The threat to the Great Lakes is real and needs to be addressed. With a GDP of 5 trillion the region is the 4th largest economy in the world so not only do we rely on it for fresh water but it keeps our economies running. In the early 1900s disposal of sewage and wastes into the lakes led to outbreaks of cholera etc and a treaty was signed to keep things in check but since then not much has changed. Traffic itself needs to be reduced and monitored much closer than it is.