Council of Great Lakes Research Managers

Council of Great Lakes Research Managers
Name	Council of Great Lakes Research Managers
Formation	1980s
Type	Interagency advisory body
Headquarters	Great Lakes region
Region served	Great Lakes
Leader title	Chair

Council of Great Lakes Research Managers The Council of Great Lakes Research Managers is an interjurisdictional forum of regional United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada staff, state and provincial agency managers, and academic program leaders that coordinates freshwater research priorities for the Great Lakes basin. It convenes representatives from agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Geological Survey, the Canadian Forest Service, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to align studies with multilateral agreements like the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and initiatives tied to the International Joint Commission. The Council serves as a bridge between applied science programs at institutions such as the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, the University of Michigan, the University of Toronto, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and regional authorities including the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

History

The Council originated during a period marked by transboundary responses to incidents such as the Cuyahoga River fire and legislative actions like the Clean Water Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, drawing participants from bodies including the International Joint Commission, the Great Lakes Commission, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and provincial counterparts. Early collaborators included researchers from the National Research Council (Canada), the United States National Academy of Sciences, the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and academic centers at Ohio State University, Michigan State University, and McMaster University. Over time the Council interfaced with programs such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Binational Program, the Great Lakes Observing System, and task forces convened by the Great Lakes Protection Fund.

Organization and Membership

Membership comprises managers from federal agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the United States Geological Survey, and provincial or state agencies such as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Academic partners include faculties from University of Toronto Scarborough, Purdue University, Cornell University, Queen's University, and research centers like the National Center for Atmospheric Research when engaged in regional projects. The Council coordinates with stakeholder organizations including the Great Lakes Commission, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, the Nature Conservancy, and indigenous governance bodies recognized under instruments such as the Treaty of Fort Wayne-era arrangements. Chairs and working group leads have been drawn from agencies and institutions with experience in programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and networks such as the U.S. Climate Change Science Program.

Programs and Initiatives

The Council facilitates targeted programs addressing issues highlighted by bodies such as the International Joint Commission and the Great Lakes Water Quality Board, including invasive species response plans referencing organisms like Asian carp and zebra mussel, and contaminant monitoring for substances regulated under the Stockholm Convention and analyzed by laboratories such as the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. Initiatives have aligned with funding efforts by the Great Lakes Protection Fund, pilot projects from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Sea Grant network, and multilateral restoration projects under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Collaborative programs often involve academic partners from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Michigan Technological University, Western Michigan University, and federal labs such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’s Great Lakes programs.

Research Coordination and Data Sharing

The Council promotes coordinated monitoring and data sharing consistent with standards promulgated by entities like the Integrated Ocean Observing System, the Great Lakes Observing System, and the United States Geological Survey's data releases. It encourages interoperable databases referencing formats used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and provincial portals administered by Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Data exchanges support modeling efforts developed at centers like the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and university groups at Michigan State University and Cornell University, and feed into assessments produced for the International Joint Commission and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement processes.

Policy Influence and Partnerships

The Council advises policy processes involving the International Joint Commission, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and legislative frameworks such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative's guiding plans and federal program reviews by the United States Congress and the Parliament of Canada. It partners with conservation organizations like the Nature Conservancy, municipal networks including the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, and academic consortia such as the Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Lakes (GRASL)-type collaborations to translate science into action. Through liaison with agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Council helps shape priority-setting for remediation efforts at Areas of Concern identified under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Funding and Resources

Funding for Council-coordinated projects derives from federal allocations such as grants administered through the United States Environmental Protection Agency, appropriations under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, provincial and state contributions from bodies like the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and philanthropic support from institutions including the Great Lakes Protection Fund and the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. Research partners leverage resources from universities such as the University of Michigan, Purdue University, and Queen's University as well as federal laboratories including the United States Geological Survey and NOAA.

Impact and Achievements

The Council has contributed to harmonized monitoring that informed remediation at numerous Areas of Concern identified by the International Joint Commission and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, supported invasive species management strategies targeting Asian carp corridors and zebra mussel spread, and assisted contaminant assessments that influenced regulations connected to the Clean Water Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Its coordination helped enable scientific inputs to high-profile assessments by the National Research Council (United States), the Royal Society of Canada, and multilateral reporting to the International Joint Commission, while fostering collaborations among universities such as University of Wisconsin–Madison, Ohio State University, McMaster University, and federal entities like the United States Geological Survey.

Category:Great Lakes