These reports are part of the Green Bay and Fox River NRDA conducted by the federal government, the Oneida Tribe of Indians and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. These reports describe how Fox River PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) injure fish, water and sediment in the Green Bay system and the economic value of public recreational fishing losses.
When released, the report will be available for review by appointment in the Service Reading Room, 1015 Challenger Court, Green Bay, Wisc. Call Service Assessment Manger, David Allen at (920) 465-7407 to schedule an appointment. The reports will also be made available on the internet at: http://www.fws.gov/r3pao/nrda/
In addition to reviewing findings contained in these reports, the meeting will also provide the opportunity for public feedback on that information.
The reports explain how PCBs harm fish, water and sediment, and incorporates vast amounts of data collected showing the levels of PCBs accumulated by Green Bay fish, water and sediment. The reports also compare PCB levels in Green Bay fish to toxic levels, and explain where they were exposed to PCBs. Those attending the meeting will learn more about current fish consumption advisories, how the data and studies are used for making legal determinations of fish injuries for the NRDA, and the implications of those studies. Finally, the reports quantify the economic value of recreational fishing losses experienced by the public due to PCBs released by Fox River paper mills.
According to Allen, Results found in these reports are important to understanding why the government and tribes are working toward cleaning and restoring Green Bay and the Fox River. These reports are comprehensive and detail scientific data showing how evidence of fish injuries will be used in the NRDA. The reports also explain how economic damages are related to and impact recreational fishing.
We will discuss these results in our meeting and invite public comment on those findings. The reports will also help the public understand the problems caused by local PCBs spread over thousands of square miles for decades, and will encourage their participation in helping to fix the problem in the best way possible.
The meeting is sponsored by the Fox River Intergovernmental Partnership, a group of six federal and state agencies, and two tribes. Under a July 1997 Memorandum of Agreement, this partnership agreed to work together to clean and restore the Lower Fox River. Partners include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Brown County Library is located at 515 Pine Street, downtown Green Bay. Parking is available at the library, located on the northwest corner of Monroe and Pine Streets. For more information, call David Allen, (920) 465-7407 or Larry Dean (612) 713-5312.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprising more than 500 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries and 78 ecological services field stations.
The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://www.fws.gov/r3pao/
