Author: Ashley McGovern

State Drops Fish Advisory Program

Budget cuts continue to plague states across the country. In Michigan, these cuts led to the elimination of the state’s fish advisory program. It’s the first state in the region to drop its program. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern has more:

Transcript

Budget cuts continue to plague states across the country. In Michigan, these cuts led to
the elimination of the state’s fish advisory program. It’s the first state in the region to
drop its program. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern has more:

Two years ago, Michigan’s legislature cut funding for the state’s fish advisory program.
Since then, Michigan’s Department of Community Health has been struggling to pay for
the advisories. Now, department officials say they can no longer afford to keep the
program going.

T.J. Bucholz is a spokesman for Michigan’s Department of Community Health. He says
the advisories inform an important segment of the population:

“The message is targeted these days at women that are pregnant. Letting them know that ingestion
of too much fish that is contaminated with mercury or PCBs or PBBs can have an
adverse affect on their pregnancy.”

Two years ago, officials from Ohio’s Department of Health threatened to end their fish
advisory program because of budget cuts. But they later found funds from other state
departments. Bucholz says his department will try to do the same.

For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Ashley McGovern.

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Summer Battle Plans for Aquatic Plant

Now that spring is here, aquatic plants are beginning to flourish. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern has an update on the battle against the Eurasian watermilfoil:

Transcript

Now that spring is here, aquatic plants are beginning to flourish. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern has an update on the battle against the
Eurasian watermilfoil:


The Eurasian watermilfoil originated in Europe and Asia and has been found in the US for more
than 80 years. Watermilfoil can be transferred from lake to lake by boaters. The plant can hinder
recreational activities, like swimming and fishing, and can harm native ecosystems.


Lake associations and ecologists are trying to find ways to stop the spread of this invasive plant.
Bernd Blossey is an ecologist with Cornell University. He says people use different tactics to try to
get rid of watermilfoil.


“Some people promote using aquatic herbicides but that’s never a long-term solution—the plant
simply comes back.”


Another technique used is called biological control. That’s introducing natural enemies, such as
insects, that feed on the plant.


“Biological control doesn’t try to eradicate a plant, it just tries to reduce it’s population level.”


Blossey says it’s important to increase awareness of invasive species like watermilfoil and to keep
in mind that using herbicides is just a temporary solution to a tough problem.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Ashley McGovern.

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Enviros Call on Fcc to Enforce Tower Regs

Communication towers throughout the country, such as cell phone and radio towers, are to blame for millions of migratory bird deaths each year. Now, an environmental group has filed a complaint against the Federal Communications Commission in an attempt to cut down on bird deaths. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern reports:

Transcript

Communication towers throughout the country, such as cell phone and radio
towers, are to blame for millions of migratory bird deaths each year. Now,
an environmental group has filed a complaint against the Federal
Communications Commission in an attempt to cut down on bird deaths. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern reports:


The Federal Communications Commission requires lights on communication
towers two-hundred feet and taller.


Environmental groups say these towers pose a threat to migratory birds.


They say in bad weather birds mistake lights on towers for stars they use to
navigate when flying.


The FCC requires an environmental impact study to be conducted whenever
towers like these are built.


But environmental groups say the FCC rarely follows this regulation.


The National Wildlife Federation filed a complaint against the FCC after the
Michigan State Police built a one-hundred-eighty-one-tower communication
system.


Michelle Halley is an attorney for the NWF.


“The Michigan State Police applied to register their towers and to build their towers, and they were
allowed by the FCC to do that, without conducting the proper environmental review.”


Halley says these reviews can help position towers outside of migratory bird
flyways.


She also says lowering some towers would eliminate the required lighting.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Ashley McGovern.

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