The approved by-laws effective December 2010.

Forty-one citizens’ groups from throughout the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin submit the following comments at this the critical final stage of public consultation of the renegotiation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA).

A document prepared by Great Lakes United answering common questions about the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (during the 2011-2012 renegotiation of the Agreement). 

A letter to Secretary Ken Salazar of the U.S. Department of the Interior expressing the need for improved legislation to screen animal and plant imports on their risk to the environment.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Great Lakes United, in concert with stakeholders, urge the Governments of Canada and Ontario to commit, on the signing of the next Canada-Ontario Agreement, to the establishment and resourcing of a 10-year, $ 1.0 billion (total) CDN fund, to be made available on a cost-share basis to municipalities for the implementation of large-scale ( (greater than $10 million CDN) Remedial Actions that address contaminated sediment, combined-sewer overflows, or other green or grey infrastructure upgrades as required to meet Beneficial Use Impairment delisting criteria in the remaining Canadian Areas of Concern.
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Great Lakes United advocate that the Governments of Canada and Ontario determine cost-sharing formulae for large-scale Remedial Action projects in consultation with Area of Concern municipalities and other stakeholders.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Great Lakes United urge the provincial and state governments of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region to give integrated watershed planning legal standing in water management instruments, including the Planning Act and Provincial Policy Statement, the Water Resources Act, Clean Water Act, and Conservation Authorities Act;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Great Lakes United urge the state and provincial governments of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region to quantify the economic, social, environmental, and health benefits of green infrastructure, and that such accounting be inclusive of any savings realized from the extended life of existing grey infrastructure;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Great Lakes United urge municipalities and the state and provincial governments of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region to set ambitious, achievable performance measures and targets to ensure sustainable water resources on a watershed and aquifer basis; such targets will take into consideration human, economic, and ecosystem needs;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Great Lakes United:
--Opposes the deregulation, release, and dispersal of radioactive waste metals and materials into commerce and the environment;
--Opposes the processing for release, buying and selling of any materials or products from or made from materials that have been contaminated by nuclear power or weapons fuel chain facilities;
--Opposes setting the precedent of shipping radioactive waste metals and materials on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
--Advocates public policy which prohibits releases of radioactive wastes and materials into commerce or their unrestricted dumping; that radioactive waste metals and materials be regulated and isolated from the environment and public for their entire hazardous life; that all costs of recapturing, isolating and managing radioactive wastes and materials be borne by the generator;
--Appeals to all public officials at all levels to oppose and prohibit the deregulation of radioactive wastes and materials for “clearance,” “release,” “recycling,” “exemption,” listing them as “below regulatory concern,” or any other legalistic mechanism that results in dispersal of nuclear wastes and materials into public commerce or unrestricted dumping, or in any way being treated as if they were nonradioactive.

Presentation explaining the need for greater public participation in the renegotiation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, including recommendations

Great Lakes United's Annual Report for 2009.