CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK – October 28, 2025 —Dan Egan, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and best-selling author, will headline the Ewing Forum at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, with a talk on the growing threats to North America’s freshwater systems.

Egan, author of “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes” and “The Devil’s Element,” will speak on the urgent environmental and political challenges facing the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes. His talk, hosted at Fort Hill Performing Arts Center, will draw from decades of investigative reporting and fieldwork.

“Freshwater is not a renewable resource in the way we often assume,” Egan said. “We’re learning that the hard way and we’re running out of time to act.”

A senior water policy fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences and former reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Egan has become one of the nation’s leading voices on water policy and sustainability. His work has shaped national conversations around invasive species, agricultural runoff, and nutrient pollution.

Egan’s talk will explore how warming waters, phosphorus pollution, and regulatory gaps are altering freshwater ecosystems and threatening the communities that depend on them. He will also discuss the role of science, policy, and community action in reversing these trends.

We are delighted to welcome Dan Egan to the Ewing Forum,” said forum Chair Barbara Risser. “His profound insights into the ecological challenges facing our lakes and the importance of preserving this vital resource resonate deeply with our mission.”

“This event promises to inspire meaningful conversations about conservation and stewardship,” Risser added, “and we look forward to engaging with Dan and our community members on these critical issues.”

The conversation will be moderated by Andrew Zepp, executive director of The Finger Lakes Land Trust. It is held in partnership with the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association (CLWA).

This event continues a season dedicated to the memory of George McClellan Ewing, Jr., who passed away earlier this year. Season 14 honors his family’s legacy of civic engagement, intellectual inquiry, and cultural enrichment.

Season 14 upcoming talks:

  • March 15, 2026 – “Strength Under Fire: Women in Military Combat” with retired Lt. Colonel Amy McGrath, moderated by Michael O’Hanlon, director of research and senior fellow of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution.
  • April 19, 2026 – “Profit vs. People: Healthcare, Morality and the Cost of Care” with health care reform advocate Wendell Potter, moderated by Canandaigua native, renowned journalist and advocate for social justice Michael Winship.

 

About the forum:

All events will be held at the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center (FHPAC), 20 Fort Hill Avenue, Canandaigua. Tickets are $30 per event or $100 for a season package. Tickets can be purchased at gmeforum.org or by calling the FHPAC box office at (585) 412-6043.

The George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum is made possible by the generous support of Canandaigua National Bank, WXXI, Wegmans, and the Friends of the Forum. For more information about the speakers, venue, or season details, visit gmeforum.org or contact the Ewing Forum at (585) 313-8443

 

Press Contact:

Lisa Hubler
Email: ewingforum@gmail.com
Phone: (585) 576-0042