Resolution: Full Funding for the Great Lakes Legacy Act to Expedite Restoration and Delisting of Great Lakes Areas of Concern
Adopted on April 17, 2003

Whereas, the United States-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1972, as amended, provides for the designation of Areas of Concern (AOCs) in need of remedial actions to address documented pollution problems; and

Whereas, 31 U.S. and binational AOCs have been designated, each with a Remedial Action Plan process that coordinates and focuses the efforts of multiple levels of government and other stakeholders; and

Whereas, substantial progress has been made in characterizing the sources and causes of beneficial use impairments, identifying necessary remediation activities, and generating broad stakeholder involvement in and support for the Remedial Action Plan process; and

Whereas, substantial resources are needed to remediate contaminated sediments, which are a persistent source of toxic pollution to the Great Lakes from each AOC and contribute to 11 of the 14 beneficial use impairments identified in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement; and

Whereas, the U.S. Congress has passed, and the President has signed into law, the Great Lakes Legacy Act 2002, authorizing $270 million for monitoring, assessing and cleaning up contaminated sediments in Great Lakes Areas of Concern; and

Whereas, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is reorienting its programs to expedite progress in restoring the AOCs, has finalized guidelines for removing sites from this list of "toxic hot spots" and has committed to a Great Lakes Strategy that calls for completing restoration and "delisting" of 10 Areas of Concern by 2010; and

Whereas, restoration of the Great Lakes AOCs is a key priority in the Great Lakes Commission's Great Lakes Program for Environmental and Economic Prosperity.

Therefore, be it resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission applauds the U.S. Congress for passing, and the President for signing, the Great Lakes Legacy Act and calls for the Act to be fully funded at its authorized annual level of $54 million in fiscal years 2004 through 2008; and

Be it Further resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission calls on the Great Lakes states and other partners involved in AOC cleanup efforts to make every effort to secure the nonfederal funding required under the Great Lakes Legacy Act to implement important contaminated sediment remediation projects in the AOCs; and

Be it Further resolved, that Great Lakes Commission urges its member states and the U.S. EPA to consult with the affected local communities and designated public advisory groups in the AOCs regarding the selection and implementation of cleanup projects to be funded under the Great Lakes Legacy Act; and

Be it finally resolved, that Great Lakes Commission recommends that activities funded under the Great Lakes Legacy Act include the necessary monitoring and reporting to document progress in achieving restoration goals in the AOCs and facilitate progress toward their delisting.

Unanimously adopted by the Great Lakes Commission at its 2003 Semiannual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 17, 2003.