Author: The London Free Press
Great Lakes Commission releases annual federal priorities during Great Lakes Week
News
Great Lakes Commission releases annual federal priorities during Great Lakes Week
Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) today released its 2022 federal priorities, urging the Biden administration and Congress to invest in projects and programs that will protect the lakes and accelerate the national economy. The priorities are being shared in advance of 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. New this year, in collaboration with regional partners, the GLC will host a series of topical sessions on regional priorities throughout the week of February 28 through March 4, featuring remarks from state and local government officials and members of Congress.
“Harnessing the historic investments made in Great Lakes infrastructure, resiliency, and restoration through last year’s infrastructure legislation will address longstanding needs while creating jobs, fostering equity, protecting public health, and strengthening local communities,” said GLC Chair Todd L. Ambs of Wisconsin. “The Great Lakes Commission looks forward to working with our federal partners to continue building a strong and resilient Great Lakes region.”
In FY 2023, the GLC urges Congress and the Biden administration to: build a resilient Great Lakes basin; fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; protect against invasive species; expand efforts to address harmful algal blooms; strengthen the Great Lakes Navigation System; upgrade infrastructure to ensure equitable access to clean and safe water; support coordinated regional science and data collection; and fund the GLC to fulfill its unique role in the region.
The GLC will meet with members of Congress and the federal government throughout the week to share these priorities. 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 Todd L. Ambs, deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (retired), 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.
Chicago region grapples with reducing road salt as chloride levels exceed state limits in waterways, continue to rise in Lake Michigan
As levels of chlorides continue to rise in Lake Michigan and exceed state limits in Chicago-area waterways, municipalities across the region are grappling with the urgent need to reduce the use of road salt in winter. Read the full story by Chicago Tri…
OPINION: Stop the carp invasion into the Great Lakes
Congress needs to heed the call of the Great Lakes governors and change the cost-share of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project to make the carp prevention 100 percent federal, as opposed to the traditional cost-sharing arrangement between the Army Cor…
Even in water-rich Michigan, no guarantee of enough for all
Some futurists depict Michigan and the Great Lakes as “climate havens” that will lure people and businesses weary of worsening drought, wildfire, hurricanes and other disasters. Amid images of abundance lurk problems with pollution, overuse and deterio…
Round goby threatens Champlain bass, salmon fisheries
Conservation groups and local governments are asking that a lock on the Champlain Canal be closed, to keep out a small non-native species, round goby, that has made its way from the Great Lakes into the Hudson River, putting it dangerously close to Lak…
5 new lakefront projects led by Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Metroparks gain support, accelerating drive to open up shoreline
Coordinated efforts among local, state, and federal agencies are raising the possibility that new trails and amenities could be delivered along five miles of lakefront or major roads close to it starting within several years. Read the full story by the…
River Raisin documentary film wins award for excellence
The City of Monroe’s Commission on the Environment and Water Quality and River Raisin Area of Concern’s mini documentary film, River Raisin Legacy Project, has won gold in the 2021 dotCOMM Awards. The film details the extensive remediation, restoration and revitalization efforts called the River Raisin Legacy Project, illustrates the cleanup work, habitat restoration, remediation […]
Canadian owner puts Duluth’s Great Lakes Fleet up for sale
In an earnings call last month, Canadian National Railway shared a desire to sell off its nine Twin Ports-based Great Lakes Fleet of ore carriers. The move comes as the freight rail company reviews its non-rail business, including a trucking firm. Read…
Great Lakes Iron ore trade down 4.7% in January
Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 2.5 million tons in January, a decrease of 4.7 percent compared to 2021, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association. Loadings were above the month’s five-year average by 17.6 percent. Read the full story b…
Chemical leak in Flat Rock ongoing, but ‘contained,’ state officials say
A chemical release in a tributary of the Huron River was ongoing Friday but contained to a back channel of the river as officials work to determine its source. State and federal officials have been working to contain the leak since Monday after anglers notified city officials of a “sheen” on the river. Read the […]