In the 2017 Budget passed by the U.S. Congress over the weekend, the $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was kept at its full funding level.  This is very good news. Although the battle for future funding for 2018 is far from over, this is definitely a good sign that the voices from the Great Lakes basin in Canada and the United States are being heard.

Early Bird Deadline Ends May 5 for the Cities Initiative 2017 Annual Meeting and Conference!

Register for the Binational Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Green Infrastructure Conference

Stormwater management, reducing the threat of flooding, improved water and air quality, reducing combined sewer overflows, and more - these are a few of the myriad of benefits of green infrastructure.  Please join the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and partners as they host the inaugural Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Green Infrastructure Conference, May 31 - June 2, 2017 in Detroit, MI.  The conference will focus on using green infrastructure across the landscape with a primary goal of protecting the surface waters in the Great Lakes region.  The binational conference is geared towards engineers, landscape architects, water quality professionals, government officials (local, state, provincial, and federal), developers, planners, academia, drain and road agencies, conservation and non-profit organizations.  For more information and to register (hotel block expires May 9 and early bird registration end May 12), visit  www.regonline.com/builder/site/default.aspx?EventID=1945821.

Cities Initiative Sends Letter to Congressional Appropriators on GLRI

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative sent letters to Senate and House Appropriations Committees last week expressing support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and requesting appropriations of $300 million for the program in the Fiscal Year 2018 appropriations. "The magnitude of the proposed cuts would have serious implications for the economy and restoration efforts of the Great Lakes region," it said. The letter also reiterates the shared responsibility for Great Lakes restoration and protection among all orders of government and highlights the  $15 billion in annual municipal spending to fund Great Lakes efforts. To read the letters, click here.

Submit Comments to the U.S. EPA on Environmental Regulations

The US Environmental Protection Agency published a  request for comment asking for input on environmental regulations by May 15, 2017. EPA's request is part of a federal government initiative under Executive Order 13777, "Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda," which directs federal agencies to establish a Regulatory Reform Task Force that will evaluate existing regulations and make recommendations on repeal, replacement and modification. To submit comments on U.S. water, air, and environmental regulation, including comments supporting the maintenance of regulations, click here: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OA-2017-0190-0042.

Join the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework

Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework (PAMF) is a new strategy for managing non-native Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin that provides the opportunity for land managers to benefit from adaptive management. PAMF will use adaptive management to scientifically learn from each Phragmites treatment going on around the basin and improve site-specific treatment guidance. PAMF Coordinators are seeking partners from across the basin to enroll Phragmites-infested sites and/or host a training session.  For more information or to enroll a site, visit www.greatlakesphragmites.net/pamf, or contact Karen Alexander at kalexander@glc.org or 734-971-9135.

High Water Levels Plague Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River System

Rainy April weather coupled with spring snowmelt has resulted in extremely high water levels across the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River system, producing increased streamflows, rising water levels, and flooding. In some areas, such as the Ottawa River and Montreal, the flows have peaked, however, for Lake Ontario, the levels will continue to increase over the next few months. Multiple municipalities in the region, including the counties of Niagara and Orleans, declared a state of emergency due to the high water levels. The International Joint Commission's International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Board, which determines Lake Ontario outflows, recently released a statement and warned jurisdictions to prepare for major coastal flooding. To read more, click here: http://ijc.org/en_/islrbc/news?news_id=597&myID=1

Great Lakes Economic Forum Applauds Binational Cooperation

U.S. Mayors Announce New National Drive for 100% Clean Energy

Canada and Ontario Extend Public Consultations on Draft Domestic Action Plan