Meeting minutes MCC Advisory Committee
Nov. 21, 2013
Present:
 Roger Eberhart, Office of the Great Lakes
 Michele Richards, Fort Custer Training Center Department of
Defense/Military Veterans Affairs
 Mike Sobzchinski, Michigan State Police, Michigan Hazard Mitigation plan.
 Steven Shine, Michigan Dept. of Agricultural/ Rural Development.
 Niles Annelin, Michigan Department of Transportation
 Ann Hookenson (sp?), MDEQ
 Brad Garmon, Michigan Environmental Council
 David Bidwell, GLISA
 Lorri Cameron, Michigan Dept. of Community Health
 Tom Occupiniti, MDEQ
 Joe VanDerMuelen, Land Information Access Association
 Amy Clark Eagle, DNR
 Luke Forrest, Michigan Municipal League
 Rebecca Esselman, Huron River Watershed
 Joel – EcoWorks
 Jinhua Zhao, Environmental Science and Policy Program, MSU
 Karessa Weir, ESPP, MSU
Introductions/Updates:
Michele Richards- We are working on a grant to do resource conservation related to
climate change. We succeeded a few years ago with Notre Dame to do biotic
sampling in aquatic habitats. We could take water samples and analyze genetics. We
are partners with the Kalamazoo Nature Center where we are looking at all species
especially those that we can save. These are common species that we want to keep
common, most important pollinators at military lands such as Custer and Grayling
and across state. I am the contact with this and will support multiple submissions.
We are doing the water sampling. We can compare data and submitting, for example
are there rattlesnakes in the water at Ft. Custer? The DNA is now in the labs at Notre
Dame. For the first year, we are recording presences and absence. Later we want to
do quantifiable studies. These are the same guys doing the Asian carp testing in Lake
Michigan.
Niles Annelin, Michigan Departmnet of Transportation. Overseeing legislative work
and project manager for high level climate change or environmentally related
projects. I work primarily in greenhouse gas inventory on operations and
maintenance. There is a report due today that will be approved and made pubic in
the new year. Now we are starting a new project with US DOT to make climate based
risk assessment of infrastructure. There are six steps of project: the first one being
partnering component to get feedback from peers in the room. Final project would
be for other agencies to do similar report around the state. Essentially it is an
inventory of our assets. We are working with (state climatologist) Jeff Andresen on
climate modeling. The risk assessment is modeling plus inventory assessment. For
an example, identify undersize culverts in rural areas. Another project to go down to
assets. HWA partnership on a national level. Main climate related projects now.
Aware that things are changing and our maintenance needs to change. More real
time information and air/water/pavement. At MDOT, there is a lot of real detailed
issues trying to relate to climate change. Are they adjusting design standards? Most
standards are set by federal highway. Hopefully will change standards especially the
storm drainages. Pedestrian/bike?? Something taken into consideration along with
divisional climatology.
Ann Hookenson, MDEQ, rivers, lakes and streams. Developed an adaptation strategy
and working with partners to create wetlands/streams regulatory and planning.
Hoping to do workshops on BMPs and get some feedback. 2011 cohosting annual
wetlands and help symposium on climate adaptability. Hope to follow up next year.
Won’t be as big but follow-up. Also working on Michigan coast management
program. I am the only one with funding to work on climate change in the water
resources of DEQ.
Tom Occupiniti, MDEQ, environmental education. Focus on climate change.
Published in 2013 climate change unit for public schools. Very well received. Any
opposing views have been very quiet. Climate Change: Science and Impacts. Two
units. How to teach the science of climate change and then how to teach the impacts.
6-12 grades. We are now running workshops including March 2014 Michigan
Science Teachers workshop. During the summer DNR runs an ANR (Academy of
Natural Resources) one of tracks MECs week, climate change is one of the tracks.
There will be other pieces of delivery now and more later on. Teaching for teachers
to get it into classrooms. I’d like to mention one of projects with DNR, major lead, in
Detroit they have taken the Globe Building, renovating the Milliken State Park,
RenCen up to Belle Isle. The state is taking over Belle Isle and the Globe Building is
undergoing $14 million renovation and turning it into an outdoor adventure center
in the middle of the city. To get all these urban people to get interested in ecosystem,
moose and goose and fish and fowl. Laying groundwork for climate change lessons
as they set up and hope to open in May 2014 with program. Continue to work with
them to introduce concepts to a lot of the public. Vickey Anthez is lead of the
renovation of the Globe. As far as outreach for southeast Michigan, it is mostly
through parks. All divisions providing some support. Not sure there is a primary.
