U.S., Canada sign amended Great Lakes water quality agreement

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Canada signed here on Friday the newly-amended Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, which aims to protect the world's largest surface freshwater system and the health of the surrounding communities.

The agreement was first signed in 1972 and last amended in 1987. The newly-revised version will facilitate U.S. and Canadian action on threats to Great Lakes water quality, and includes strengthened measures to anticipate and prevent ecological harm.

New provisions address aquatic invasive species, habitat degradation and the effects of climate change, and support continued work on existing threats to people's health and the environment in the Great Lakes Basin, such as harmful algae, toxic chemicals and discharges from vessels.

The overall purpose of the agreement is "to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the waters" of the Great Lakes and the portion of the St. Lawrence River that includes the Canada-U.S. border. Both governments said that they had sought extensive input from stakeholders before and throughout the negotiations to amend the agreement. Additionally, the amended agreement expands opportunities for public participation on Great Lakes issues.

"The amended Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement we signed today outlines the strong commitment the United States and Canada share to safeguard the largest freshwater system in the world," U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson said in a statement.

"Joint stewardship of the Great Lakes -- a treasured natural resource, a critical source of drinking water, essential to transportation, and the foundation for billions of dollars in trade, agriculture, recreation and other sectors -- is a cornerstone of the Canada-U.S. relationship," said Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent. Enditem