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USEPA's Great Lakes National
Program Office (GLNPO), located in Chicago, Illinois,
has a staff of 46 and a budget of almost $15 million.
GLNPO brings together Federal, state, tribal, local,
and industry partners in an integrated, ecosystem
approach to protect, maintain, and restore the chemical,
biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes.
The program
monitors Lake ecosystem indicators; manages and
provides public access to Great Lakes data; helps
communities address contaminated
sediments in their harbors; supports local protection
and restoration of important habitats;
promotes pollution
prevention through activities and projects such
as the Canada-U.S.
Binational Toxics Strategy (BNS); and provides
assistance for community-based Remedial Action Plans
for Areas
of Concern and for Lakewide Management Plans.
Each year, GLNPO uses its
funding to assist Great Lakes partners in these
areas through grants, interagency agreements, and
contracts.
The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909
and the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA)
with Canada provide the basis for our international
efforts to manage this shared resource. Additional
responsibilities are defined in Section 118 of the
Clean Water Act, Section 112 of the Clean Air Act
Amendments, and the Great Lakes Critical Programs
Act of 1990. The Great
Lakes 5-Year Strategy, developed jointly by EPA
and its multi-state, multi-Agency partners and built
on the foundation of the GLWQA, provides the agenda
for Great Lakes ecosystem management: reducing toxic
substances; protecting and restoring important habitats;
and protecting human/ecosystem species health.
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