Great Lakes: Healthy Waters, Strong Economy the Benefits of Restoring the Great Lakes Ecosystem, by the Brookings Institution 2006
Place-Specific Benefits of Great Lakes Restoration includes Duluth metro area (St. Louis River Area of Concern) and Milwaukee metro area (Milwaukee River Estuary Area of Concern) by the Brookings Institution 2008
Knight Soul of the Community 2010–Why People Love Where They Live and Why It Matters: A National Perspective An excerpt: … “people consistently give higher ratings for elements that relate directly to their daily quality of life: an area’s physical beauty, opportunities for socializing, and a community’s openness to all people. Remarkably, the study also showed that the communities with the highest levels of attachment had the highest rates of gross domestic product growth. Discoveries like these open numerous possibilities for leaders from all sectors to inform their decisions and policies with concrete data about what generates community and economic benefits.” 2010
Revitalizing Local Waterfront Economies: Investing in the Great Lakes
An excerpt: …”The direct economic benefits of restoring the Great Lakes total at least $50 billion.
Restoration will:
- Lead to direct economic benefits of $6.5 billion to $11.8 billion from tourism, fishing, and recreation.
- Directly raise coastal property values $12 billion to $19 billion by remediating Areas of Concern (AOCs).
- Reduce costs to municipalities by $50 million to $125 million.
- Yield a $2-$3 return for every $1 spent.
- Make the region more attractive to business and workers.” 2011
Economic Benefits of Remediating the Sheboygan-River-Wisconsin Area of Concern 2008
