In a special report, released this week, the International Joint Commission (IJC) recommends that Canada and the United States replace the current Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) with a shorter and more action-oriented plan.

Earlier this year, the national governments launched a comprehensive review of the original 1972 GLWQA, which has guided the cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. The Agreement has not been revised or updated since 1987.

The Commission’s Special Report promotes a focus on government accountability and recommends creation of a new high-level steering committee, and urges the early development of a Binational Action Plan with specific goals and timelines.

The Commission also recommends that the new GLWQA incorporate ecosystem protection, watershed planning and increased attention on biological integrity with a specific focus on invasive species.

The Commission considered the research, analysis and advice provided by its advisory boards, as well as the information and views received during a consultation process with the public in the fall of 2005.

Read the entire GLWQA Special Report.