MACKINAC ISLAND, MI (AP)-- A group representing U.S. governors and Canadian premiers in the Great Lakes region has agreed to cooperate on promoting trade and maritime commerce.
The Council of Great Lakes Governors adopted a series of resolutions Saturday on Mackinac Island during its first summit meeting since 2005. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said he hopes the governors will begin meeting more regularly to make sure their plans lead to action.
One resolution says that regulatory hurdles, aging infrastructure and low water levels are preventing the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River from meeting their potential as commercial corridors. It establishes a task force with members from the eight states and two Canadian provinces in the region to make improvements.
It also urges both federal governments to fund the lakes as a single system.
