Many of the most important pathways by which invasive species enter the country result from the movement of goods in trade. As the largest economy in the world, the U.S. has over 20 of the world’s 30 busiest airports, receives nearly half of all ocean-going vessels each year and admits over 57,000 trucks and 1.1 million visitors daily. Thus, there are ample opportunities for invasive species to enter into the U.S. by land, air or water.

Federal appropriations alone have not provided either adequate or sufficiently flexible funding to address growing problems. Long backlogs of needed but unfunded efforts are typical of federal land management agencies. For example, in 1998, efforts against invasive species cost the National Refuge System $13 million. Today, the backlog of invasive species projects on refuges has increased to more than $150 million. Likewise, the National Park Service cannot control invasive species on 93 percent of its affected lands. Problems are similarly widespread on private land and in the nation’s waters. Control of just one Great Lakes invader, the sea lamprey, costs over $12 million each year.

Energy companies view the lakebeds of the Great Lakes as a "new frontier" for the routing of cross-lake oil and gas pipelines and electric transmission lines. Efforts to harvest high-speed winds have also spurred plans to anchor wind energy systems offshore or along the coasts of the Great Lakes. This factsheet provides an overview of the issue.

Comments from David Lodge on the economic impact of invasive species in the Great Lakes.

A list of media contacts from commercial and sport fisheries.

This factsheet provides background information and a list of invasive species discovered in the Great Lakes.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United recommend that:
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission requests the regulators of Great Lakes states on the 316b fish kill permits to adopt short and long terms and conditions to 3316b intake permits.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission requests that there also be a permit term and condition that would require payment to the Great Lakes Fishery Trust based on the quantity and type of fish kills to aide in research and programs that support and sustain fish in the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes states, provinces, tribes and First Nations adopt short and long terms and conditions to hydroelectric intake permits.

Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United strongly advises respective governments and jurisdictions to closely scrutinize the process and declaration of a decommissioned nuclear power reactor as "greenfield" or "brownfield". That a thorough, independent investigation to determine site characterization; liabilities; declarations of legacy contaminations; binding agreements; jurisdictional authority all be conducted prior to declaration of site status and prior to any transfer or lease of said properties. If after this scrutinization
remediation is indicated, then it is advised that remediation occur at the expense of current owner of said properties with a specific time table.

A map show sitings of zebra and quagga mussels across the United States.

A map showing the spread of zebra mussels across Ontario.