Regional Collaboration: Making the Great Lakes Greater

The Great Lakes are a unique and extraordinary natural resource — a national treasure for both the United States and Canada. Together, the lakes make up one-fifth of the fresh water on the earth’s surface. They provide drinking water, food, recreation and transportation to more than 35 million Americans.

But the Great Lakes have faced many serious environmental challenges. Since 1970, much has been done in attempts to restore and protect the lakes. EPA and nine other federal agencies administer some 140 programs that fund and implement environmental programs in the Great Lakes basin. Although there has been significant progress, the work of cleaning up the lakes and preventing further problems has not always been coordinated.

That prompted President Bush, in May 2004, to create a cabinet-level interagency task force and to call for a “regional collaboration of national significance.” After extensive discussions, the federal Great Lakes Interagency Task Force, the Council of Great Lakes Governors, the Great Lakes Cities Initiative, Great Lakes tribes and the Great Lakes Congressional Task Force moved to convene a group now known as the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC).

The Collaboration includes the EPA-led Federal Interagency Task Force, the Great Lakes states, local communities, tribes, non-governmental organizations and other interests in the Great Lakes region.

The Collaboration created a strategy which was released on December 12, 2005.

Highlights of the GLRC Process
The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration was officially launched with the first Conveners Meeting on Dec. 3, 2004, in Chicago. On this day, members of the President’s cabinet, the Great Lakes governors, the Great Lakes congressional delegations, mayors, and tribal leaders met and forged an intergovernmental partnership and officially voiced their support for a coordinated strategy to further protect and restore the Great Lakes.

About 400 regional leaders and stakeholders attended the Conveners Meeting. Commitment to the Collaboration is expressed in the Great Lakes Declaration while the Framework for the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration defines the process for developing a Great Lakes restoration and protection strategy. Agenda for the ceremonial meeting.

Collaboration partners rallied around a shared vision of a restored, sustainable Great Lakes ecosystem. This has generated optimism and a spirit of cooperation. While the Collaboration is a U.S. effort, its members do everything possible to synchronize it's efforts with those of our Canadian partners.

Issue area strategy teams
Following the Conveners Meeting, the issue area strategy teams began their work. These eight teams were organized using priorities identified by the Council of Great Lakes Governors.
The priorities are:

• Aquatic invasive species
• Habitat conservation and species management
• Near-shore waters and coastal areas (Coastal health)
• Areas of concern
• Non-point sources
• Toxic pollutants
• Sound information base and representative indicators
• Sustainability

The teams were made up of subject-matter experts from many diverse backgrounds. There were more than 1,500 people from all levels of government, and non­governmental organizations, working on the specific issues identified as crucial to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

They were the working bodies responsible for drafting specific action items and recommendations to address the eight issues.

In addition, the teams have addressed the following overarching considerations and topics:

• Human health impacts and priorities
• Tribal interests and perspectives
• Research and monitoring

Draft Report issued
On July 7, 2005, the Great Lakes Regional Collaborations released its draft Strategy document for public view and comment. The draft strategy consisted of the recommendations put forward by the eight Strategy Teams for consideration by the GLRC.

Public Input Solicited
Following the release of the draft Strategy, a 60-day public comment period opened to solicit input from all Great Lakes stakeholders. In addition, six public meetings were held in locations throughout the Great Lakes basin to seek the public’s views on the recommendations and to help establish priorities. By the close of the public comment period, the GLRC had received over 6000 comments.

Final Strategy Released
The final Great Lakes Regional Collaboration’s Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes was released at Summit II in Chicago on December 12, 2005.

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