Not a restoration of building. Kept brick exterior. Definitely talking about
incorporating urban ecosystems/green space. For scheduling education events, we
need at least 10 teachers; 10-20 is a good range.
Joe VanDerMuelen, Land Information Access Association. We develop road/streams
crossing inventory. Online. Concerned with water quality. Useful data set. Lots of
trails programs. Up North Trails. Lot of mapping of trails of different types. Coastal
zone management and coordinate along great lakes water trails. Provided websites
and data sets. Conservation Alliance, Huron Pines on the east side. Done by the
conservation resource development councils across the state. We built big databases
for these folks. The information resides with the organization.
Amy Clark Eagle – forest resources division of DNR. Climate change lead in my
division. I know we are within state forest system doing a road/stream crossing
inventory. We are assessing where do we need to upgrade most. Hope to get your
information (MDOT project) and when the upgrades are done, make sure they are
done to higher standards, if needed. Trails managed by Parks and Recreation
Division. Getting climate change into Regional State Forest Management Plans.
Public comment is closed on these. We worked with the Northern Institute of
Applied Climate Science (NIACS) and incorporated information from their
Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment & Synthesis documents into the regional plans.
We included how climate change may affect forest systems in Michigan by forest
type, winners/losers and impacts. Tried to build in need for infrastructure changes.
Began looking at very broad types of adaptation practices that can be adapted and
built into plans. And at a fine scale work with biologists and build a set of potential
practices that can be customized. Participating in NIACS and Sault tribe workshop in
February to look at adaptation practices. Kevin Sayers is doing a huge amount of
work with urban forestry and climate change.
David Bidwell, program manager for GLISA. I think we have changed over the year
and have been building expertise technical assistance, along with more qualitative
assessment and a lot of data. We are providing narratives around projections that
are out there. We have annual funding program for groups such as Huron River
Watershed Council. We are trying to figure out support for people who are not
funded or don’t have formal projects. Encourage all of you as you have specific
projects if you need data, we can get it for you pretty quickly. Send us an email or
call. If you are working on grant project, throwing in $5000 or $8000 can get us a
move in. We don’t want to be repository of Great Lakes information. We want to
share resources we’ve created or that we vouch for their quality. What’s nice is that
with Jeff Andresen guiding us, this is a high quality data resource. We play some of
that role. If you haven’t poked around, look at the Divisional climatology. NOAA
divides 5-6 counties. Different quality of station data. Trying to consolidate that. 10
climate division in Michigan. Also not trying to pretend a single point without whole
state. Producing some reports. Freezing rain for a project in Chicago for region as a
whole. What does the assessment science say going to happen with the freezing
rain? Any products that would be helpful – maps, charts, - let us know we are
interested. I’m leaving.
Lori Cameron – Michigan Community Health. Have three years of funding from the
CDC to work on health adaptation for the state of Michigan. We are creating climate
and health profiles to summarize what we know about climate related health effects.
We are just getting started on figuring the future burden of disease caused by
climate. Funding for many years outreach and partnering on health adaptation ,
community activities. Typical partners local health departments, wide geographic
communities and regions. We’ve been working with Joe and other communities and
others for adaptation tools to prepare for health effects of climate change. Combined
sewage overflows are focused on. I would like them to deal with septic, consolidated
animal feeding operations? And other agricultural things. Soil erosion. Very briefly
harmful algae blooms. Don’t mention impacts on fishing industry or tourism. Needs
input to make this more useful. Big rainfall, sewage in the lagoons can wash out and
contaminate surface waters. They are designed for standard storms.
Luke Forrest, Michigan Municipal League: We are working on adaptation and
resilience through the Michigan Green Communities Network. This includes staff
from a variety of cities. There was no central place for anyone with environmental
issues, no group of interest. This is our effort to create that. We formed steering
committee in September together with the Michigan Association of Counties. We are
focusing on conferences, webinars, and newsletters. Trying to digest all the
information that a local government can do about environmental adaptability. Tasks
with keeping tabs on training and new information. Adaptation and resilience have
been rising recently. Joe and I collect information and opportunities to learn.
