The Great Lakes of North America are one of the world's mostimportant natural resources. The source of vast quantities of fish,shipping lanes, hydroelectric energy, and usable water, they are alsoincreasingly the site of severe environmental degradation and resourcecontamination. This study analyzes how well governments and otherstakeholders are addressing this critical problem.

Using original findings from surveys, interviews, and otherdocuments, Mark Sproule-Jones looks at how various levels of governmentare attempting to restore the environment in the Great Lakes. Heexamines successes and failures and identifies the kinds ofinstitutions that promote sound decision making, concluding thatbureaucracies charged with constructing these institutions oftenoverlook key design principles.

This analysis, which clearly demonstrates the need for new rules andinstitutions to address environmental pollution in the Great Lakes,should be required reading for practitioners, politicians,businesspeople, and environmentalists.