1. Cooperative and Flexible Nonpoint Source Conservation Programs to Sustain a Healthy Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem
2. Sustaining Environmental Restoration and Economic Revitalization: Great Lakes Commission Federal Priorities for 2013
3. Advancing Phase II of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Passing Comprehensive Great Lakes Legislation

1. Emergency Preparedness and Response Priorities for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River
2. Priorities for Reducing Phosphorus Loadings and Abating Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin
3. Renewable and Clean Energy
4. Support for Continued Funding for the Great Ships Initiative
5. Extending the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Beyond 2014
6. Open and Reciprocal Trade Between Canada and the United States

1. Great Lakes Commission Fiscal Year 2013 Federal Priorities
2. Support For a New Approach to Navigation Maintenance Funding For Federally Authorized U.S. Great Lakes Ports and Harbors
3. Advancing Solutions to Address the Threat to the Great Lakes From Asian Carp and Other Aquatic Invasive Species
4. Support for Legislation Promoting Short Sea Shipping on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System
5. Safeguarding Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Through the Support of U.S. Geological Survey Programs and Partnerships

1. Ballast Water Regulation
2. Nutrient Management in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin
3. Promoting Adaptive Management in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Region Through Better Coordination of Data and Information
4. Support for New International Trade Crossing Between Detroit and Windsor

Action item:

• The Great Lakes Commission with the support of the staff will create a standing committee on water-related economic development.

1. Advancing Great Lakes Restoration and Economic Revitalization: Great Lakes Commission Fiscal Year 2012 Federal Priorities
2. Support for Full Funding and Implementation of the 2011 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework
3. Renewed Call for Reform of the Harbor Maintenance Tax and Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund

1. Measures to improve Great Lakes Water Quality Including Reauthorization of the Federal Food Conservation and Energy Act (Farm Bill) of 2008
2. Maintaining Leadership and Sustaining Progress in Restoring the Great Lakes and Revitalizing Our Regional Economy
3. Promoting Comprehensive Mercury Monitoring, Research and Reduction Efforts

Action items:

• Staff was directed to prepare an “issue brief” on nutrient management and the problem of increased nutrient loadings to the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River basin. This issue brief will also review and describe nutrient management and rural land management practices and programs both inside and outside the Great Lake-St. Lawrence River basin. This issue brief will be completed prior to the 2011 Semiannual meeting.


• The Commission approved an action request to re-establish an Emergency Preparedness Task Force to review the status of preparedness and response programs for oil and hazardous materials spills in the Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River basin for the purpose of developing a report (or briefing paper) outlining recommendations for improving/enhancing the region’s state of preparedness to protect Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River water quality.

1. Fulfilling the Promise for the Great Lakes: Great Lakes Commission Fiscal Year 2011 Federal Priorities for Great Lakes Restoration and Economic Revitalization
2. Actions to Address the Threat to the Great Lakes from Asian Carp
• Asian Carp slides
3. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Offshore Wind Energy in the Great Lakes
4. Maintaining Accuracy of the International Great Lakes Datum (IGLD)

1. The Water Energy-Nexus: Linking Water and Energy Planning in the Great Lakes

• Action Item: Recommendations of the Great Lakes Commission Implementation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative


• Action Item: Recommendation to establish a Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) working group to monitor progress on the renegotiation of the Agreement and to develop a formal position statement outlining the Commission’s views regarding state and provincial involvement in the renegotiation process

1. Great Lakes – Great Jobs: Great Lakes Commission Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Priorities for Great Lakes Restoration and Economic Revitalization
2. Reform of the Harbor Maintenance Tax and Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund
3. Coastal Zone Management Act Reauthorization: An Opportunity to Fund and Implement the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy and Address Climate Change
4. Support for the 2009 Annual AWEA Windpower Conference in Chicago

1. Heightened urgency for Soo Lock expansion
2. Great Lakes Commission support for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact
3. Reducing atmospheric toxic deposition to the Great Lakes
4. Great Lakes Commission support for legislation reauthorizing the Great Lakes Legacy Act
5. Great Lakes Commission support for the City of Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games
6. Support for extension of the Federal Production Tax Credit and Federal Energy Efficiency Policy

1. Investing in a National Treasure: Great Lakes Commission Congressional Priorities for Fiscal Year 2009

1. Lake Huron Outflows through the St. Clair River
2. Support for Adequate Maintenance of Great Lakes Recreational Harbors

• Action Item: Preparation of a Background Paper Regarding the U.S. Clean Water Act and the Great Lakes
• Action Item: Establishing a Task Force to Develop a Great Lakes Commission Position on Reauthorization of the Great Lakes Legacy Act

1. Federal Legislation (U.S.) to Protect the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River from Ballast Water Discharges of Invasive Species

