Great Lakes Commission Legislative Priorities for FY 2009

Presented to the 110th Congress, second session: February 2008

Great Lakes Commission Legislative Priorities for FY 2009

Now is the time to invest in the Great Lakes! In 2005 the Great Lakes region united behind the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes. States, cities, industries, tribal governments, and environmental organizations have endorsed this comprehensive restoration blueprint and are investing significant resources to implement its recommendations.

The federal government must step up and play an equal role. Our message to Congress is simple: the Great Lakes are an environmental and economic asset that merits a national investment equal to other ecosystem restoration initiatives. In 2008 the 32 million U.S. citizens of the Great Lakes region look to Congress for a down payment on Great Lakes restoration.

On behalf of its eight member states, the Great Lakes Commission presents the following legislative priorities to protect and enhance the quality of our region’s environment and economy. The Commission’s priorities respond to and will advance the recommendations of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (www.glrc.us). The Commission endorses the recommendations of the Council of Great Lakes Governors to Congress; the recommendations herein complement the governors’ requests.

Great Lakes Restoration: Investing in a National Treasure Four 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, and the Council of Great Lakes Industries.

Factsheets

• Aquatic Invasive Species
• Great Lakes Observing System
• Navigation Infrastructure
• Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
• Cleaning Up Toxic Sediments
• Farm Bill Conservation Programs
• Coastal Conservation and Management