Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Established The Maumee Area Of Concern

Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Established The Maumee Area Of Concern. . , Safeguarding Our Water , The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) is an agreement between the United States and Canada to protect and restore the waters of the Great Lakes. Developed by the International Joint Commission and first signed in 1972, the GLWQA addressed public concerns about phosphorus pollution, algal blooms and the "death” of Lake Erie. An important amendment, or Protocol, to the Agreement was signed on November 18, 1987 here in Toledo, Ohio. The Protocol identified the most severely degraded sites on the Great Lakes in both Canada and the United States and established strategies to address the impacts of toxic pollutants to water quality in these areas. In all, 43 Areas of Concern (AOCs) were listed, including the Maumee AOC here in Northwest Ohio., Community Support , The amended GLWQA also required AOCs to launch local community-based clean-up efforts known as Remedial Action Plans (RAPS). The RAPS were charged with identifying specific water quality problems in the AOCs and charting paths to return local lakes, rivers, and streams to fishable, swimmable, and drinkable conditions. In response, the Maumee RAP was established here in the Toledo area in 1987. Today the Maumee RAP continues to be supported by TMACOG, Ohio EPA, USEPA, the City of Toledo, Lucas County, Partners for Clean Streams and many other partnering agencies, organizations, concerned citizens and volunteers. Through the grassroots work of the RAPs, major progress has been made in such areas as waste water treatment, contaminated sediments, fish consumption restrictions, and habitat loss. However, many challenges remain., 25th Anniversary Observed , The GLWQA, which was most recently amended in September of 2012, is still considered one of the most forward-thinking diplomatic achievements for the environment in the world and has served as a model for similar international agreements. November 18, 2012 marked the 25th anniversary of the signing of an amended GLWQA here in Toledo. The current Maumee RAP Advisory Committee and Partners for Clean Streams, in association with TMACOG, Ohio EPA, the City of Toledo and other communities in the Maumee AOC, have sponsored this sign to publicly recognize this important milestone in the environmental history of the Great Lakes and the work that has been done since 1987 to protect and restore these freshwater treasures for future generations.,

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. , Margaret Mead

, You Can Help Keep Our Water Safe! , Partners for Clean Streams is a local non-profit organization established in 2007 to further the work of the Maumee RAP. To learn more about and get involved with local efforts to clean up our rivers and streams, contact Partners for Clean Streams at (419) 874-0727 or visit www.partnersforcleanstreams.org.