Great Lakes Governors & Premiers Set New Agenda

Jun 1: The Great Lakes Governors and Premiers addressed a number of issues and initiatives at the Council of Great Lakes Governors (CGLG's) 2013 Leadership Summit events on June 1, 2013 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island [See WIMS 5/31/13]. The Leadership Summit's theme, "Strengthening Our Economy and Protecting Our Great Lakes," included a particular focus on trade, transportation and water. During the course of the Summit, the Governors and Premiers addressed the following issues, setting the agenda for both the organization and the region:

• Created a Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Maritime Initiative, which will look to improve the region's maritime transportation system and better integrate it into the broader transportation system in the region, across the two countries of the U.S. and Canada, and the world;
• Building on the success of the over 20-year, multi-state export promotion program, adopted a resolution calling for expanded international trade and export opportunities;
• Launched the "Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Water Partnership" as a tool to collectively advance the region's "blue economy" companies, and market them to the world;
• Identified a "least wanted list" of aquatic invasive species, and pledged to harmonize regulatory efforts to fight this ongoing scourge that threatens the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin;
• Promoted economic cooperation between Canada and the United States;
• Created beach safety awareness week and announced the creation of an "app" to help improve water safety for swimmers and other recreational users;
• Fostered  the improvement of water quality by calling on the federal governments of the U.S. and Canada to address the problem of nutrient enrichment and harmful algal blooms; and,
• Initiated steps to better coordinate regional efforts to monitor water quality and quantity in the Basin to promote more effective policy.

    Access the CGLG website for links to details on each of the initiatives and issues (click here). [GLakes/CGLG]

 

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