Communications and Internet Technology program
Project Summaries

1. Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN)
   Since its inception in 1993, GLIN has provided timely and comprehensive data and information on the environment and economy to the region’s scientists, managers, policymakers and residents. Through the Internet, email discussion forums and related electronic communication tools, GLIN has evolved into a prominent regional voice and fostered the regional sharing of knowledge and advancement of communications technologies to drive sound science and policy. Through GLIN, the Commission also responds annually to thousands of public inquiries regarding the region’s environment, economy and related issues.GLIN addresses Article I, section I; Article VI, sections 1, 9 and 12 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 5, Objective B, strategic actions I and ii of the draft Strategic Plan.

2. BeachCast
   BeachCast, online since July 2003, provides beach users with ready access to health advisories via a dedicated web site, along with information on weather, monitoring programs and more. BeachCast promotes public awareness, increases accountability, and further facilitates local actions in maintaining healthy beaches. BeachCast was funded through a grant from the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office, in collaboration with beach managers working through the Great Lakes Beach Association (GLBA). GLIN also hosts the GLBA web site at www.glin.net/glba. BeachCast addresses Article I, sections 2 and 3; and Article VI, sections 1 and 9 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 2, Objective A, strategic action iv; Goal 5, Objective B, strategic action ii of the draft Strategic Plan.

3. The Education And Curriculum Homesite (T.E.A.C.H.)
   TEACH became the educational component of the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) in August 2000, featuring mini-lessons on many Great Lakes topics in the areas of environment, history and culture, geography, pollution, and careers and business. Geared for elementary through high school students, the modules are continually expanded and updated and include links to a glossary to help explain scientific terms and acronyms. TEACH addresses Article I, section 1; Article VI, Sections 1, 9 and 12 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 5, Objective A, strategic actions I and ii; Objective B, strategic actions I and ii of the draft Strategic Plan.

4. GLIN Hydrology / Current Conditions
   The Great Lakes Current Conditions section on GLIN is a multiyear collaboration between GLIN and NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS). Organized by the individual lakes, including Lake St. Clair, the Current Conditions pages on GLIN provide access to real-time information on NOAA weather forecasts, water levels, water temperatures, wave heights, boating safety and more. Interactive maps are used for easy navigation and detail on each lake's monitoring programs. This project addresses Article I, section 3; Article VI, sections 1, 9 and 12 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 5, Objective B, strategic actions I and ii; Objective C, strategic action I of the draft Strategic Plan.

5. GLIN Daily News
   Used by thousands of people around the Great Lakes region every weekday, GLIN Daily News is a free service distributed via email and posted on the GLIN web site. Staff from the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes Radio Consortium have partnered to search hundreds of newspapers daily and feature 8-10 stories relevant to the entire Great Lakes region. A new sponsorship program was established in winter 2003 to help fund the daily news services. The program addresses Article VI, sections 1 and 9 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 5, Objective A, strategic actions I and iv; Objective B, strategic actions I and ii of the draft Strategic Plan.

6. GLIN Great Lakes Circle Tour
   Currently through GLIN, tourists with inquiries can access basic maps and links to major points of interest on the Great Lakes. The Circle Tour section on GLIN is extremely popular, averaging 200,000 visits per month. In addition, the Commission fields hundreds of Circle Tour inquiries per year via email and phone. Maps, guidebooks, photos and traveler reviews are the most requested items. These items currently do not exist but the Commission sees a tremendous opportunity in developing and marketing them. Such materials will ultimately benefit the entire region by expanding public knowledge of the Tour, as well as regional and national interest in the lakes and their need for long-term protection. The program addresses Article VI, sections 9 and 12 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 3, Objective B, strategic actions I and ii; Goal 5, Objective A, strategic actions I and iv; Objective B, strategic actions I and ii of the draft Strategic Plan.

7. Great Lakes Regional Data Exchange (RDX) Conference Series
   The Great Lakes Commission continues to promote advancements in data acquisition and sharing by co-hosting a major Regional Data Exchange (RDX) conference April 4-6, 2006, in Rochester, New York. This conference along with the innaugural conference Regional Data Exchange: Decision Support for the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence System for the New Millennium (Oct. 26-28, 2004, in Detroit, Mich) respond to the rapidly growing importance, sophistication and capabilities of data management and exchange tools for environmental protection and natural resource management. The conferences and accompanying exhibitions offer attendees valuable insights into the potential of advanced Internet and geospatial technologies as tools to provide instant access to information, increased efficiency and improved decisionmaking abilities. The biennial event, is specifically geared toward federal, state/provincial and academic information technology professionals and data users to focus on integrated and interoperable regional information systems. The RDX Conference series addresses Article VI, sections 1 and 12 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 4, all objectives; Goal 5, Objective B, Strategic Action ii; Objective C, strategic action I of the draft Strategic Plan.

8. The Advisor Newsletter and Annual Report
   Since 1987 the Advisor newsletter has been the Commission's primary tool for keeping its members and the rest of the world informed of its activities and other matters of interest to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence community. Published four times per year, its more than 2,000 subscribers include each Great Lakes governor, all members of the Great Lakes Congressional Delegation, state/provincial legislators, and other policymakers and non-governmental interests. The Advisor and Annual Report address Article IV, section o; Article VI, sections 9 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 5, Objective B, Strategic Action ii of the draft Strategic Plan.

9. Carol A. Ratza Memorial Scholarship
   This $1000 competitive scholarship, awarded annually, targets university students with an interest in electronic communications technology and its applications in the Great Lakes region. The scholarship fund was started in 1997 in memory of Carol A. Ratza, past director of the Commission’s Communications Program and GLIN. The Ratza Scholarship addresses Article I, section I of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses Goal 5, Objective C, Strategic Action iii of the draft Strategic Plan.