakes (2:50 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.) Blossom Meeting Room — 4th floor The threat of plastic pollution to our waterways is a serious issue. Surveys for plastics have been conducted in the oceans, however no sampling for plastics has previously been done in the Great Lakes. This presentation will report on the first sampling for plastics conducted in the Great Lakes. • Dr. Marcus Eriksen, Executive Director, The 5 Gyres Institute

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Wednesday, September 12 – Continued Repurposing Vacant Properties as Green Infrastructure (2:50 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.) Van Aken Meeting Room — 4th floor Thousands of acres of Great Lakes urban vacant properties can be turned from liabilities to assets as green infrastructure. We are working with water infrastructure agencies, land banks, non-governmental organizations working in urban neighborhoods, and analyzing the potential for green infrastructure to include social equity, economic growth, and ecosystem services. • Geri Unger, Director of Education and Research, Cleveland Botanical Garden • Sandra Albro, Research Manager, Cleveland Botanical Garden • Ted Auch, Post-doctoral Fellow, Cleveland Botanical Garden Evaluating Degraded Benthos and Plankton Communities (3:20 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.) Blossom Meeting Room — 4th floor Assessment tools to remove Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) are inconsistent across the Great Lakes’ Areas of Concern (AOC). This study assesses two BUIs, Degraded Benthos and Degraded Plankton Communities, using a design that compares AOCs to non-AOCs. Using non-AOC sites to determine if BUIs are still degraded, decisions can be made based on “control” sites. • Amanda H. Bell, Hydrologist, Wisconsin Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey The Price Is Right: Land Conservation (3:20 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.) Van Aken Meeting Room — 4th floor Land conservancies in the region work to protect land through conservation easements and acquisitions, and they can target their work to sensitive areas in the watershed to have widespread impact on the Great Lakes. Land conservation is an efficient and cost effective method of protecting the Great Lakes and its tributaries from the impacts of construction, fertilizer use, sewer overflows, loss of forests and habitat, and wetlands destruction. As noted in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan, “Restoration of degraded, damaged or destroyed water and lands is more costly protection of resources before damage occurs.” This workshop will focus on restoration successes at three land conservation projects in Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan. • Eddie Dengg, Vice President, Western Reserve Land Conservancy • Mike Carlson, Government Relations Director, Gathering Waters Conservancy • Glen Chown, Executive Director, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (tentative) Youth Impact: Great Lakes Undergraduate Stewards George Bush Meeting Room — 3rd floor This workshop features the unique role of undergraduate student “leaders from Duluth, Minn., to Rochester, N.Y., who are engaging their peers in environmental service-learning partnerships benefiting governmental and community based organizations involved in Great Lakes Ecosystem restoration and stewardship. Attendees will begin the process of forging similar partnerships in their own communities. • Moderator: Glenn C. Odenbrett, Project Director, GLISTEN (Great Lakes Innovative Stewardship Through Education Network) • Jana Cram, Ivy Tech Community College (Indiana - Lake Michigan) • Alayna Dorobek, Case Western Reserve University (Ohio - Lake Erie) • Sarah Kitson, Kent State University (Ohio - Lake Erie) • Angelena Koosmann, Northland College (Wisconsin - Lake Superior) • Lisa Kratzer, Rochester Institute of Technology (New York - Lake Ontario) • Hannah Voss, Saginaw Valley State University (Michigan - Lake Huron) Environmental Justice and Greening Great Lakes Urban Centers Whitehall Ballroom — 3rd floor With an emphasis on Cleveland’s water, this workshop will highlight challenges, efforts and required sensitivities for achieving environmental justices and greening post-industrial urban centers within the Great Lakes region (Detroit, Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo, Gary, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Chicago). The workshop will highlight these cities shared assets, challenges and re-found value related to equitable water stewardship. • Moderator: Simone Lightfoot, Regional Urban Initiatives, National Wildlife Federation • Todd Q. Adams, Chief of Sustainability and Innovation, Visibility Marketing, Inc • Keshia Johnson, Strategic Planning Manager, City of Cleveland – Division of Water • Angela Jones, Government Affairs Specialist, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District


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Wednesday, September 12 – Continued 3:50 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Break

