Western Lake Erie farm runoff keeps national Great Lakes program director 'up at night'

May 11—A federal Great Lakes official told an eight-state commission Tuesday that nutrient-laden farm runoff feeding western Lake Erie algal blooms keeps him "up at night" but he struggles to propose any control measures beyond continuing to promote voluntary incentives for the agricultural sector.

Chris Korleski, director of the Great Lakes National Program Office, made the comments toward the end of a presentation during the 2021 Great Lakes Commission's semiannual meeting, held in a virtual format because of the coronavirus pandemic.

GLNPO, as his office is often called, is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and based at that agency's Midwest regional office in Chicago. Mr. Korleski has been its director for the past several years after previously directing the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and working as an assistant state attorney in the Ohio Attorney' General's Office.

Near the end of his presentation, he alluded to western Lake Erie's chronic algal blooms over the past quarter century, and admitted the cooperative efforts of many state and federal agencies — along with public universities and the private sector — are "not making enough progress" in reducing the nutrient flow.

According to the Ohio EPA, about 90 percent of Maumee River phosphorus that feeds western Lake Erie algae comes from farms. About the same percentage coming down the Sandusky River is agricultural as well.

Mr. Korleski acknowledged that reducing that runoff is a slow process.

"I don't know how to get there except to continue to work on it," he said. "That western basin of Lake Erie is something which keeps me up at night."

He also said the basin is "not making enough progress," but said the "bulk of our actions will be to promote voluntary measures," such as those promoted by the federal government's Natural Resources Conservation Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that works with farmers.

No mention was made of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's H2Ohio program, which is bringing unprecedented grant money to farmers to help them afford more efficient farming techniques, as well as building and expanding wetlands that can filter out algae nutrients.

Mr. Korleski's comments came six days before attorneys in a landmark case are scheduled to reconvene with Senior U.S. District Judge James Carr on a plan calling for tighter regulation of Ohio's agricultural industry.

The lawsuit, brought by the Environmental Law & Policy Center and Lucas County commissioners, alleges the U.S. EPA has allowed the problem to fester and thus failed to uphold the federal Clean Water Act by condoning Ohio's voluntary incentives far too long.

The cities of Toledo and Oregon are recognized by the court as interested parties for the plaintiff, with the Ohio EPA likewise recognized as an interested party for the defendant.

"The federal and state governments have continued to allow excessive manure and fertilizer runoff pollution that causes severe recurring toxic algae outbreaks in Lake Erie. Enough is enough. It's time to implement enforceable regulatory standards to reduce this pollution sufficient to clean up Lake Erie and provide safe clean water for all," said Howard Learner, ELPC's executive director.

"Governor DeWine committed to achieve the state's obligation under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to reduce this runoff pollution by 40 percent by 2025, but no progress has been achieved," he added. "It's time for Ohio and the U.S. EPA to step up with sufficient regulatory actions to achieve this manure and fertilizer pollution reduction and clean up Lake Erie once and for all."

The Great Lakes Commission, based in Ann Arbor, is an agency funded by each of the eight Great Lakes states to help link them together on issues being addressed throughout the Great Lakes region.

Also at the semiannual meeting, Mr. Korleski talked about the bipartisan support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, created by the former Obama administration 12 years ago and "almost a middle-aged program now by regulatory standards."

The GLRI was created to infuse the region with more money for environmental improvements, from contamination removal to enhanced wildlife habitat.

One of the better-known projects in which GLRI money has been used in the Toledo area was the construction of a large wetland near Maumee Bay State Park several years ago.

The GLRI started in 2009 with $475 million. Congress settled on about $300 million a year after that for the next several years.

But in reauthorizing it for another five years recently, Congress bumped the potential figure up to $375 million in fiscal year 2022, with annual $25 million increases afterward up to $475 million in fiscal year 2026.

Mr. Korleski reminded viewers those figures are not guaranteed: it's what Congress has authorized, but appropriations come later.

Still, it's a good sign, Mr. Korleski said.

"Congress very much believes in the continuing efficacy of GLRI," he said.

One of the GLRI's goals under the Biden administration will be a stronger focus on environmental justice programs and in serving traditionally lesser-served communities with more environmental programs, Mr. Korleski said.

Mr. Biden's U.S. EPA administrator, North Carolina native Michael S. Regan, said during his taped keynote he considers the Great Lakes "one of our nation's most precious resources."

First Published May 11, 2021, 1:33pm