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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 18, 2004
Executive Order: Establishment of Great Lakes Inter
News & Policies
History & Tours | Kids | Your Government | Appointments | Jobs | Contact | Graphic version
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 18, 2004
Executive Order: Establishment of Great Lakes Interagency Task Force and Promotion of a Regional Collaboration of National Significance for the Great Lakes
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to help establish a regional collaboration of national significance for the Great Lakes, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The Great Lakes are a national treasure constituting the largest freshwater system in the world. The United States and Canada have made great progress addressing past and current environmental impacts to the Great Lakes ecology. The Federal Government is committed to making progress on the many significant challenges that remain. Along with numerous State, tribal, and local programs, over 140 Federal programs help fund and implement environmental restoration and management activities throughout the Great Lakes system. A number of intergovernmental bodies are providing leadership in the region to address environmental and resource management issues in the Great Lakes system. These activities would benefit substantially from more systematic collaboration and better integration of effort. It is the policy of the Federal Government to support local and regional efforts to address environmental challenges and to encourage local citizen and community stewardship. To this end, the Federal Government will partner with the Great Lakes States, tribal and local governments, communities, and other interests to establish a regional collaboration to address nationally significant environmental and natural resource issues involving the Great Lakes. It is the further policy of the Federal Government that its executive departments and agencies will ensure that their programs are funding effective, coordinated, and environmentally sound activities in the Great Lakes system.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
For purposes of this order:
(a) "Great Lakes" means Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron (including Lake Saint Clair), Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior, and the connecting channels (Saint Marys River, Saint Clair River, Detroit River, Niagara River, and Saint Lawrence River to the Canadian Border).
(b) "Great Lakes system" means all the streams, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water within the drainage basin of the Great Lakes.
Sec. 3. Great Lakes Interagency Task Force.
(a) Task Force Purpose. To further the policy described in section 1 of this order, there is established, within the Environmental Protection Agency for administrative purposes, the "Great Lakes Interagency Task Force" (Task Force) to:
(i) Help convene and establish a process for collaboration among the
members of the Task Force and the members of the Working Group that
is established in paragraph b(ii) of this section, with the Great
Lakes States, local communities, tribes, regional bodies, and other
interests in the Great Lakes region regarding policies, strategies,
plans, programs, projects, activities, and priorities for the Great
(ii) Collaborate with Canada and its provinces and with bi-national
bodies involved in the Great Lakes region regarding policies,
strategies, projects, and priorities for the Great Lakes system.
(iii) Coordinate the development of consistent Federal policies,
strategies, projects, and priorities for addressing the restoration
and protection of the Great Lakes system and assisting in the
appropriate management of the Great Lakes system.
(iv) Develop outcome-based goals for the Great Lakes system relying
upon, among other things, existing data and science-based indicators
of water quality and related environ-mental factors. These goals
shall focus on outcomes such as cleaner water, sustainable fisheries,
and biodiversity of the Great Lakes system and ensure that Federal
policies, strategies, projects, and priorities support measurable
(v) Exchange information regarding policies, strategies, projects,
and activities of the agencies represented on the Task Force related
to the Great Lakes system.
(vi) Work to coordinate government action associated with the Great
(vii) Ensure coordinated Federal scientific and other research
associated with the Great Lakes system.
(viii) Ensure coordinated government development and implementation
of the Great Lakes portion of the Global Earth Observation System of
(ix) Provide assistance and support to agencies represented on the
Task Force in their activities related to the Great Lakes system.
(x) Submit a report to the President by May 31, 2005, and thereafter
as appropriate, that summarizes the activities of the Task Force and
provides any recommendations that would, in the judgment of the Task
Force, advance the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
(b) Membership a