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Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species and their Impacts on Milwaukee, WI. Prepared for : City of Milwaukee, Department of Administration, Budget and Management Division May 7, 2010. By : Adam Felts, Evan Johnson, Margaret Lalor, Scott Williams, Noah Winn-Ritzenberg.

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Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

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  1. Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species and their Impacts on Milwaukee, WI Prepared for: City of Milwaukee, Department of Administration, Budget and Management Division May 7, 2010 By: Adam Felts, Evan Johnson, Margaret Lalor, Scott Williams, Noah Winn-Ritzenberg Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  2. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Objectives • Define the context in which AIS affect Milwaukee • Develop policy-relevant goals and priorities • Identify potential policies that Milwaukee should support • Consider connections to the Port of Milwaukee

  3. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Motivation • Great Lakes are important for Milwaukee economy, recreation, resources, heritage • Harmed by last two centuries of human activity • Role of Port of Milwaukee

  4. Roadmap • Context • Ecological impact of AIS • Economic Impact of AIS • Economic benefits of Great Lakes shipping • Regulatory environment • Goals for AIS policy • Policy recommendations Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  5. Aquatic Invasive Species • Non-native species • Cause economic or environmental harm • Potential for more invasions Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  6. How AIS Enter the Great Lakes • AIS enter Great Lakes in many different ways-Canal systems-Dumping-Fish farming-Boats & trailers moving between water bodies-Ballast water release • Ballast water is key • 55 to 70 percent of AIS introductions since 1959 Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  7. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  8. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Lessons from Current Ecological Damage • Numerous impacts • Many different species

  9. Economic Impact of AIS • AIS threaten a number of industries • Great Lakes fisheries – $7 billion annually • Great Lakes recreation • Industrial raw water users • Sources of uncertainty • Difficult to measure ecological damage • Difficult to monetize Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  10. Estimated Costs of AIS • Estimated costs of AIS in the Great Lakes range from $200 million to $5.7 billion annually • Impacts on Milwaukee • Raw water users and • lakefront recreation Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  11. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs AIS Prevention Options • Ballast water treatment • Onboard • Offboard • Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway infrastructure changes (GL-SLS) • Close the GL-SLS to oceangoing ship • Close the Chicago locks • Build a longer term electrical barrier

  12. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Economic Impacts of Ports • Wisconsin ports generate 11,338 jobs • Transport 78 percent of state commodities • Port of Milwaukee generates 2,028 direct and indirect jobs • $80 million industry revenues • $35 million tax revenues

  13. Regulations • International Maritime Organization • 2004 Treaty • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Federal permit system • U.S. Coast Guard • Proposed ballast water regulation Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  14. State Level Regulations • Great Lakes states such as Minnesota, Michigan, New York and Wisconsin • Wisconsin regulations are designed • to incentivize innovation Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  15. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Inferences from Research • Milwaukee cannot tackle AIS on its own • AIS policy should be guided by the precautionary principle • Prevention is more cost-effective than managing an established AIS • AIS management options are cheaper than doing nothing at all

  16. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs Policy Goals • Ecological responsibility • Prevent economic damage by AIS • Preserve economic vitality of Milwaukee • Political feasibility

  17. Policy Recommendations • Support strong but flexible national regulation on ballast water • Do not support closing the Chicago Locks as a sole means of controlling Asian carp • Collaborate to secure funding for AIS management • Use media attention to educate public Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

  18. Additional Information For copies of report, email: publications@lafollette.wisc.edu Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs

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