Michigan Green Communities. MML.org/green
Rebecca Esselman – Huron River Watershed Council. Continuing to work on climate
resilient communities. To consider adaptation and what strategies might be and
how to support them. Recently we got a small pot of money to help Ann Arbor
climate action plan. 100 mitigation strategies and five very generic adaptation
strategies. Ecology Center implementing the plan. Watershed council is taking that
adaptation role. Heavy on mitigation but have adaptation in mind as well.
Watershed council also prioritizing our engagement. In the coming year, we want to
work on helping communities revise the hazards mitigation plans to incorporate
more recent data and forward looking data with natural hazards
Joel – EcoWorks. WARM training center. City of Detroit. Energy efficiency with city
of Detroit. Southeastern Michigan energy efficiency. Act as satellite energy office for
those communities but not ann arbor. Done a number of work, sustainability
Oakland County and in Rochester hills/auburn hills. Ferndale/berkely finishing this.
Toolkit for sustainability for local governments. Trying to get it on the webstite.
Climate action plans. Currently working on very grassroots climate action plan with
the city of Detroit unfunded but volunteer help
Jinhua Zhao. ESPP – one item to raise with the group. Talking with Tom Dietz is codirector with GLISA and david now leaving glisa. Possibility GLISA support a joint
meeting with MCC and WCI Wisconsin climate group. Several years ago we had a
climate change conference where mcc activity involve and activity with Wisconsin
group. Then governor MOU with Wisconsin governor. Now that local levels whether
or not to make sense two groups be involved in a certain kind of conference here or
Chicago to utilize this to learn from each other and further ties with them.
David – WICI continue but leadership changes. Redefining themselves. One of
problems is they grew out of a specific taste left them floating a bit. They are still
very active and would be interested in talking.
Lori – were you thinking about this as a symposium or a closed meeting or what
were you thoughts on the structure?
More of a symposium broader participation including academia but the core MCC
and WICI. We haven’t really talked about the format. If MCC is a group is interested,
we can talk about the details.
Lori attended the symposia a few years back, great way to education the larger
communities. A lot more going on now than.
Michelle – I concur. Time to build on it.
Luke – 1000 Friends of Wisconsin working on it.
Amy – working on organization that have a broad scope of Minnesota, Wisconsin
and Michigan.
Lori – among public health, Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota and Illinois regional
activity is a conference call in a few weeks. Can regionalize around public health.
Brad - Count on these meetings to continue every other month. Less success when
we try to wait on this group to act collectively . make it was you want to be.
DAVID BIDWELL UPDATE
There is a vast difference on levels of awareness and things happening on the
ground. MCC really valuable in connecting people and cross pollination across state
agencies. All here at the table. Informal but cross communications. I came here to do
a doctorate and work as an academic track. Am a postdoc? Finally landed a tenure
track. University of Rhode Island. Department of marine affairs. Don’t know
anything about oceans at all. Wind energy off the coast of Rhode Island. Leaving just
after Christmas. Coastal big oceanology. RISA at Columbia dealing with activity in a
network. New program manager: News is imminent. Little more permanent. We recompete next year. Figure out 2015-2020. Evolved a lot over last three years.
JOE VANDERMUELEN “PLANNING FOR RESILIENT COMMUNITIES”
Show and tell. I have a book - a resource - atlas. A few of brochures. Non profit
applied research postdoc. To form and encourage civic engagement. Build websites
lots of technology. Government access television. Planning zoning development
work. Worked in partnerships with other organization. Not good at tooting our own
horn. MML and Michigan Townships and Michigan Planning for 20 years on and off.
Working with community health with local planning and Monroe and lots of
different management. Resilient Monroe! Cooperative community planning project.
Smart growth is not new. And they know what to do and if they did them, we would
eliminating the problems.
- City of Monroe, Frenchtown Charter Township and Monroe Charter
Township. Trying to get MTT and MLL members working together. This is
terms of adaptation and resilience. Kresge made decision things need to
happen and they dumped a lot of money into this.
- Michigan Planning Enabling Act Act 33 of 2008 – require a master plan and a
zoning ordinance. Requires capital improvement in the master plan.
