Great Lakes Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Restoration Initiative and State Level Policyand State Level Policy

Healing Our Waters ConferenceHealing Our Waters ConferenceSeptember 23, 2010September 23, 2010

Todd AmbsTodd AmbsPresidentPresident

River NetworkRiver Network

Great LakesGreat LakesEnvironment Environment

– 20% of world fresh 20% of world fresh surface watersurface water

Quality of LifeQuality of Life– Vast region of Vast region of

interconnected fresh interconnected fresh surface watersurface water

EconomyEconomy– Critical resource for Critical resource for

economy, recreation economy, recreation and environmentand environment

National Economy National Economy DependsDepends

on the Great Lakes on the Great Lakes• 30%30% of GNP of GNP

• 125 125 million tons million tons cargocargo

• $53 $53 billion in billion in annual revenueannual revenue

• Boating Boating supports supports 250,000250,000 jobs jobs

Years of Work Years of Work Led To GLRILed To GLRI

• 2003 2003 - Great Lakes - Great Lakes Governors 9 PrioritiesGovernors 9 Priorities

• 2005 2005 - Great Lakes - Great Lakes Regional CollaborationRegional Collaboration

• 2008 2008 – Great Lakes – Great Lakes Compact PassedCompact Passed

• 20082008 – Great Lakes – Great Lakes President ElectedPresident Elected

Great Lakes Restoration Great Lakes Restoration InitiativeInitiative

First Year Funding First Year Funding SuccessesSuccesses

• $120 Million $120 Million RFP ExecutedRFP Executed

• InterAgency InterAgency Agreements Agreements CreatedCreated

• Accountability Accountability Measures Measures DevelopedDeveloped

Second Year ChallengesSecond Year Challenges

• Maximize On-The Maximize On-The Ground Project Ground Project WorkWork

• Maintain and Maintain and Enhance State Enhance State Ability To Perform Ability To Perform WorkWork

• Focus on Focus on Geographic Geographic ResultsResults

• Monitor Water Monitor Water QualityQuality

We have the Blueprint We have the Blueprint for Action – Focus for Action – Focus

Funding on ProjectsFunding on Projects• Protect and Protect and

restore wetlandrestore wetland

• Fish passage, Fish passage, Restore habitatRestore habitat

• Near Shore Near Shore Habitat Habitat ImprovementsImprovements

• Where Where appropriate appropriate Restore Natural Restore Natural ConnectivityConnectivity

Maintain and Enhance Maintain and Enhance State Agency Ability to State Agency Ability to

Do WorkDo Work• State Capacity State Capacity

Funding CriticalFunding Critical

• States Can and States Can and Should Help Should Help Coordinate Work Coordinate Work

• States Can Best States Can Best Assess Assess Geographic Focus Geographic Focus and Cumulative and Cumulative ImpactsImpacts

Areas of Concern Can Be Areas of Concern Can Be Gateway To Concern for Gateway To Concern for

AreasAreas• Great Potential Great Potential

For Producing For Producing Tangible ResultsTangible Results

• Funding Of State Funding Of State Coordinators Coordinators Crucial Crucial

• Should Link To Should Link To Other Geographic Other Geographic OpportunitiesOpportunities

Water Quality MonitoringWater Quality MonitoringCan’t Know Where You Are Can’t Know Where You Are

Going If You Don’t Know Going If You Don’t Know Where You AreWhere You Are

• Implementation Implementation relies on good relies on good baseline databaseline data

• Must Be Able To Must Be Able To Say What Say What Worked and Worked and What Did NotWhat Did Not

• Partner with Partner with local groups, local groups, municipalities, municipalities, othersothers

We do not remember days, we remember moments.

Cesare Pavese