Great Lakes Commodities Marketing Board

To ensure the coordinated economic revitalization and environmental enhancement of the Great Lakes and their connecting channels and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Great Lakes”), known as the “Fourth Seacoast” of the United States, it is hereby declared to be the intent of Congress to recognize the importance of the economic vitality of the Great Lakes region, the importance of exports from the region in the United States balance of trade, and the need to assure an environmentally and socially responsible navigation system for the Great Lakes. Congress finds that the Great Lakes provide a diversity of agricultural, commercial, environmental, recreational, and related opportunities based on their extensive water resources and water transportation systems. The strategy shall address, among other things, environmental issues relating to transportation on the Great Lakes and marketing difficulties experienced due to late harvest seasons in the Great Lakes region. The strategy shall include, as appropriate alternative storage, sales, marketing, multimodal transportation systems, and other systems, to assure optimal economic benefits to the region from agricultural and other commercial activities. The strategy shall develop— In developing the strategy, the Board shall conduct and consider the results of— The Board shall be composed of seven members as follows: The Secretary and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other appropriate Federal and non-Federal entities, shall carry out a review of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of navigation in the United States portion of the Great Lakes. In carrying out such review, the Secretary and the Administrator shall use existing research, studies, and investigations relating to such impacts to the maximum extent possible. Special emphasis shall be made in such review of the impacts of navigation on the shoreline and on fish and wildlife habitat, including, but not limited to, impacts associated with resuspension of bottom sediment. The Secretary and the Administrator shall submit to Congress an interim report of such review not later than September 30, 1988, and a final report of such review along with recommendations not later than September 30, 1990.