Economy and Transportation

Declaration of Indiana
The Declaration of Indiana presents a series of principles and action items for strengthening the Great Lakes economy through a strong and vibrant maritime transportation system. Eighteen key maritime industry, labor and other interested organizations from Canada and the United States joined together to develop the landmark document, reaching consensus on policy issues and agreeing to speak in a single, unified voice. For more information, contact Dave Knight at dknight@glc.org

Dredging
The Great Lakes Dredging Team (GLDT) is a partnership of federal and state agencies created to assure that the dredging of U.S. harbors and channels throughout the Great Lakes, Connecting Channels and tributaries is conducted in a timely and cost-effective manner while meeting environmental protection, restoration and enhancement goals. For more information, contact Dave Knight at dknight@glc.org

Great Lakes Circle Tour
Each year, the Commission receives hundreds of requests for information on the Great Lakes Circle Tour from travelers within the region and beyond. The online version of the Circle Tour will provide these travelers with a starting point when planning their Great Lakes vacations. In addition to informational maps, road routes and estimated mileages, the site features links to cities, camping and recreation areas, and natural attractions. For more information, contact Christine Manninen at manninen@glc.org

Great Lakes Wind Collaborative
There are major challenges involved in developing wind energy resources in the Great Lakes region. On shore wind development is beginning to expand at a rapid pace and plans for off shore wind deployment in the Lakes are proceeding. Siting, permitting and a host of other issues are at the forefront. The Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC) is a group established to build consensus and identify and address issues affecting the planning, development, and operation of wind power facilities in the Great Lakes region. For more information, contact John Hummer at jhummer@glc.org

Local Investment in Great Lakes Protection and Restoration
Funded by the Joyce Foundation, this project is an effort to continue the momentum of the U.S. based Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC)—a yearlong process whereby hundreds of public, private, citizen groups and tribes/First Nations from across the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes basin collaborated to produce a Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes in December, 2005. By assessing the level of investment from our region’s local governments in the restoration and protection of Great Lakes water resources, this project will help move the Regional Collaboration Strategy initiative into its next phase. For more information, contact Becky Pearson at bpearson@glc.org

NOAA-GLC Joint Project
The Great Lakes Commission and the NOAA Coastal Services Center have a multi-year joint project focused Coastal Community Development; Data and Information Integration and Dissemination; and Ports and Navigation issues in the Great Lakes. The focus on the three themes is based on outcomes from a regional needs assessment completed in 2006. For more information, contact Victoria Pebbles at vpebbles@glc.org.

Recreational Boating in the Great Lakes
Recreational boating on the Great Lakes is big business. Just how big is detailed for the first time in a summary report of boating’s economic impacts to be released July 11 by the Great Lakes Commission. For more information, contact Dave Knight at dknight@glc.org

Soo Locks
The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-662) authorized a new large lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The proposed new lock would be designed to replace two old and outmoded small locks. A new large Soo Lock has both national and regional benefits. Employment and tax revenue related to steel-making infrastructure, iron ore/toconite mining, electric utility service areas and port facilities in many of the Great Lakes states, confirms the benefit derived from the commodity flow through the Soo locks complex. For more information, contact Dave Knight at dknight@glc.org

The Great Lakes Coast
The Great Lakes has over 10,900 miles of coastline that provides valuable ecologic and economic benefits to the region. Past and ongoing human activities have negatively affected this coastal environment, leading to loss of wetlands, toxic pollution, and overall ecosystem degradation. The Great Lakes Commission has a number of projects dedicated to protecting this important area. For more information, contact Victoria Pebbles at vpebbles@glc.org.