A Plan for the Great Lakes Emerges

In December 2004, the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration of National Significance (GLRC) was launched, creating a partnership of key members from federal, state, and local governments, tribes, and others for the purpose of developing a strategic action plan for clean-up of the Great Lakes. This strategic plan was intended to build upon regional efforts to date, working together toward a common goal of restoring and protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem for future generations.

An Executive Committee made up of elected and appointed officials from different levels of government has helped guide the GLRC over the past year as the strategic plan has been developed. Eight Strategy Teams, each focusing on a different issue affecting the Great Lakes basin, began work in January 2005 to develop recommendations for action. Teams included: invasive species, habitat, wetlands, etc. The strategic plan is the result of that collaborative process and it is now being released for public comment. It is important to note that as the plan is in its early stages, it has not yet been officially endorsed by any GLRC member agencies or partners. Access the strategic plan at: http://www.glrc.us

I was present at the recent public meeting at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. Congressman Vern Ehlers (R) and Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell hosted the event. 33 community leaders spoke, representing a diverse cross-section of the environmental community in West Michigan. Groups present included: Clean Water Action, Nat'l Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, etc. A number of individuals from government agencies were also present.

Your comments and assistance are needed in order to inform the GLRC as it completes the strategy later this year. The public comment period will opened on July 7, and closes on September 9, 2005. Specifically, the public’s view of what are the highest priority issues is needed. There are several ways to provide comments and to become involved in the process:

Commenting on-line A web site at http://www.glrc.us has been developed to facilitate comments electronically. The site contains the strategic plan and instructions for submitting comments.

Providing written comments If you wish to provide written comments, EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office will receive the comments on behalf of the GLRC. Please send them to USEPA-GLNPO, 77 W. Jackson Blvd. (G-17J), Chicago, IL 60604.

Public Meetings A series of five public meetings will be held during the comment period which will provide the opportunity to meet with members of the GLRC, to hear more about the plan and to provide valuable input. Written comments will be accepted at these public meetings. Additional information on the dates, times and locations of the meetings can be found at http://www.glrc.us.

All written comments will be reviewed and considered as the plan is revised later this year. The strategic plan will be finalized and released on December 12, 2005 at Summit II in Chicago, Illinois.