Regional Coordination program
Project Summaries

1. Great Lakes - Baltic Sea Fellowship Program
   The U.S. EPA-funded Great Lakes - Baltic Sea Fellowship Program has supported over 20 fellowships since the inception of the program in 1997. Approximately half of the fellowships have been in a scientific field, while the others have been focused on policy initiatives. Invasive species, pollution prevention and watershed management have been among the primary study areas for fellowships. The principal environmental objective of the Baltic Fellowship Program is to improve the water quality of the Great Lakes and the Baltic Sea by sharing information, expertise, and management approaches. The Great Lakes Commission supports this initiative through regional coordination among U.S. EPA Region 5 and similar organizations in the Baltic Sea region. The Baltic Fellowship Program recognizes that both regions can enhance their institutions’ capacities through scientific, research and information exchange through the placement of Baltic Fellows to the Great Lakes region for scientific study, training and information exchange. The program addresses: Article I, Section 1; and, Article VI, Sections 2 and 8 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact and addresses: Goal 2, Objective C, Strategic Actions 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the draft Strategic Plan.

2. Great Lakes Strategic Plan for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
   Under the John Glenn Great Lakes Basin Program: Section 455(a) Strategic Plans of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1999, Congress authorized the Corps to conduct a comprehensive study of the future use, management, and protection of water resources and related resources of the Great Lakes basin. The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) was contracted by the Detroit District of the Corps of Engineers to undertake a strategic analysis and develop recommendations for a Great Lakes Strategic Plan. This analysis by the Great Lakes Commission included the following elements:

   1. Comprehensive study of current Corps programs and authorities relevant to the Great Lakes region;
   2. Review of strategic plans of other federal and state programs;
   3. Assessment of policy and legislative initiatives that could enhance the Corps’ program utilization and performance; and
   4. Analysis of future trends in water resources needs.
   
   The Commission has submitted a complete report to the Detroit District of the Corps for final review. The Great Lakes Commission also undertook a survey of federal, state, non-governmental organizations and the private sector which generated an assessment of cooperative efforts among them, along with the Corps and identified opportunities for program areas that could be enhanced through new authorities from Congress, project management processes, etc. The report addresses: Article I, Sections 1, 2, and 4; and, Article VI, Sections 1, 2, 3, 7 and 9 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses: Goal 2, Objectives A and B; Goal 3, Objective B; and Goal 6, Objectives A, B and C of the draft Strategic Plan.

3. Great Lakes Restoration Planning Workshops
   From fall of 2003 through summer of 2004, the Great Lakes Commission hosted a series of workshops across the region to garner broad public input into the establishment of priorities for restoration efforts within the basin and the organization of a regional strategy to pursue such priorities. These workshops were organized in close partnership with the state Sea Grant offices, the Council of Great Lakes Governors and numerous additional partners in each jurisdiction. Financial support was provided by the national Sea Grant Program. In total, these meetings gathered nearly 700 participants to share their ideas. Although no effort was made to reach consensus, it was clear that the region’s interests share a common agenda concerning basin-wide restoration that closely parallels the priorities announced by the region’s governors in October, 2003. Proceedings have been published for three of the meetings and are in draft for the remaining four. Plans for a concluding event and/or publication to consolidate the gathered information are currently being made. The program addresses: Article I, Sections 1, 2, and 4; and, Article VI, Sections 2, 8 and 9 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses: Goal 6, Objective A, Strategic Actions 1, 2 and 3; Goal 6, Objective C, Strategic Actions 1 and 3; and Goal 7, Objective A, Strategic Action 2 of the draft Strategic Plan.

4. Advocacy: Great Lakes Program to Ensure Environmental and Economic Prosperity
   The Great Lakes Commission advocates for legislative and appropriations priorities for the region in its 2004 Great Lakes Program to Ensure Environmental and Economic Prosperity, released in March. These priorities will help secure a clean environment, strong economy and high quality of life for residents of the eight state Great Lakes region. Members of Congress, including the Great Lakes Congressional Delegation are urged to support legislation and appropriations of critical importance to the Great Lakes region. The program addresses: Article I, Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; and, Article VI, Sections 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, and addresses: Goal 2, Objective D, Strategic Action 3; Goal 6, Objective A, Strategic Actions 1, 2 and 3; and Goal 6, Objective B, Strategic Actions 1, 2 and 3 of the draft Strategic Plan.