Domestic Action Plans to Achieve Phosphorus Reductions in Lake Erie

Posted: March 7, 2018

To combat the growing threat of toxic and nuisance algal development in Lake Erie, the United States and Canada committed, through the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, to establish binational phosphorus load reduction targets for Lake Erie by February, 2016, and to develop domestic action plans by 2018 that will outline strategies for meeting the new targets.

Canada and the United States are pleased to release domestic action plans for reducing phosphorus loadings to Lake Erie that outline strategies to meet the binational targets established in 2016.

The plans describe the specific measures each jurisdiction and its partners will implement to achieve binational phosphorus reduction targets for Lake Erie and, will ultimately, curb the growth of excess algae that threaten the ecosystem and human health.

The domestic action plans are rooted in robust binational science and are the result of extensive collaboration with the many partners around the Lake Erie basin, particularly those that will be impacted by their implementation the most. The final domestic action plans incorporate the feedback received during the public comment periods held in 2017 and through online and in-person engagement sessions held on both sides of the border.

The release of the domestic action plans marks an important milestone in the implementation of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Canada-Ontario: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2018/02/the_governments_ofcanadaandontarioreleaseactionplantoreduceharmf.html

United States: https://www.epa.gov/glwqa/us-action-plan-lake-erie

Ohio: http://lakeerie.ohio.gov/LakeEriePlanning/OhioDomesticActionPlan2018.aspx

Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/deqgreatlakes

Indiana: http://www.in.gov/isda/3432.htm

Pennsylvania: http://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/Compacts%20and%20Commissions/Great%20Lakes%20Program/Pages/default.aspx