Great Lakes Advocates to Gather in Chicago for Conference
Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
Contact: Lindsey Bacigal, BacigalL@nwf.org, (734) 887-7113
Great Lakes Advocates to Gather in Chicago for Conference
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. (September 16, 2023)—Hundreds of advocates for the Great Lakes are preparing to gather in Chicago, Illinois, September 26-27, for the 2024 Great Lakes Conference, put on by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.
Learn more and register today on our event website. Online registration closes September 20, but on-site registration will be available at the conference.
“We’re excited to be in Chicago, a city full of environmental advocates and new and innovative work being done for clean water and Great Lakes restoration,” said Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “The annual Great Lakes conference has been and continues to be a catalyst for action to protect the drinking water, public health, and quality of life for millions of people, and we are hoping to keep that momentum going with this gathering. Federal investments have been producing results in communities like Chicago, but serious threats remain. We look forward to working with Great Lakes partners from around the region to ensure that Congress’s commitment to the Great Lakes does not wane, so that we can continue addressing these serious threats now before they get worse and more expensive to solve.”
The Great Lakes conference will delve into issues that impact the waters and communities of the eight-station region of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin, as well as Canadian provinces Ontario and Quebec.
The conference comes at a pivotal moment as the U.S. Congress attempts to pass legislation to maintain federal investments to restore and protect the Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for more than 30 million people. This year marks the 15-year anniversary of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the federal program funding the clean-up of toxic pollution, restoration of fish and wildlife habitat, reduction in runoff pollution, and management of invasive species.
Conference plenaries and breakout sessions will cover both days, offering opportunities to listen to inspiring speakers, network, hone skills, share information, build networks, and have fun with advocates from across the region. The first day will also include optional field trips to local restoration sites and an evening reception. This year, topics include green infrastructure implementation, PFAS policy, restoration and community engagement, and nutrient reduction. The full agenda can be found on the event website.
The Coalition welcomes media to this event. Interested media should contact the Coalition’s senior communications coordinator, Lindsey Bacigal (BacigalL@nwf.org), for further information and to be registered with a press pass.
Major sponsors for this year’s conference include: the Joyce Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Great Lakes Funders, Fund for Lake Michigan, and the Brookby Foundation.
Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 180 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at HealthyLakes.org or follow us on social media @HealthyLakes.
