Resolution: Tenth Anniversary of the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
Adopted on October 16, 2000

Whereas, the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control is a federal/state partnership managed by the Great Lakes Commission in consultation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 5) and the eight Great Lakes states; and

Whereas, the goal of the Program is to protect and improve Great Lakes water quality by controlling erosion and sedimentation; limiting the input of associated nutrients and toxic contaminants; and minimizing off-site sources of damages to harbors, streams, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational facilities and the basin’s system of public works; and

Whereas, the Program was formally established in 1990 with the enthusiastic support of the eight Great Lakes states; and

Whereas, approximately 60,000 acres of land in the Great Lakes basin have been placed under some form of conservation treatment through the Program, with well-documented, substantial reductions in erosion, sedimentation, and phosphorus and nitrogen inputs; and

Whereas, since Program inception, information/education efforts have reached more than one million landowners, local officials and other interested parties with land use management responsibilities or interests (e.g., farmers, developers, soil and water conservation districts, citizen organizations, Remedial Action Plan teams); and

Whereas, other important benefits of the Program include technology transfer, information sharing and developing networks/partnerships between many soil and water conservation interests in the basin; and

Whereas, the Great Lakes Commission recognizes the value of building partnerships with soil and water conservation professionals and landowners throughout the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence System.

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission formally recognizes the 10 year anniversary of the Great Lakes Basin Program and applauds its extraordinary success, and the leadership of its Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Task Force, in addressing a unique and previously unmet need; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission applauds the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-NRCS for their ongoing and enhanced support of the Great Lakes Basin Program; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission requests its Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Task Force to evaluate and pursue opportunities to extend its technology transfer efforts to Ontario, Québec and the Canadian federal government; and

Be It Finally Resolved, that the Great Lakes Commission encourages the Provinces of Ontario and Québec, and the Canadian federal government, to consider developing similar programs to address soil erosion and sedimentation problems in the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River.

Adopted by the unanimous action of the eight member states of the Great Lakes Commission at the 2000 Annual Meeting, Hamilton, Ontario, October 16, 2000.