DULUTH, Minn. – Earlier this week, 40 legislators representing six U.S. states and two Canadian provinces traveled to Duluth, Minn., to explore policies designed to protect and restore the Great Lakes.
At this year’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus (GLLC) Annual Meeting, participating legislators adopted policy recommendations on climate resiliency, passed a resolution to study large water withdrawals from within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin, and elected a new Executive Committee to serve in 2025-2026.
Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul) was among the lawmakers attending.
“The Great Lakes are a cherished resource key to recreation, commerce, and culture for Minnesota and the surrounding area. As legislators, we have a responsibility to protect and restore these waters to be resilient for generations to come,” said Rep. Hansen, chair of the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. “By collaborating with other legislators throughout the region, we will be better equipped to successfully tackle challenges involving climate change, sustainability, water quality, threats to habitat, and the health of our communities.”
Participants also heard presentations on flood resilience, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s water program, green infrastructure, the Great Lakes compact, the management of plastic waste, international science collaboration on the Great Lakes, and Minnesota’s implementation of recently passed PFAS regulations.
In addition, the group toured the Duluth Seaway Port Authority terminal and went out on Lake Superior with a researcher from the University of Minnesota’s Large Lakes Observatory. GLLC leadership also participated in a tree planting in partnership with the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers and the city of Duluth as part of the Regional Tree Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to plant 250 million trees in the Great Lakes region by 2033.
The GLLC, which receives staff support from The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Office, is the only nonpartisan, binational group of state and provincial legislators. It works to strengthen the role of state and provincial legislators in the regional, national and binational policymaking process by providing a forum to advance policy recommendations, collaborate and educate around the restoration, protection, and sustainable use of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River for current and future generations.
