About the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)
Teresa Seidel, Director, Great Lakes National Program Office
Before coming to GLNPO, Teresa was the Director of the Water Resources Division in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, a position she held since August 2016. She has also worked in various positions throughout several state agencies in Minnesota and Michigan. Teresa earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in public administration both from Grand Valley State University.
What We Do
The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) coordinates U.S. efforts with Canada under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, which includes Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. GLNPO brings together federal, state, tribal, local, and industry partners under the strategic framework of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to accomplish the objectives of GLRI action plan which in turn fulfills the aims of the GLWQA. We:
GLNPO is co-located in the EPA Region 5 offices.
- remediate contaminated sediments under the Great Lakes Legacy Act;
- prevent pollution and work to reduce persistent toxic chemicals, as well as to identify emerging contaminants;
- identify, protect, and restore important habitats;
- monitor and report on environmental status and trends;
- provide assistance for community-based Remedial Action Plans for Areas of Concern and for Lakewide Management Plans;
- use our funding to assist Great Lakes partners through grants, interagency agreements, and contracts, and
- coordinate and communicate with a wide variety of partners to achieve environmental progress.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. A task force of 11 federal agencies developed an action plan to implement the initiative. Action Plan III III outlines priorities and goals for the GLRI for the years 2020-2024 and focuses on:
- Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern;
- Invasive Species;
- Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health;
- Habitat and Species; and
- Foundations for Future Actions.
Other Programs and Projects Managed by GLNPO
- Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) areas in the Great Lakes Basin that have been identified as severely degraded
- Great Lakes Funding
- Great Lakes Legacy Act
- Great Lakes Monitoring and Indicators
- Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA)
- Lakewide Management Plans (LAMPs)