Caucus leads regionwide efforts to protect water resources
How can states address concerns about the environmental and health effects of PFAS in the region’s surface waters and groundwater? How can states ensure that the quantity and quality of water resources are not compromised by the rise of data centers, which use a considerable amount of water, both directly (for cooling) and indirectly (through electricity use)?
Attendees of this year’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus Annual Meeting are pictured here on a policy site tour, where they learned how the city of South Bend is protecting the St. Joseph River (part of the Lake Michigan basin) from combined sewer overflows — through a mix of cost- saving advanced technologies and upgrades at plant facilities.
Those questions are being considered regionally by bipartisan groups of lawmakers through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus (GLLC).
Both of these issues also were part of discussions held in September during the caucus’ two-day Annual Meeting in South Bend, Ind.
The GLLC is working toward the adoption of regional policy recommendations on PFAS and plastic. Separately, legislators on the GLLC Water Use Committee are exploring current and future demands for water by data centers, the efficacy of existing laws and regulations, and potential policy responses.
Also at the September meeting, legislators learned about progress being made on the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, the future of federal Great Lakes protections in the United States and Canada, and plans to protect the lakes from invasive species.
A three-member team of Indiana legislators served as hosts of the 2025 GLLC Meeting: Reps. David Abbott, Maureen Bauer and Carolyn Jackson.
The bipartisan, binational caucus receives staff support from CSG Midwest. If you are interested in getting involved in the caucus, including its work on PFAS, plastic and data centers, please contact Great Lakes program director Jessica Lienhardt.
The GLLC meets in person once a year. It also holds policy-focused institutes for legislators, tracks state and federal bills on water and Great Lakes policy, holds web-based meetings, and gives members the chance to serve as a voice for the region on federal Great Lakes policy.
Membership is free and open to all legislators representing the Great Lakes’ eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.
• How legislators can join the GLLC »