ST. PAUL, MN - Lieutenant Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon will be in Washington, DC this week, representing the State of Minnesota at the Great Lakes Commission Semiannual Meeting. While on Capitol Hill, the Lt. Governor will meet with Minnesota's congressional delegation and leading Great Lakes advocates from across the United States and Canada, urging continued congressional support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

"The work we do to protect the quality and integrity of Lake Superior - and all of our Great Lakes - relies on cooperation and a shared commitment to progress," said Lt. Governor Prettner Solon. "Alliances like the Great Lakes Commission, and continued collaboration across our states and provinces, is essential for the health of our environment and the strength of our Great Lakes economies."

During her visit, Lt. Governor Prettner Solon will update Great Lakes advocates on important progress being made in Minnesota to protect Lake Superior coastland and watersheds, improve water quality in Lake Superior and its tributaries, enhance wildlife habitat, and properly monitor beaches for preventable exposure to disease-carrying bacteria. She will also provide an update to members of the Great Lakes Commission regarding ongoing efforts to delist the largest of the Great Lakes Areas of Concern: the St. Louis River estuary at the mouth of Lake Superior.

"Twenty-six years ago, the St. Louis River was designated as one of 43 Great lakes Areas of Concern due to significant pollution and habitat challenges," said Prettner Solon. "But coordinated efforts between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the federal government have put the St. Louis River on the road to recovery. If we continue our commitment to those efforts, the river can and will be delisted from the Area of Concern List within the next 10 to 15 years."

Lt. Governor Prettner Solon will arrive in Washington, DC on Tuesday and return to Minnesota Thursday evening.

About the Great Lakes Commission
The Great Lakes Commission is an interstate compact agency that promotes the orderly development, use and conservation of the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River. Its members include the eight Great Lakes states with associate member status for the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebeq. Each jurisdiction appoints a delegation of three to five members comprised of senior agency officials, legislators and appointees of the governor or premier.

The Commission was established by joint legislative action of the Great Lakes states in 1955 (the Great Lakes Basin Compact) and granted congressional consent in 1968. A Declaration of Partnership (PDF) established associate membership for the provinces in 1999.