Ann Arbor, Mich. – At its 2021 Semiannual Meeting, held online this week, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) convened leaders from the United States and Canada on top issues facing the Great Lakes. The GLC and more than 150 guests received updates on Great Lakes issues from leaders of key U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as from the province of Québec’s Transport Minister.

“Healthy, productive Great Lakes are critical to the future of both the U.S. and Canada,” said GLC Chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel to Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “These issues don’t stop at the border, and the Great Lakes Commission is committed to bringing binational leadership to the table to tackle the biggest issues facing the lakes.”  

“At EPA, we’re committed to accelerating Great Lakes restoration, bolstering the region’s economic health, and supporting the cleanup of the region’s most contaminated sites,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan in recorded remarks. “The entire Biden-Harris administration knows how important it is to collaborate on priorities like water infrastructure, water quality and environmental protection. Agencies like the Great Lakes Commission are crucial to facilitating that collaboration across jurisdictions and all levels of government.”

During the meeting, the GLC assembled expert panels on Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River maritime strategy, regional water equity, and harmful algal blooms. Commissioners and guests also received updates from senior legislative staff on climate and infrastructure priorities for the 116^th U.S. Congress, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on construction of critical national projects at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois and Soo Locks complex in Michigan. In an action item, the GLC agreed to update its policy on supporting small commercial and recreational harbors in the Great Lakes basin. Video of meeting sessions will be available online in the days to come.

The GLC will next convene in October 2021 for its annual meeting, to be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The formats of these events will be announced in the future. 

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Sharon M. Jackson, Deputy General Counsel for Governor Eric J. Holcomb of Indiana, 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.