In 1978 Canada and the United States concluded an agreement for the protection and enhancement of water quality in the Great Lakes based on the ecosystem approach to management. Since ratification of this agreement, little progress has been made in practical application of this concept to basin-wide management for the Great Lakes. At the same time public concern for the quality of the Great Lakes and their future has risen dramatically. As a result, the need has arisen for a practical, authoritative explanation of the ecosystem concept. This volume, written by highly qualified authorities, addresses these important ecological, political, and economic issues in a systematic and informative manner. In this study, the ecosystem concept and its objectives are defined. The institutional structure that has evolved for governance of the Great Lakes, the need for a more effective governance structure, and prospects for rehabilitation of the Great Lakes Waters are crucial issues considered. The management question is the single most important policy question with respect to the Great Lakes and this is the only study available that brings together all pertinent information and provides steps for new and constructive management of the Great Lakes.

Coal will continue to provide a major portion of energy requirements in the United States for at least the next several decades. It is imperative that accurate information describing the amount, location, and quality of the coal resources and reserves be available to fulfill energy needs. It is also important that the United States extract its coal resources efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner. A renewed focus on federal support for coal-related research, coordinated across agencies and with the active participation of the states and industrial sector, is a critical element for each of these requirements. Coal focuses on the research and development needs and priorities in the areas of coal resource and reserve assessments, coal mining and processing, transportation of coal and coal products, and coal utilization.