Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Sault Ste. Marie, MI has been selected as the location for the U.S. Coast Guard National Center of Expertise (NCOE) for the Great Lakes, after U.S. Senator Gary Peters secured $4.5 million for the initiative and passed legislation into law establishing the Great Lakes NCOE in 2018.
To maximize research and operational capabilities, the Great Lakes NCOE will formalize a partnership between LSSU, which will serve as the hub of the Great Lakes NCOE and home to its supervisor, the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, and the Coast Guard. The Great Lakes NCOE will examine the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments and help develop effective responses. This work will be critical in protecting the Great Lakes, as current oil spill response technologies are primarily designed for saltwater environments. Read more here.