Successful Great Lakes Commission Meeting Concludes in New York

COLUMBUS - The annual meeting of the Great Lakes Commission concluded in New York today, announced State Representative and Great Lakes Commissioner Jamie Callender (R-Concord). Included on the agenda for the two-day event were seminars focused on issues impacting the Great Lakes region, resolutions aimed at mitigating ongoing challenges faced by the Great Lakes Basin, as well as remarks from state, local, and federal officials.

Among the resolutions before the Commission were proposals to (1) urge federal agencies to strengthen protections against the importation and trade of invasive species and (2) support for the reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration initiative (GLRI). According to the US EPA, there are over 180 known non-native aquatic species established in the Great Lakes basin, 34% considered invasive. Among the most well-known species are the Sea Lamprey, Zebra Mussels, and Phragmites. The resolution calls upon the federal government to take legislative and executive action to strengthen the screening process and prohibit the importation of species considered hazardous to the region. All resolutions were successfully passed by the commission.

The GLRI, established in 2009 as a multi-agency federal program, supports state and federal programs throughout the Great Lakes Basin with the objective to restore and protect the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. Since 2010, the GLRI has received $4.9 billion in funding to support projects in five areas of focus: toxic substances and areas of concern ($103 million in FY23), invasive species ($62 million in FY23), nonpoint source pollution impacts on nearshore health ($76 million in FY23), habituate and species ($72 million in FY23), and foundation and future restoration actions ($41 million in FY23).

"The Great Lakes are at the heart of what makes Northeast Ohio a great place to work, live, and raise a family," said Callender. "By investing in conservation efforts, not only will Lake Erie remain a leading economic engine for the region, but countless generations will be able to enjoy the rivers, wetlands, and beaches found across Ohio and the entire Great Lakes Basin."

Originally established in 1955 as the Great Lakes Basin Compact, the Great Lakes Commission was initially signed by Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin as a body to promote the conservation and comprehensive development of the Great Lakes Basin. New York, in 1960, Pennsylvania, during its 1955-1956 session, and Ohio, in 1963, joined the Compact alongside the Governments of Quebec and Ontario to create the current eight state and two Canadian Provence board. The Compact received congressional consent in 1968.