Minnesota Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon was scheduled to be in Washington this week as the state's representative at the Great Lakes Commission's biennial meeting, which begins to and goes through Wednesday.
The Duluthian also will meet with the state's congressional delegation and leading Great Lakes advocates from the U.S. and Canada to urge continued federal funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative cleanup effort.
The initiative has funneled millions of dollars into research and restoration to improve habitat, battle invasive species, clean up polluted areas and reduce pollution in the Twin Ports and across the Great Lakes.
Prettner Solon will update Great Lakes advocates on progress being made in Minnesota to protect Lake Superior coastland and watersheds, improve water quality in Lake Superior and its tributaries, enhance wildlife habitat, and monitor beaches for preventable exposure to disease-carrying bacteria. She also will provide an update to members of the Great Lakes Commission regarding ongoing efforts to delist the largest of more than 40 Great Lakes Areas of Concern, the St. Louis River estuary.
The Great Lakes Commission is a joint effort of the U.S. and Canada that promotes the orderly development, use and conservation of the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River. Its members include the eight Great Lakes states with associate member status for the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec. Each jurisdiction appoints a delegation of three to five members comprised of senior agency officials, legislators and appointees of the governor or premier.
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The Commission was established by joint legislative action of the Great Lakes states in 1955 and granted congressional consent in 1968.
