Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) today released its 2024 federal priorities, urging the Biden administration and Congress to move forward with policies, projects and programs that will foster a more resilient Great Lakes region, increase economic opportunity, and equitably improve the health of important ecosystems throughout the Great Lakes basin.

“The Great Lakes Commission is calling on our federal partners to advance the critical work already underway in the basin,” said Mary Mertz, chair of the Great Lakes Commission and director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “We need effective federal-state coordination to ensure the continued success of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the success of other programs that improve the region’s economy and environment.”

In 2024, the GLC urges Congress and the Biden administration to: reauthorize and fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI); build a resilient Great Lakes basin; comprehensively address harmful algal blooms; provide dedicated funding to the GLC to fulfill its unique role in the region; ensure equitable access to clean and safe water; capitalize on the potential of the Great Lakes Navigation System; protect against invasive species; and support integrated binational science and data collection. 

New this year, the GLC has also introduced the Great Lakes Investment Tracker, an interactive mapping application to showcase federally funded projects in Great Lakes states. The app maps and categorizes projects funded through the GLRI; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and Inflation Reduction Act. Users can see what projects have benefited a specific area, sort by features including funding amount and lead agency, export project data for their own use, and download a summary report for any state, county, or congressional district.

The priorities and tracker are being shared in advance of next week’s Great Lakes Day, an annual event that brings together regional leaders and members of Congress who play a critical role in shaping Great Lakes policies. Great Lakes Day will be held in-person in Washington, D.C., following the 2024 Great Lakes Commission Semiannual Meeting, which will be held earlier in the week. The GLC organizes Great Lakes Day annually to bring together the states, members of Congress and the federal government to raise awareness of Great Lakes issues.

For more information on the GLC and its work, visit www.glc.org.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.