EPA Advisors Eye Ways To Manage Expectations For Great Lakes Cleanup

摘要

EPA's Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB) is weighing how the agency should manage the public's expectations for restoration of the lakes, noting that it is a long-term commitment and will require additional work and funding even after cleanup milestones are reached to address nutrients, invasive species and other pollutants. During a March 30-31 virtual meeting, GLAB members discussed preliminary ideas for three sets of recommendations the group plans to finalize later this year, noting that while the reports will include details specific to a series of charge questions from EPA, early discussions have identified issues that are cross-cutting and apply to all three of the planned reports. Cheryl Newton, acting administrator for EPA's Midwest Region 5 where the agency's Great Lakes National Program Office is located, said in remarks at the beginning of the GLAB meeting that "EPA can't do this alone," referring to the restoration of the lakes. Newton said she looks forward to hearing about "the productive discussions" GLAB will have and the preliminary reports from three GLAB workgroups in June or July when the panel next meets.