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Policy Resolutions

The Great Lakes Commission occasionally will pass a resolution articulating its policy on a specific issue. Links to each of these resolutions are available below, organized by date of passage. Commissioners may vote to sunset a resolution after ten years; sunsetted resolutions have been removed from the website. For information on the implementation activities that are underway, contact Deputy Director Tom Crane, [email protected].

May 23-25, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2023 Semiannual Meeting, held May 23-25, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois, the following resolutions were adopted.

  1. Building on Progress through Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan IV
  2. Great Lakes Priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill Reauthorization
  3. Support for the Great Lakes Green Shipping Corridor Network

October 11-13, in Erie, Pennsylvania

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2022 Annual Meeting, held October 11-13, 2022, in Erie, Pennsyvlania, the following resolutions were adopted.

  1. Improving Capacity for Great Lakes Icebreaking
  2. Celebrating the 50th Anniversaries of the Clean Water Act and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

June 7-9, 2022, in Green Bay, Wisconsin

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2022 Semiannual Meeting, held June 7-9, 2022, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the following resolutions were adopted.

  1. Support for Short Sea Shipping on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System
  2. Safeguarding Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Through the Support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Programs and Partnerships

October 12-14, 2021, Online

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2021 Annual Meeting, held October 12-14, 2021, online, the following resolutions were adopted.

  1. Mercury Monitoring, Research, and Risk Reduction Efforts in the Great Lakes Basin
  2. Addressing Nutrient-Driven Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes Basin
  3. Promoting Climate Resilience in the Great Lakes Basin
  4. U.S. Federal Investments to Improve Great Lakes Infrastructure 
  5. Resolution of Recognition and Appreciation for 35 Years of Service

November 17-19, 2020, Online

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2020 Annual Meeting, held November 17-19, 2020, online, the following resolution was adopted.

  1. Advancing Prevention and Control of Invasive Asian Carp

October 9-11, 2019, in Québec City, Québec

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2019 Annual Meeting, held October 9-11 in Québec City, Québec, the following resolutions were adopted.

  1. Support for Congressional Reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
  2. Related to the Public Health Risk from Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Regional Action to Bolster Collaboration
  3. Great Lakes Commission Commitment to Implement Blue Accounting Principles
  4. Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Québec’s and Ontario’s Declaration of Partnership with the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes Basin Compact

May 21-23, 2019, in Ann Arbor, Michigan

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2019 Semiannual Meeting, held May 21-23 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the following resolution was adopted.

  1. Reform of the Harbor Maintenance Tax and Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund

October 2-3, 2018, in Indianapolis, Indiana

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2018 Annual Meeting, held October 2-3 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the following resolution was adopted.

  1.   Support for Advancing Construction of a Second Poe-Sized Soo Lock

March 6-7, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2018 Semiannual Meeting, held March 6-7, the following resolutions were adopted.

  1. Great Lakes Priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill Reauthorization
    1. Farm Bill Priorities Statement
  2. Supporting Growth of the Cruising Industry in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region
  3. U.S.-Canada Trade Integration and the Benefits of Cross-Border Trade

September 19-20, 2017, in Duluth, Minnesota

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2017 Annual Meeting, held September 19-20 in Duluth, Minnesota, the following resolution was adopted.

  1. Addressing Contaminants of Emerging Concerning the Great Lakes Basin
  2. A Joint Action Plan for Clean Water Infrastructure and Services in the Great Lakes Region
    1. Action Plan  |  Appendices

March 14-15, 2017, in Washington, D.C.

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2017 Semiannual Meeting, held March 14-15 in Washington, D.C., the following resolution was adopted.

  1. Ballast Water Management in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System

October 6-7, 2016, in Toronto, Ontario

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2016 Annual Meeting, held Oct. 6-7 in Toronto, Ontario, the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Endorsing and supporting implementation of the Governors’ and Premiers’ Maritime Strategy
  2. Providing and maintaining clean water infrastructure and services in the Great Lakes Basin

Jul. 27, 2016, via conference call

By action of the eight Great Lakes states in a special meeting of the Great Lakes Commission, held via conference call on July 27, 2016, the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Maintaining Safe and Sustainable Drinking Water and Infrastructure in the Great Lakes Basin
  2. Support for reauthorization of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act

Feb. 23-24, 2016, in Washington, D.C.

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2016 Seminnual Meeting, held Feb. 23-24 in Washington, D.C., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Advancing outreach efforts to support prevention and control of Great Lakes aquatic invasions

Sept. 28-29, 2015, in Chicago, Illinois

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2015 Annual Meeting, held Sept. 28-29 in Chicago, Ill., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Support for prohibiting the import of harmful aquatic invasive species 
  2. Advancing coastal community revitalization through strengthened federal legislation and programs
  3. Healing the fractured urban water cycle through integrated water management
  4. A Joint Action Plan for Lake Erie 

Feb. 24-25, 2015, in Washington, D.C.

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2015 Semiannual Meeting, held on Feb. 24-25 in Washington, D.C., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Updating the accuracy of the International Great Lakes Datum (IGLD)
  2. Issues surrounding crude oil transportation in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin

Sept. 29-30, 2014, in Buffalo, New York

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2014 Annual Meeting, held on Sept. 30 in Buffalo, N.Y., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Lake Erie water pollution and drinking water crisis
  2. Flexibility in the federal standard for navigation dredging projects in the Great Lakes basin
  3. Establishing Blue Accounting: A collaborative re-engineering of Great Lakes information strategy and delivery

Mar. 4-6, 2014, in Washington, D.C.

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2014 Semiannual Meeting, held on Mar. 4-6, in Washington, D.C., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Strengthening federal protections against the importation and trade of invasive species

Sept. 9, 2013, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2013 Annual Meeting, held on Sept. 9 in Milwaukee, Wis., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Support for Great Lakes offshore wind demonstration (pilot) projects
  2. Preventing pollution from persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes ecosystem
  3. Recognizing rivermouths: Places vital to the Great Lakes basin that deserve focused restoration and conservation

Sept. 10-11, 2012, in Cleveland, Ohio

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2012 Annual Meeting, held on Sept. 10-11, in Cleveland, Ohio, the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Renewable and Clean Energy

Feb. 27-28, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2012 Semiannual Meeting, held on Feb. 27-29, in Washington, D.C., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Support For a New Approach to Navigation Maintenance Funding For Federally Authorized U.S. Great Lakes Ports and Harbors

Sep. 29-30, 2009, in Erie, Pennsylvania

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2009 Annual Meeting, held on Sep. 29-30, in Erie, Pennsylvania, the following resolution has been adopted.

  1. The Water Energy-Nexus: Linking Water and Energy Planning in the Great Lakes

Oct. 1-2, 2007 in Chicago, Illinois

By action of the eight Great Lakes states at the Great Lakes Commission’s 2007 Annual Meeting, held on Oct. 1-2, in Chicago, Ill., the following resolutions have been adopted.

  1. Support for Adequate Maintenance of Great Lakes Recreational Harbors