1. Great Lakes Commission Support for Reauthorization of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill)
2. Great Lakes Commission Support for Lacey Act Listing of the Silver, Largescale Silver, Bighead and Black Carp As Injurious Species
3. Great Lakes Commission Support for the Great Ships Initiative
4. Great Lakes Commission Support for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Sustainable Water Resources Agreement and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact

1. Development of Operational Hydrodynamic Models for Great Lakes Interconnecting Waterways
2. Support for the U.S. Federal-State Areas of Concern Coordinating Committee and Expedited Restoration Efforts for Great Lakes Areas of Concern
3. Resolution: Partnering with National Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Campaigns: Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!™ and Habitattitude™

1. Research on Bacterial Pathogens and Reauthorization of the BEACH Act
2. Support for Re-energizing the Great Lakes Circle Tour
3. CZMA Reauthorization and Coastal Community Program
4. Congressional Authorization and Appropriations for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
5. Support for the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2005

1. Ballast Water Management for Vessels Declaring No Ballast on Board
2. Support for Allocation of Funds To Adequately Operate and Maintain the Great Lakes Marine Transportation System

1. Ballast Water Management Needs in Response to the International Maritime Organization Convention
2. Construction and Maintenance of a Permanent Dispersal Barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
3. Navigation Maintenance Dredging in the Great Lakes and Connecting Channels
4. Protecting Drinking Water Security in the Great Lakes Basin
5. Enhanced Groundwater Monitoring and Research to Inform Management Decisions

1. Establishing a Regional Association for the Great Lakes Observing System
2. Expansion of Regional Atmospheric Deposition Programs

1. Great Lakes Ecosystem Restoration Planning
2. Use of Sound Science in Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Policy
3. Supporting the Development of Science-Based, Locally-Derived Restoration Goals for Great Lakes Areas of Concern
4. Support for Fair Distribution of Port Security Funds in the Great Lakes
5. A Basinwide Study of Land Use Trends, Impacts and Policy Responses
6. Maintaining and Enhancing the Great Lakes Water Level Observation Network

1. Recreational boating Infrastructure in the Great Lakes
2. Full Funding for the Great Lakes Legacy Act to Expedite Restoration and Delisting of Great Lakes Areas of Concern
3. Data Exchange Partnerships and Standardization of Decision Support Tools
4. Enhanced Research on the “Freshwater Inland Seas”
5. Establishment of a Great Lakes Legislative Forum
6. Homeland Security and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River System
7. Endorsement of the Report on Decision Support for Water Resources Management

1. Addressing the Invasion Threat of Asian Carp
2. Beach Closures and Associated Water Quality Concerns
3. 10th anniversary of the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN)
4. Reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act (NISA)
5. Restoration Planning in the Binational Lake St. Clair Watershed
6. Decision Support for Water Resources Management

1. U.S. Federal Support for Restoration and Delisting of Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs)
2. Issues and Opportunities at the U.S.-Canada Border
3. Examining the Energy / Environment / Economy Linkage
4. Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forum
5. Great Lakes Navigation System Study

1. Toward a Great Lakes Restoration Plan
2. Advancing Commission/Congressional Linkages Through Regional Tours and Events
3. Update of Great Lakes Commission's Modal Shift Study
4. Steel Trade and the Great Lakes Region
5. Advancing Brownfields Redevelopment and Greenfields Protection
6. Reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act (NISA) of 1996
7. Implementation of the Information/Education Strategy for Aquatic Nuisance Species Prevention and Control

1. Border Entry Rules for Recreational Boats
2. Federal Support for Restoration and Delisting of Great Lakes Areas of Concern
3. Harbor Maintenance Tax and Trust Fund
4. Making Beneficial Use of Dredged Material a Policy Priority
5. Monitoring Plan for Binational Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
6. Policy Statement on Ballast Water Management: A Product of the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species
7. Reauthorization of the Federal Agriculture Improvement Act (Farm Bill) of 1996 and Authorization of the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
8. Support for Effective Environmental Monitoring Programs in the Great Lakes Basin
9. Spill Reporting in the Binational St. Clair River-Lake St. Clair-Detroit River Corridor

1. Great Lakes Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species
2. Beach Closures in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin
3. Tenth Anniversary of the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control
4. Binational Lake St. Clair Management Initiative
5. A Volunteer Monitoring Network for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence System
6. First Nations/Tribal Authorities and the Great Lakes Commission
7. Great Lakes-St. Lawrence System Atlas
8. Binational Data and Information Management Policy
9. Recreational Boating

1. Ballast Management for the Prevention and Control of
   Aquatic Nuisance Species
2. Beneficial Use of Dredged Material
3. Linking Brownfields Redevelopment and Greenfields Protection
4. Promoting Data Sharing and Usage Among Great Lakes Organizations
5. Promoting Further Air Deposition Research in the Great Lakes
6. Promoting State/Provincial Legislative Dialogue
7. The Use of Marine Sanitation Devices on the Great Lakes
8. Water Withdrawal, Consumption, Diversion and Export