What are the areas of concern around the Great Lakes?
In 1985 the International Joint Commission identified the most severely degraded areas around the Great Lakes. These 43 “Areas of Concern” were areas where there were problems with contaminated sediments, degraded fish and wildlife habitat, restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption and impaired beaches. The 1987 Protocol provided for the development of Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) by the Canadian and American governments to restore water quality in the Areas of Concern. It also allowed for the development of Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) to address broader contaminant issues in each of the five Great Lakes. In addition, this Protocol included new annexes that targeted non-point source contaminant sources, contaminated sediment, airborne toxic substances and contaminated groundwater as important for cleaning up the Great Lakes.
