National Robinson, chair of the Great Lakes Commission, will be the speaker at the Annual Community Salute to the Environment sponsored by the Center for Environmental Information on Wednesday, October 24 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rochester.

Chairman Robinson will highlight the Great Lakes Program to Ensure Environmental and Economic Prosperity. "Restore the Greatness" is a ten year 4.45 billion investment in the world's largest and greatest freshwater system.

"The Rochester region is the principal U.S. metropolitan area on Lake Ontario. We look forward to learning about the important new initiatives of the Great Lakes Commission and how our region can participate," said Sandi Prichard of Nixon Peabody LLP, chair of this year's event.

Nathaniel Robinson, an adviser to Wisconsin Governor Thompson on a broad range of energy and environmental policies, was named chairman of the Commission in 2000. A member of the Commission since 1992, he has the distinction of being the first African-American to chair the 45 year old organization.

The Great Lakes Commission, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a binational public agency dedicated to the use, management and protection of the natural resources of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system. It applies sustainable development principles in partnership with the eight Great Lakes states and provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

For information about tickets or sponsorship of the Community Salute contact the Center for Environmental Information, 716-262-2870, or ceiroch@aol.com