Great Lakes United signed onto this group letter sent to key members of U.S. Congress regarding the need to separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins to protect our waters from Asian carp and other damaging species. The letter describes what hydrological separation is, what benefits will come from it, and what hydrological separation does not mean. It is a useful resource for anyone seeking information about how to successfully stop invasive species from entering the Great Lakes from the Mississippi river ecosystem. The document gives a clear outline of the economic and ecological benefits of hydrological separation and urges decision makers to take action to prevent further spread of invasive species.

Preliminary comments and recommendations on governance matters. Increasingly, those involved in Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) matters assert that one of the prime reasons for our failure to achieve more under the GLWQA is the flawed nature and functioning of government institutions and processes around the Agreement.

The Great Lakes Task Force has begun circulating the attached letter to the Great Lakes Congressional delegation for sign on. The letter calls on the Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, the EPA and the US Fish & Wildlife Service to take immediate action to keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

Letter to the Attorney Generals of Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, strongly encouraging them to take legal action to stop the invasion of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes by Asian carp from the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) and Cal-Sag Channel. The letter urges them to consider joining with Michigan, should that state take legal action, and to take independent actions to address this Great Lakes emergency.

To protect human health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing more stringent exhaust emission standards for the largest marine diesel engines. These engines are used for propulsion on marine commercial vessels (called Category 3 engines) sailing in US coastal waters out to 200 nautical miles (the “Emission Control Area” or “ECA”).EPA’s proposal will also apply to C3 vessels operating in the Great Lakes (some ships, called Lakers, operate exclusively in the Great Lakes). These proposed Clean Air Act standards are part of a coordinated U.S.–Canada strategy to address emissions from the largest commercial marine vessels that affect North America’s air quality. EPA has previously regulated smaller marine engines found mainly in coastal and inland waterways, such as tugboats, push boats, fishing boats, ferries, etc.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, signed by Ontario with nine other Great Lakes jurisdictions, requires each state and province in the basin to establish water conservation goals, objectives and programs. Implementation of the recommended actions in this report would position Ontario as a regional leader on conservation.

A letter outlining Great Lakes United's opposition to Genesee County's proposal to build a pipeline to withdraw 15.5 billion gallons of water a year from Lake Huron. The proposal is opposed because:1) The proposal would increase water withdrawal and consumptive use from Lake Huron; 2) The proposal would increase water withdrawal and consumptive use from Lake Huron; 3) The proposal would dramatically increase water withdrawal and consumption by the Genesee County system and its users; and 4) The proposal does not provide a water conservation and efficiency plan.

Discusses the most pressing environmental issues of today, what happens if we don't change our path, and how we can.

Background on the Michigan Statewide Advisory Council and its role working with PACs in Michigan to clean up Areas of Concern(AOCs)

The health impacts of asbestos and other chemical impacts in Sarnia and the surrounding communities, including the Aamjiwnaag (Chippewas of Sarnia) community.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urge each jurisdiction in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin to pursue a goal of No New Water by living within their existing water quantities and sources, including accommodating any community growth within existing water supplies.

Therefore be it further resolved that Great Lakes United push for the goal of no new water in the conservation plans in development as per the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement.

Therefore be it further resolved that Great Lakes United urge each Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River jurisdiction to direct funds towards the conservation and reuse of water in lieu of expansion of existing water sources and development of new water sources.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United supports a precautionary moratorium on all new or expanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that produce untreated animal waste; and, Therefore be it further resolved that Great Lakes United supports: The improvement and similar wastewater transportation, delivery, and treatment systems on each CAFO site within the Great Lakes watershed, at least as stringent as the U.S. federal or Canadian provincial water quality mandates and standards required of municipalities producing the same volume of human waste; and that these improvements should apply to all medium and large livestock operations; and, that safe nutrient management practices and disposal of sludge should be included in the requirements in order to maintain adequate water quality standards in ground and surface waters.