Lot of materials presented by GLISA and Huron River Watershed Council. Talk to
them about what we mean by resilience. What we try to take them about the ability
to adapt. Four different characteristics:
1. Social cohesion/social capital
2. Diversity
3. Adaptive capacity
4. Ecosystem services
Resource Atlas for all three jurisdictions. Lots of public gatherings and leadership
summit. Lot of information dumped on the leaders. Brought them all together day
long information sessions. About 100 people. Linking placemaking and now using
that term. Placemaking for Resilience. Mishta leading the term. Turning our towns
and cities that people want to live and decide what they want to do. Create places so
full of aesthetic value like trails, museums, schools. Finding something distinctive
and unique. Sense of identity and community.
Big survey went out 2000 people. Whole community is 80,000. Monroe is very
historic, national park Battle of the River Raisin and War of 1812. Small downtown,
Energy Town, nuclear and coal powered. 25,000 in town. Talk about it as a
community but we make them say that. All about water. Very worried about Lake
Erie and very proud of Laz-E-Boy. Big Ford plant shut down. Short on health
insurance and high health problems. Particulate problems, air quality. The changing
demographic and what that means to them.
Older cohort increasing. College cohort is decreasing especially in this area. How
engage young people?
GLISA impacts of climate change. Already dealing with them they just don’t know it
yet. Something happened that is different. Change of rainfall and amount of ice on
lakes and winters aren’t the same. Risk related with algal blooms on lake erie. Paper
this spring algal blooms linked with major storms.
Vulnerability = Sensitivity + Exposure
- heat vulnerability for elders
- flooding
- Generally advice UM Larrissa Larson. Don’t try to give people heavy math but
try to find the information sources easy to get. Census data and SEMCOG
identified impervious surfaces.
0-4 years old – heat sensitive and 65+
- people living along, more people living alone. Reducing size of our
households. Less education, less income and minorities. Sensitivity
characteristics can map through census data.
Heat Island effect – impervious surface and lack of canopy to offset heat effects
Build together by adding it all up. Not good math. Simplest way to understand
sensitivity.
GIS effect. Percentages and polygons. Tree canopy. Put together = exposure.
Together with sensitivity = heat exposure vulnerability. Really education and able to
map it block to block.
Map incorporate into their planning.
Flooding Vulnerability Assessment
- flat, clay with winding river Raisin. No slope. Looked at point precipitation
data. Show statistics on records one after another with rainfall. Flooding in
2011. 7 inches of rain in 11 days. It was huge on them. Water standing in the
streets. They just had republished maps for 100 and 500 year flood. Storm
sewers and drains. Wish they would actually map drains. What’s that about??
New map, brand new flood plain on top of lots of roads. Frequently ponded soil.
Better add that to the map. Went through found 1945 homes or earlier, less
competent basement. More at risk of flooding. 500 sq feet or more. 200 foot buffer.
All of those homes purple considered sensitive areas. Put structures on there and
show impacts that way. Valuable lesson some things for resilience purposes.
Promote agri-tourism protects open land = flood storage.
Lazy boy moving a mile east. Worked with planning charrette. Want a lifestyle
center. Landscape architects. Plans have to have stuff about vision. No small plans.
National monument. Plan to increase battlefield to add river land. Create flood
storage removing houses in 100 year flood plain. Make it a drainable area.
Energy Town – one of the largest solar LED HMI. Jazz festival = energy town too.
No cooling centers. Add east-west corridors. Wetland banking program = more flood
storage and make a few bucks. Stole Ypsilanti’s tree planting program. Should have a
40 percent canapy. Adding power sources, generators.
Planning AND Zoning. You have to write it right into your master plan. Goals, tasks
and infrastructure.
Hope finished in March through the master plan. Now moving on to Ludington and
St. Joseph and Port Huron. Coastal Zone management pushing us to work with
coastal communities. UM grant to 8 different PhDs adding input into coastal
processes and integrating this in the master plans.
We don’t know everybody still getting to know each other. UM silos they don’t talk
to each other. Think it would be great if there would be a major conference and
discussion here in Michigan.
Want to see resilience included in RFPs. Now just seeing what we can do on town
ends.
We do fee for service, build websites and also partner with other groups.