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Some Ohio Congressmembers Urge Trump To Maintain Lake Erie Cleanup Programs

epa.gov

Some members of Ohio's Congressional delegation are asking the incoming Trump administration to maintain efforts to improve Lake Erie. Democrat Marcy Kaptur and Republican David Joyce are among four dozen Congress members asking for continued support for research into toxic algae blooms. Meanwhile, the International Joint Commission says the U.S. and Canada are behind schedule on identifying chemical pollutants in the Great Lakes and developing strategies to deal with them. Toxic substances such as PCBs and dioxins appear to be declining or holding steady in herring gull eggs, a key indicator of the chemicals' presence. Several new and emerging chemicals such as fire retardants seem to be increasingly prevalent and could harm to the ecosystem. There's also indication of rising mercury contamination in some fish, although levels remain below those of the 1970s. The two nations approved a water quality agreement in 2012.

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