Erika Jensen named GLC Executive Director 

The Great Lakes Commission has named Erika Jensen to serve as its executive director. Jensen joined the GLC in 2006 and has served as interim executive director of the agency since August 2020. She will be the GLC’s first female executive director since it was established in 1955.

“The Great Lakes Commission is thrilled to name Erika Jensen as our next executive director,” said Chair Sharon M. Jackson. “Under Erika’s steady leadership over the past year, the GLC has effectively navigated the coronavirus pandemic while seeing considerable success in achieving its policy and program priorities. Her longstanding commitment to the Great Lakes, strategic vision, and strong relationships in the region and on Capitol Hill make her the perfect person to lead the GLC into its next era.”

To read more about this historic appointment, visit our website.

Register now for the 2021 Annual Meeting 

Registration is now open for the 2021 Great Lakes Commission Annual Meeting, to be held virtually on October 12-14! Registration, a draft agenda and other details are available at glc.org/meetings/annual.

Update on U.S. federal legislation

The federal budget and large-scale infrastructure legislation continue to be the main focal points in Washington, D.C. The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are working on a two-track process to pass these two items.

The Senate advanced its budget and infrastructure legislation in August, each of which include investments in GLC priorities related to water quality, maritime navigation, and climate resilience.

The House continues to work on both packages this month, with the goal of passing both the budget and an infrastructure bill by the end of September.
 
Some Great Lakes highlights in the Senate-passed infrastructure bill include:

• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: $1 billion over 5 years
• Port Infrastructure: $17 billion
• Lead pipe replacement: $15 billion
• Programs to address emerging contaminants: $10 billion

MAKING WAVES
 

GLC leads annual "Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz"

Organizations across the Great Lakes region educated boaters about the risks of spreading aquatic invasive species during the third annual Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Landing Blitz this summer.

Volunteers joined professional inspectors at boat launches to show the public how to prevent the spread of AIS, ways to identify AIS, and how to report an AIS discovery.

To learn more, visit www.glc.org/blitz. 

CURRENTS

Great Lakes HABs Collaborative releases summer newsletter

Published quarterly, the Great Lakes Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Collaborative Newsletter provides updates on the current work being conducted by the collaborative and its members.

The summer 2021 newsletter is now available and features two new fact sheets as well as profiles of early career professionals/scientists and students working on HABs management in the Great Lakes basin.

Read the newsletter on the HABs Collaborative's website.

Chicago Tribune covers Invasive Mussel Collaborative project at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

The Chicago Tribune recently published a piece covering the Invasive Mussel Collaborative's 2019 test of an experimental method to reduce invasive quagga mussels at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The project led to a substantial reduction in quagga mussel density as well as a significant reduction in nuisance Cladophora algae at the site.

Read the Chicago Tribune story on their site.

Muskegon Lake to be removed from list of Great Lakes "Areas of Concern"

After nearly three decades, Michigan's Muskegon Lake is on the verge of being removed from the list of Great Lakes “Areas of Concern.” Three remaining restoration and cleanup projects are on track to be finished by September 30.

The GLC is proud to have been involved with the restoration of Muskegon Lake since 2008.

Learn more about our involvement at www.glc.org/work/aocs/muskegon and read an article about Muskegon Lake on MLive.

Position available: Water Quality and Water Infrastructure Senior Program Specialist

The GLC has an immediate opening for a senior program specialist to join our water quality and water infrastructure teams. The senior program specialist will be responsible for a variety of activities in support of the GLC’s water quality and water infrastructure work, including Blue Accounting, the GLC’s initiative to report on progress toward shared goals for the basin.

Initial work will focus on data aggregation and analysis related to drinking water. The successful candidate will also support work to build a “blueprint” for water infrastructure investment and improvement and provide support for the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program. 

Apply by September 27 on www.glc.org!

LAST DROP

ON TAP

• September 29-October 15: Council of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers Leadership Summit panel webinars
• October 4-5: Great Lakes Dredging Team Meeting
• October 12-14: Great Lakes Commission Annual Meeting (virtual)

For more Great Lakes events, visit the GLC's
Great Lakes Regional Calendar