Commission welcomes two new appointees

The Great Lakes Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of new members to its Illinois and Ontario delegations.

Commissioner Joel Brunsvold, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, was recently appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich. A former state representative and recognized authority on conservation and land use issues, Brunsvold served as Assistant Majority Leader, chair of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee and member of the House Energy and Environment Committee during his 20 years in the legislature, dating back to 1983. A native of the Quad Cities area, he attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., and later moved to Milan, Ill., where he was elected mayor in 1977.

Associate Commissioner Elizabeth Janz is manger of the Environmental Liason Office in Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment. With an extensive background in planning, environmental assessment and policy development, she works across all levels of government to achieve better environmental management in Ontario. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, she is the Ontario lead for the Environmental Planning and Protection Committee of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, and one of Ontario’s representatives on the Great Lakes Water Quality Board.

The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Samuel W. Speck (Ohio), is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency created by state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of state legislators, agency officials, and governors' appointees from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a "Declaration of Partnership." The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.