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Breakout Sessions Cleveland Harbor Sustainable Sediment Management Strategies Whitehall Ballroom — 3rd floor Approximately 12.5 million tons of cargo is shipped annually in the Cleveland Harbor. To maintain this federal navigation channel, approximately 300,000 cubic yards of sediment is dredged every year. Dredged sediments from the Cuyahoga River do not meet Ohio EPA standards for open lake placement. Existing confined disposal facilities are near design capacity, and there are many challenges to locate, design and construct new disposal facilities. The Port Authority is completing a sustainable sediment management study to identify and evaluate both near- and long-term solutions to address this crisis. Presenters will share research findings and study results regarding the expanded use of existing facilities through increased capacity, beneficial use for upland site restoration, and creation of beneficial use products, among others. • Moderator: Jenny Carter-Cornell, Director of Funding & Government/Community Relations, Hull & Associates, Inc. • James White, Director-Sustainable Infrastructure Programs, Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority • Peter Kotulak, P.E., Project Manager, Moffatt & Nichol • Shawn McGee, P.E., Senior Project Manager/Geoenvironmental Practice Leader, Hull & Associates, Inc. • Kristin Gardner, Scientist, Hull & Associates, Inc. Gas Drilling: Fracturing Great Lakes Health? Van Aken Meeting Room — 4th floor Fracking sounds to some like a dirty word, and for good reason. As gas drilling booms across the region, hydraulic fracturing poses a staggering array of threats to the Great Lakes and to our health — from toxic wastewater to habitat destruction and climate pollution. Come and get your questions on fracking answered. Learn what states are doing (or not doing) to address this issue, and discuss your vision for what to do about dirty drilling. • Moderator: John Rumpler, Senior Attorney, Environment America • Melanie Houston, Director of Water Policy & Environmental Health, Ohio Environmental Council • Erika Staaf, Clean Water Advocate, Penn Environment Tools for Assessing Industrial Water Stewardship Blossom Meeting Room — 4th floor This workshop will present the results of a project conducted by the Council of Great Lakes Industries and funded by the Great Lakes Protection Fund to evaluate the applicability of global water stewardship tools at Great Lakes industrial facilities. Workshop presenters will review the results of pilot tests at four facilities—the Consumers Energy power plant in Grand Haven, Mich.; The Escanaba Paper Co. mill in Escanaba, Mich.; a Shell petroleum refinery in Sarnia, Ontario; and a Lafarge cement plant in Bath, Ontario—and provide an opportunity for participants to discuss water stewardship measures, public disclosure practices, and the potential for identifying water stewardship goals and tracking methodologies. • Dale K. Phenicie, Project Director, Council of Great Lakes Industries Aquatic Connectivity: Benefitting Streams and Communities George Bush Meeting Room — 3rd floor This workshop highlights successful large-scale, on-the-ground restoration efforts that are re-connecting aquatic habitats fragmented by dams, road crossings, and other man-made alterations in the Upper Great Lakes. Tools and strategies will be shared for planning, financing, and articulating results, including the mutual benefits of restoring streams, improving community infrastructure, and creating local jobs. • Moderator: Patrick Doran, Director of Science, The Nature Conservancy: Michigan • Stewart Cogswell, Fisheries Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • Lisha Ramsdell, Program Director, Huron Pines • Amy Beyer, Conservation Resource Alliance

6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Goodtime III Dinner Cruise on the Cuyahoga River Ship Channel and North Coast Harbor (Sponsored by the Cleveland – Cuyahoga County Port Authority) Trolleys depart from the West Superior Avenue entrance — 1st floor starting at 5:45 p.m. • Brian Lynch, Vice President of Planning and Development, Cleveland Cuyahoga County Port Authority

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

8:30 a.m. - 9:10 a.m.

Continental Breakfast Grand Ballroom A/B — 3rd floor Welcome & Messages from Ohio’s U.S. Senators Jeff Skelding, Campaign Director, Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition • Jill Ryan, Executive Director, Freshwater Future and Co-Chair, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition • Joel Brammeier, President & CEO, Alliance for the Great Lakes • Andy Buchsbaum, Regional Executive Director, National Wildlife Federation and Co-Chair, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition • Jon Beard, Grant Manager, Great Lakes Fishery Trust • Molly Flanagan, Environment Program Officer, The Joyce Foundation • Video Messages from Ohio’s U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman •

9:10 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Break

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Breakout Sessions Ohio and the Future of the Great Lakes Compact Van Aken Meeting Room — 4th floor Ohio finds itself at the center of an intense debate on whether it is living up to the historic Great Lakes Compact. As the region’s states are taking steps to implement water protections, Ohio has gone in the other direction. The state’s first bill was so egregious that Gov. John Kasich vetoed it. This summer, Gov. Kasich signed a revised bill that still falls short of adequate protection for Lake Erie’s rivers and impairs the rights of hunters and anglers and the public’s use of waters within the Ohio Lake Erie Basin. Hear the story of how conservation organizations, the media and and key Ohio leaders worked to improve protections for Lake Erie and its tributaries against a challenging Ohio Legislature and political atmosphere. • Moderator: Marc Smith, Senior Policy Manager, National Wildlife Federation • Kristy Meyer, Director of Agricultural and Clean Water Programs, Ohio Environmental Council • Chris Evans, Reporter, Cleveland Plain Dealer • Bob Taft, former Ohio Governor Great Lakes Restoration at National Parks Blossom Meeting Room — 4th floor Unbeknownst to some, our Great Lakes national parks play a significant role in the effort to restore the great waters they represent. Each panelist will highlight a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative-supported project at a different park: restoring historic wetlands at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, researching changes in nearshore ecosystem dynamics at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and planning for wetland and stream improvements at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Discussion will explore how national parks can best contribute to Great Lakes restoration — given their abilities to serve as “living laboratories” and to directly engage the public (i.e., park visitors) through education and volunteerism, and will facilitate a discussion on “research vs. on-the-ground restoration” in the context of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding allocations. Moderator: Sarah Barmeyer, Great Waters Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association • Naureen Rana, Midwest Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association, Midwest Regional Office • Emily Tyner, Graduate Student, School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee • Kevin Skerl, Ecologist, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, National Park Service Blogging and Social Media Essentials George Bush Meeting Room — 3rd floor Strategic use of blogging and social media is critical for Great Lakes advocates reaching and engaging grassroots supporters, decision-makers, and funders. In “Blogging and Social Media Essentials”, we will cut through the endless list of new media tools to focus on how to strategically use blogs, Facebook and Twitter to reach your target audiences. This session is a must for grassroots advocates and leaders who want to successfully advance Great Lakes campaigns through blogging and social media. • Jennifer Janssen, Online Advocacy and Outreach Field Manager, National Wildlife Federation


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Thursday, September 13 – Continued Economic approach to Helping Lake Erie Grand Ballroom A/B — 3rd floor The people and groups most impacted by Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms are those that are threatened with economic losses. This includes charter boats, fishermen, boaters, marinas, yacht clubs, tourist communities and related commercial businesses and property owners. The Lake Erie Improvement Association (LEIA) brings together the impacted and the impactors to look at the science to drive reducing algae. LEIA also seeks the sources of the nutrients to participate in the decisions. • Sandy Bihn, Executive Director, Lake Erie Waterkeeper, Inc. • Jim Stouffer, President & CEO, Catawba Cleveland Development Corp. Oil Pipelines in the Great Lakes, Threats and Solutions Whitehall Ballroom — 3rd floor Did you know there is a massive 60-year-old oil pipeline running under Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, along the Straits of Mackinac? Did you know that up to 20 million gallons of oil travel through that pipeline every day and the operators have plans to expand the capacity without making significant upgrades? You might also be surprised to learn that most of the oil traveling through our pipelines comes from the Alberta tar sands. This panel will explain the issues and the regulatory framework governing oil pipelines as well as provide recommendations on ways we can safeguard our lakes from spills. • Moderator: Beth Wallace, Communications Outreach Regional Coordinator, National Wildlife Federation • Jeff Alexander, Owner, J. Alexander Communications LLC • Sara Gosman, Water Resource Attorney, National Wildlife Federation 10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Break

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Presidential Candidate Forum Grand Ballroom A/B – 3rd floor Will the next President continue to support funding for Great Lakes restoration efforts? Will the next President stop the Asian carp invasion into the Lakes? As the 2012 elections approach, Great Lakes advocates want to know where President Obama and Governor Romney stand on making the restoration of the Great Lakes a national priority. This session will feature campaign representatives from both Presidential candidates who will speak about their candidate’s Great Lakes platform. Of particular focus will be the hydrological separation of the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River and the continued funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. • Moderator: Andy Buchsbaum, Co-Chair, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition • President Barack Obama Campaign Representative (invited) • Governor Mitt Romney Campaign Representative (invited) 12:00 P.m.

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Conference Closing
