Sponsors (5)
Designating the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Ocean Partnership strengthens regional coordination and access to federal support to improve water quality and ecosystem protection, at the cost of modest administrative spending and a risk that some existing programs may see reduced attention or funding.
State governments (members of the Great Lakes Commission) gain formal federal recognition as a Regional Ocean Partnership, enabling stronger regional coordination and improved access to NOAA technical assistance for Great Lakes management and planning.
Communities and businesses that rely on the Great Lakes (for drinking water, recreation, and commerce) are likely to see improved water quality and ecosystem protection through better-coordinated projects and federal collaboration.
State governments and taxpayers may face modest additional administrative costs to participate in partnership activities, reporting, or planning.
Some existing federal or state programs and priorities could receive reduced attention or funding if resources are reallocated toward new partnership activities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds the Great Lakes Commission to the federal list of Regional Ocean Partnerships and lists its member states.
Adds the Great Lakes Commission to the federal list of Regional Ocean Partnerships, formally recognizing the Commission (created under the Great Lakes Basin Compact) as a Regional Ocean Partnership and identifying its member states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The change amends the statute that lists Regional Ocean Partnerships to include the Great Lakes region alongside existing coastal partnerships. This designation is procedural and mainly affects intergovernmental coordination and eligibility for federal engagement with regional marine and freshwater planning efforts; it does not itself create new funding or regulatory requirements.
Official title: Designate the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 19, 2026 by Gary C. Peters · Last progress May 19, 2026