A draft witness list is attached. Over the past 200 years, the Great Lakes region has undergone significant industrialization. Some of the heavy industries include mining, steel, machine tools, and automobile manufacturing.
Agriculture also is a significant component of the regional economy.
The Great Lakes system provides convenient waterways for the movement of goods, is the source of drinking water for millions, supplies process and cooling water for industrial uses, and is used to generate hydroelectric power. Industrialization and development have had a significant impact on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Lake Superior retains water for 173 years, Lake Michigan for 62 years, Lake Huron for 31 years. Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Lakes, has the shortest water retention, at 2.7 years. Lakes with low outflow rates do not flush contaminants quickly.