Nearly nine in 10 region residents support paying to protect and restore the Great Lakes, according to results of a poll released Tuesday by the International Joint Commission.
The poll found that 88 percent of the 4,250 people who responded believe protecting the Great Lakes is highly important and that they are willing to pay more to ensure the lakes' restoration.
The International Joint Commission - the joint U.S./Canadian board formed in 1909 and charged with resolving border water disputes and protecting Great Lakes water quality - used the the Great Lakes Water Quality Board to conduct the poling earlier this year. It follows a similar poll in 2015 that found similar results. Those polled live in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as Ontario and include Native American and First Nations tribal residents.
The poll found:
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• 88 percent feel it is essential to protect the Great Lakes from a variety of threats, including pollution and aquatic invasive species, up 3 percent from the 2015 poll. While 39 percent believe all sectors of society can play a role in these efforts, 23 percent and 18 percent list federal and state/provincial governments, respectively, as responsible for the lakes' health.
• 89 percent feel it is important to protect the lakes for recreational purposes even if they personally do not use them, up 3 percent from the 2015 poll. Thirty-five percent of those who use the lakes for recreational purposes have enjoyed swimming or beach visits, while 27 percent enjoy fishing and boating of various kinds. Lake Michigan is the most visited lake, followed by lakes Ontario, Erie, Superior and Huron.
• More than half of respondents believe there are too few regulations to protect the lakes, compared with 46 percent in the 2015 poll, and 55 percent said they would be willing to have greater protection of the lakes through regulation even if it meant an increase in the cost of some consumer products. Fifty three percent feel these additional protections would have either no impact (30 percent) or a positive impact (23 percent) on jobs and the economy, while 27 percent felt there would be negative implications and 20 percent were undecided.
• 80 percent of respondents said individual behavior is important to protecting the lakes, up 2 percent from the 2015 poll, such as being careful of what they dispose down the drain (83 percent) and conserving water (74 percent).
• When asked to name threats to the lakes, 26 percent responded with invasive species, including zebra mussels and Asian carp. Pollution in general followed at 12 percent, industrial pollution at 7 percent, garbage or waste at 6 percent and algae at 5 percent. It also appears that more people are aware of Great Lakes issues; only 17 percent couldn't name a threat, down from 25 percent.
"It is clear that the Great Lakes community cares deeply about the resource, is prepared to accept increased costs to protect it, and recognizes personal responsibility to be part of the solution," said David Ullrich, U.S. co-chairman of the. Great Lakes Water Quality Board, in a statement announcing the results.
Rob de Loe, Canadian co-chair of the board, said the latest poll results show "that water quality is a top-of-mind issue for citizens in the basin, and serves as a reminder of the enormous shared obligation to protect and enhance the lakes."
