We provide advice and assistance to the Governor's office, members and staff of the Michigan Legislature and Congressional delegation, Directors and staff of the Departments of Natural Resources, Community Health, Agriculture, Transportation and other state offices. We participate in regional policy discussions and forums such as the Great Lakes Commission, International Joint Commission, Council of Great Lakes Governors and the Binational Executive Committee.

The Great Lakes are immense, and its people diverse. We hope to contribute to the essential integration needed to knit together scientific, technical, social and economic knowledge to sustain and improve this, the Great Lakes State.

Office of the Great Lakes Fact Sheet

Specific Activities of the Office of the Great Lakes:

• coordinating diversion and consumptive use reviews under the Great Lakes Charter;
• awarding grants under the Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund to promote Great Lakes research and demonstration projects;
• coordinating ballast water reporting pursuant to Section 3103 of NREPA 1994 Act 451 (Public Act 114 of 2001);
• implementing a comprehensive aquatic nuisance species control plan (pdf file), as developed pursuant to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Prevention and Control Act of 1990, Public Law 101-646;
• preparing the annual State of the Great Lakes (pdf file) report and monthly electronic activity reports focusing on efforts underway to restore, protect and preserve the Great Lakes ecosystem;
• tracking trends (pdf file) impacting the chemical, physical and biological components of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
  

State Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 Sections Pertaining to the Office of the Great Lakes:

• 324.321: Great Lakes Compact- authorizes Michigan to join the Great Lakes Commission (pdf file)
• 324.322: Great Lakes Basin Compact - sets procedures for participation in the Great Lakes Commission
• 324.327:  Great Lakes Preservation- water use reporting (pdf file)
• 324.329: Great Lakes Protection- establishes the Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund and the Office of the Great Lakes (pdf file)
• 324.331: Regional Great Lakes Protection Fund - establishes Michigan's participation in the Great Lakes Protection Fund (pdf file)
  

Related Great Lakes Links:

• Council of Great Lakes Governors
• Great Lakes Commission
• Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN)
• Regional Great Lakes Protection Fund
• International Joint Commission

Office of the Great Lakes Staff Members:

Director: 
Ken DeBeaussaert, 517-335-4056
Assistant to the Director: 
Jim Bredin, 517-335-4232
Environmental Quality Specialist: 
Roger Eberhardt, 517-335-4227
Senior Environmental Quality Analyst:
Vacant
Environmental Quality Analyst: 
Emily Finnell, 517-241-7927
Executive Secretary: 
Amy Hicks, 517-335-4056

We welcome your thoughts on issues of importance to Michigan and the Great Lakes region.  Please contact us in care of: