Great Lakes Commission Legislative Priorities for FY 2012

Presented to the 112th Congress, first session: February 2011

Great Lakes Commission Legislative Priorities for FY2012

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Revitalizing a Vital Regional Asset
On behalf of the eight Great Lakes states, we thank Congress – and the Great Lakes Congressional Delegation in particular – for supporting the first two years of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The GLRI is supporting implementation of a comprehensive, bipartisan restoration strategy that is broadly endorsed by the Great Lakes states, cities, tribes, conservation groups, and business and industry. We are midway through an unprecedented restoration program for our region’s most valuable natural resource and the core of our regional identity.

The Great Lakes are a national treasure and a vital economic asset for our eight-state region. Restoring and leveraging the lakes advances our broader strategy to create jobs, stimulate economic development and invest in freshwater resources and waterfront communities. Sustaining Great Lakes restoration through continued implementation of the GLRI is a wise investment for our nation and for the 32 million Americans who live in the Great Lakes region. Fully implementing our Great Lakes restoration strategy is projected to generate $50 billion in long-term economic benefits.

Regional Priorities for the Great Lakes
With support from Congress and the Administration, Great Lakes restoration is now underway! The Great Lakes Commission urges Congress to maintain funding for the GLRI in FY 2012 to sustain our momentum, build on past investments and ensure the Initiative’s long-term success. The GLRI is structured as a five-year, $2.2 billion program. We ask Congress to continue funding in FY 2012 to keep the Initiative on track.

Sustaining Progress Toward Great Lakes Restoration and Economic Revitalization Near-term priorities have been identified by an alliance that includes the Great Lakes Commission, the mayors of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, the Healing Our Waters® - Great Lakes Coalition, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, the Council of Great Lakes Industries and the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition.

Fact sheets

• Illinois: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• Indiana: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• Michigan: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• Minnesota: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• New York: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• Ohio: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• Pennsylvania: Great Lakes Restoration at Work
• Wisconsin GLRI Projects for 2010-2011 (courtesy Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources)
• Stopping the Spread of Asian Carp: An Action Agenda for Congress
• 1.5 million jobs are directly connected to the Great Lakes (courtesy Michigan Sea Grant)