Kaptur Calls for Action as NOAA HAB Bulletin Reports 2015 Algal Bloom Worst on Record

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) responded today to news that the 2015 Harmful Algal Bloom in Lake Erie was the most severe of any in recorded history. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Experimental Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Bulletin, “The severity index [for 2015] is 10.5, as compared to 10 for the 2011 bloom.”

“Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal Blooms are picking up speed,” said Rep. Kaptur. “According to NOAA’s announcement today, this year’s bloom started earlier than usual and included historically large amounts of algae through almost the entire season. Yes, results will always lag behind our responses, and we have taken measurable steps forward this year. These include improvements our HAB tracking, water treatment, and address the cause of these blooms: the growing volume of agricultural and other nutrients flooding our lake. We have also seen important groups roll up their sleeves, including Rotary Club of Toledo, Sierra Club, Lake Erie Waterkeepers, and others. But good science continues to be our best hope and guiding light, and there is still much we don’t know or don’t learn soon enough to act. Communities and local governments throughout our region should use this report to call for truly comprehensive real-time monitoring resources. The situation could not be more urgent.”

According to NOAA, the 2015 HAB reached its maximum biomass in mid-August and was disrupted in September by two major cold fronts. It also points out that heavy rains in June caused record levels of agricultural discharge that month and those high levels continued into July, typically a dry month. As a result, the 2015 HAB exceeded NOAA’s pre-season projection of a bloom with a severity index of 8.7.

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