Posted on May 14, 2025
In early March, 14 members of Congress spoke in support of the lakes at our annual Great Lakes Day Congressional Breakfast Reception in D.C. More than 150 attendees and mayors of 30 different communities in the Great Lakes states and provinces, and the Anishinabek Nation, attended the event, hosted by the GLC and our partners at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
At our Semiannual Meeting, also held in D.C., the GLC passed resolutions calling for updates to the federal standard for navigation dredging projects in the Great Lakes basin, as well as to the accuracy of the International Great Lakes Datum. Additionally, the GLC convened expert panels on artificial intelligence applications for the Great Lakes region, sustainability and environmental considerations related to AI, and new technologies and innovations in the water sector. Commissioners voted to welcome two new Observers to the GLC: the American Great Lakes Ports Association and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. Materials from the Semiannual Meeting are available on our website.
In advance of Great Lakes Day and the Semiannual Meeting, the GLC led a binational coalition of regional agencies, Indigenous Nations, legislators, local communities, and business, maritime and environmental groups in releasing shared priorities for restoring the Great Lakes and supporting the region’s economy. The GLC also released our own agenda for the Great Lakes region in 2025, calling on legislators and the administration to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; fund the GLC to fulfill its unique role in the region; provide the cleanest and safest drinking water in the world; unlock the economic potential of the Great Lakes Navigation System; eliminate harmful algal blooms; defend against invasive species; and build a resilient Great Lakes basin.
