Our Work
Here’s some of the work we’re doing to ensure a healthy environment, strong economy and high quality of life for current and future generations.
Thanks for joining us in D.C.!
Thank you for joining us for the 2026 Great Lakes Commission Semiannual Meeting and Great Lakes Day, held March 3-5 in Washington, D.C. Read more about the meeting here.
2026 GLC Federal Priorities for the Great Lakes
The GLC released its 2026 agenda for the Great Lakes, calling for continued strategic investment in the lakes, which hold 95% of America’s fresh surface water and provide drinking water for more than 47 million people. Read our priorities and download state-specific fact sheets here.
Great Lakes Investment Tracker
The Great Lakes Investment Tracker is an interactive mapping application developed by the GLC to showcase federally-funded projects in Great Lakes states. Visit the tracker to learn more about investments in the region.
New RFPs: AIS Landing Blitz, GLSNRP
The GLC recently released two requests for proposals (RFPs): Learn more about the Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz RFP, and the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program RFP, on our news page.
The Advisor
The January 2026 edition of the Commission’s e-newsletter, The Advisor, includes an update on U.S. federal Great Lakes appropriations, news about our upcoming work to study the economic impacts of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and more.
New Great Lakes water use report
The 2024 Annual Report of the Great Lakes Regional Water Use Database shows that water withdrawals in the basin remained stable, with the vast majority of withdrawn water returned to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Basin. Read more here.
Microsoft doesn’t expect its data centers will trigger review under Great Lakes Compact
A Microsoft official said Tuesday the company doesn’t expect its data centers in the Great Lakes region will reach a threshold that would trigger greater review under the Great Lakes Compact. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
20 years, $1.3 billion. A timeline of the Lower Fox River PCB cleanup
For decades, efforts have been underway to clean up the Great Lakes from legacy industrial pollution, including polychlorinated biphenyls, a class of more than 200 manmade chemicals often known as PCBs. Cleanup crews have removed or contained millions of cubic yards...
He helped rid the Fox River of toxic chemicals. Then cancer came for him.
A former Lower Fox River PCB cleanup worker is searching for answers after being diagnosed with cancer and questioning whether long-term exposure to toxic chemicals during the massive remediation project contributed to his illness. Read the full story by Milwaukee...
Great Lakes Commission to support sediment management efforts in the Great Lakes basin
Ann Arbor, Michigan — The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) is launching a new project to explore the management of sediment in the Great Lakes, and the role it plays in restoration, coastal resilience, and maritime transportation. Over the next three years, the GLC will...
Request for Proposals: Economic Evaluation of Nature-Based Solutions for Stormwater Management
Ann Arbor, Michigan — The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) is seeking proposals for an economic evaluation of the benefits of using nature-based solutions to manage stormwater in Great Lakes communities. The analysis will highlight case studies of projects across the...
Request for Proposals: Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework Small Grants
Ann Arbor, Michigan — The Great Lakes Commission today issued a request for proposals to advance the regional fight against invasive Phragmites, one of the most aggressive plant species invading North America. Invasive Phragmites is already well established in the...
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GREAT LAKES EVENTS
For more events, visit the
Great Lakes Calendar
2026 IAGLR-SCAS-SCSA Joint Meeting
May 25 - May 29Great Lakes Fishery Commission Annual Meeting
June 2 - June 4GreenTech 2026
June 9 - June 11