50th Anniversary of the United States-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the United States-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. On April 15, 1972 this Agreement established binational priorities to restore and protect water quality in the Great Lakes.

EPA Administrator Regan and Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault issued a joint statement highlighting that over the past 50 years there has been a dramatic reduction in toxic substances in the environment that are harmful to fish and wildlife, some by more than 90 percent. Ongoing restoration has revitalized areas on both sides of the border, and both countries have implemented measures resulting in the return of species like the bald eagle and lake trout.

The joint statement mentions that the United States and Canada will further recognize and celebrate this important milestone as well as discuss opportunities for the protection of the Great Lakes over the next 50 years at the Great Lakes Public Forum in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the week of September 26, 2022. For more detail on the statement, click here.