Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United opposes the trading of any mercury emissions and reaffirms its support for the virtual elimination of the human use, generation and release of mercury to the environment.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urge Great Lakes basin governments to create comprehensive, long-term energy strategies with extensive public input, addressing among other things: the environmental impacts of manipulating Great Lakes basin water flows to facilitate short-term increases in the output of existing hydroelectric power plants to meet temporary energy shortfalls, and the environmental impacts of new hydroelectric power dams, particularly those proposed in previously undammed rivers.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urges Congress to require full Canadian participation in the design and implementation of the Supplement Report as a condition of further funding, and Be it further resolved that Great Lakes United urges Congress to require the Corps to work with other federal agencies and the Canadian government to agree on binational goals and objectives of the Supplement Report, including the following: To assess cumulative environmental damage and socioeconomic losses related to past commercial navigation system construction and operation, and To assess the engineering needs, economic benefits, and environmental and socioeconomic costs, both indirect and cumulative, associated with maintaining the current commercial navigation system, and. To examine the national and regional socioeconomic justification and environmental consequences of continuing foreign commercial shipping through the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United call on the Province of Ontario to deny certificates of approval for the extension of the York-Durham Sewer System to King City and other area towns and Be it further resolved that in light of new information on impacts of YDSS expansion to groundwater flows, and to the ecosystems and fish dependent on those flows, Great Lakes United call on the Province of Ontario and the Federal Government of Canada to undertake a full, individual Environmental Assessment of the 2002 master plan for the York-Durham Sewer System.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United reaffirms its 2002 opposition to physical and seasonal expansion of the Great Lakes navigation system and St. Lawrence Seaway, and requests that the governments of the United States and Canada formally agree to no longer pursue fiscally irresponsible studies that promote the physical and seasonal expansion of the Great Lakes navigation system and St. Lawrence Seaway.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urges the prohibition of shipments of high-level radioactive waste on the Great Lakes.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urges the United States Congress to immediately adopt legislation establishing regulations and programs to reduce ballast water discharge that are at least as stringent as the provisions of S. 770, the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act, as introduced in March 2005, which will set nationwide standards and develop technology and place it onboard ships to prevent
releases of non-native invasive species by 2011, which is the preferred national solution.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urges the United States and Canadian governments to collaboratively adopt the key principles outlined in the Louisville Charter as an important step for chemicals policy in North America to protect the health of our communities and the environment.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United urge representatives of the basin’s First Nations, tribes, provinces, states, counties, regions, and municipalities to seek means by which their roles in Great Lakes protection are defined in any future revision of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and Be it further resolved that we urge the two federal governments to include the above by defining their role and relative responsibilities.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United (GLU) urge that existing authorities be exercised to delineate complementary policies for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River bottomlands that: As a first priority, identify and map areas that should be protected from any significant lakebed alternations, and designate them for legal protection. Prohibit uses of lakebed that are not water-dependent. Identify locations for sitting of projects in areas that can tolerate such disturbances. Prevent degradation of aquatic habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms, water-dependent
birds, and other wildlife from proposed uses. Require a demonstration of clear and substantial public benefit, including but not limited to environmental benefit—including the reduction of electric generation from coal-fired power
plants or nuclear waste generating–facilities—before authorizing such uses. Require the assessment of alternatives to bottomland-use proposals.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United (GLU) and its members participate in the governments’ review of the GLWQA, and Be it further resolved that GLU confer with its members throughout the review process to develop positions on actions that should be taken as outcomes from the review, and Be it further resolved that GLU continue to consult with its members and communicate to the governments recommendations to improve the review process as it moves forward, and Be it finally resolved that GLU communicate to the governments that the review should first review the purpose and scope of the GLWQA and provide for broad public review, before review of Agreement and Annexes.