Washington, D.C. – A binational coalition of regional agencies, Indigenous Nations, legislators, local communities, and business, maritime and environmental groups today released shared priorities for restoring the Great Lakes and supporting the region’s economy. The priorities were released in advance of Great Lakes Day, an annual event that brings together regional leaders and members of Congress who play a critical role in shaping Great Lakes policies.

“Restoring and protecting the Great Lakes is an enduring, bipartisan priority for the nation and for Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin communities,” the priorities read. “Our organizations support the following priorities to ensure the Great Lakes are a source of drinking water, an environmental treasure, and an economic engine now and into the future.

The agenda urges Congress and the Trump administration to: continue producing restoration results, including by appropriating no less than $475 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in FY 2026; provide clean drinking water to all; enhance the Great Lakes Navigation System; strengthen communities; protect people from persistent and emerging threats; and secure a prosperous future

The priorities are endorsed by the Great Lakes Commission, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, American Great Lakes Ports Association, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus, Great Lakes Business Network, and Lake Carriers’ Association.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.

Ann Arbor, Michigan – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) today released its 2025 agenda for the Great Lakes. It calls for continued strategic investment in the lakes, which hold 95% of America’s fresh surface water and provide drinking water for more than 47 million people.

“Restoring the Great Lakes means protecting drinking water for millions, as well as growing an $81 billion regional recreational economy and a nearly $51 billion maritime system,” said GLC chair Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “The Great Lakes Commission urges our federal partners to continue their investment in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and other programs that improve the region’s economy and environment, as every $1 spent restoring the lakes generates more than $3 in economic activity for the country.”

In 2025, the GLC urges Congress 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.

The agenda is being shared in advance of next week’s Great Lakes Day, an annual event that brings together regional leaders and members of Congress who play a critical role in shaping Great Lakes policies. Great Lakes Day will be held in-person in Washington, D.C., following the 2025 Great Lakes Commission Semiannual Meeting. The GLC and Northeast-Midwest Institute organize Great Lakes Day annually to bring together the states, members of Congress and the federal government to raise awareness of Great Lakes issues.

For more information on the GLC and its work, visit www.glc.org.

The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.