Through the Discharges from Vessels Annex of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Canada and the United States have committed to:
“… preventing and controlling vessel discharges that are harmful to the quality of the Waters of the Great Lakes, through the adoption and implementation of regulations, programs, and other measures that facilitate coordinated and cooperative implementation and enforcement, where appropriate.”
Canada and the United States agree to prevent or prohibit harmful discharges from vessels by:
For additional information on the focus of actions under this Annex, consult the current Priorities for Science and Action. The Priorities are based on an evaluation of the State of the Great Lakes, with input from the Great Lakes Executive Committee, participants at the Great Lakes Public Forum, and recommendations of the International Joint Commission.
Every six months, progress on this annex is reported at the Great Lakes Executive Committee meetings. Accomplishments will be described in the Progress Report of the Parties every three years, with the first expected in 2016.
Implementation of this annex is co-led by Transport Canada and the United States Coast Guard. Additional participants include:
An extended subcommittee involves additional organizations and experts beyond the GLEC membership.