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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*?

October 13, 2023?

Contact:[email protected]?

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*Governor Gretchen Whitmer Announced as Next Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Chair*?

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*CLEVELAND*?? Today, Governor Whitmer was named the next chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers (GSGP), a bipartisan and transnational group of governors and premiers who work together to grow the region?s $6 trillion economy and protect the world?s largest system of surface fresh water.? ?

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?The Great Lakes define us as Michiganders, shaping our state and supplying drinking water, recreation, and economic opportunity to hundreds of millions of people,? said *Governor Gretchen Whitmer*. ?My administration has made historic investments to protect the Great Lakes from pollution, build climate resilient infrastructure, and maintain natural resources.?The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers is at the forefront of grappling with the challenges we face in the region, from invasive species to the climate crisis. It is a unique honor to serve as chair, and I am excited to continue working to protect and preserve these waters for future generations.??

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??Serving as chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers these last four years has been an honor,?and?this experience has been invaluable to helping guide my work as governor to make protecting and preserving Wisconsin and our region?s vast and vital natural resources one of my administration?s very top priorities,? said *outgoing chair* *Wisconsin Governor Evers*.??I?m?excited to announce?Michigan?Governor Gretchen Whitmer?will be?the next?chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers.?Governor Whitmer?has always been a great partner in our work together as governors and as members of the GSGP, and?I am looking forward to her leadership and our continued work together protecting our Great Lakes.?????

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*Governor Whitmer?s Work Protecting Water*?

Under Governor Whitmer?s leadership, Michigan has enforced the strongest Lead and Copper Rule for drinking water in the country, and established health-based standards for PFAS in our drinking water supplies.?

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Since taking office, the governor has invested billions of dollars in water infrastructure, including her Fiscal Year 2024 budget which invests nearly $600 million to protect drinking water, helping communities replace lead service lines, rebuild sewers, and more. ?

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Governor Whitmer's work to protect Michigan?s water, climate and natural resources comes at a time when more and more people are moving to the Great Lakes states [ [link removed] ] to insulate from climate change. ?

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*GSGP Accomplishments*?GSGP unites the chief executives from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Qu?bec, and Wisconsin, and?is celebrating its 40th anniversary?this year. ??During the Summit, the Governors and Premiers announced:??

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*100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge?*?

Fourteen companies have already signed a pledge committing them to productively use 100% of each commercially caught fish by 2025. Read the pledge online here [ [link removed] ].??

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*Trees Initiative*?

As part of the goal of planting 250 million trees [ [link removed] ] in the region by 2033, GSGP also launched the Great Lakes Green Events program that encourages organizations hosting gatherings to leave a positive footprint for the community and region by increasing their sustainability. Furthermore, GSGP will connect conference and event organizers with local tree planting partners and then plant trees within that local community. GSGP?s tree planting goal builds upon tree planting pledges that Governors, Premiers, and others across the Great Lakes St. Lawrence region have already made.?

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*Great Lakes Cruising*?

The Governors? and Premiers? cruise marketing partnership, Cruise the Great Lakes, celebrated this year?s record-breaking number of cruise passengers and their economic impact. Total cruise passenger traffic totaled about 170,000, up 13% from last season. Overall, 800 port visits generated an estimated US$235 million in economic impact across the international Great Lakes.?

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*Great Lakes Shipping*?

GSGP released three new reports aimed at accelerating the decarbonization of the region?s commercial shipping.???


* A regional strategy exploring future energy options for Great Lakes shipping--partners include the US Maritime Administration, American Bureau of Shipping and the International Council on Clean Transportation.?
* Strategies to use biofuels [ [link removed] ] to achieve regional emissions reduction goals?prepared by Innovation Maritime.?
* Annual report on ship emissions [ [link removed] ] in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence by the International Council on Clean Transportation.?

?Additional information about GSGP?can be found on their website?[link removed].???

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