ABSTRACT
As pointed out at the beginning of this chapter, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) has served as a guiding document for environmental action in the Great Lakes. It clearly expresses the commitment of Canada and the United States to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. Signed in 1972, revised in 1978 and again in 1987, the GLWQA has been reviewed every six years to determine if revisions were needed. Unmodifi ed since the 1987 amendments, it was the subject of an extensive citizen review process in 2006. Stakeholders, including industry, were again invited to participate in working groups and asked to identify issues of importance to the ecosystem. In addition, the governments held public meetings, or “listening sessions.” Th e IJC held workshops. A fi nal review report detailing the outcome of this very extensive collaboration eff ort was issued in 2007 (Binational Executive Committee 2007).
