Healing Our Waters Coalition » Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act

Is Obama Committed to Saving the Great Lakes?

tpache — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:18:37 +0000

The Detroit Free Press asked HOW’s Andy Buchsbaum to write an essay about his hopes and fears for the Barack Obama presidency. Andy used this opportunity to wax poetic about the importance of saving the Great Lakes for future generations of Americans. To read his essay, click here.

Here are some other interesting stories that ran over the weekend:
Spending Billions to Repair the Great Lakes would multiply in payoff
Pollution Law plans hailed

Time to release the Fuss Busters

tpache — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:07:34 +0000

What is all this fuss over the Great Lakes? That seems to be the line some folks are taking since presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s released his plan to restore the lakes. The story has been picked up across the region and thrust the issue of restoring the Great Lakes into this hotly contested election. Newspapers, television and the blogosphere is jam packed with vivacious responses – some good, some bad.

It is nigh time that the Great Lakes become a part of the national dialogue and agenda.

If you have a moment, leave a comment below and/or go to one of the articles below and leave a comment in support of Great Lakes restoration — a platform that both John McCain and Barack Obama need to support. Take some time to tell people why the Great Lakes are important and why they need to be restored immediately, if not yesterday. Thanks!

Battle Ground Great Lakes Project

Obama Proposes $5 Billion Fund To Restore Great Lakes

Obama Has Great Plans for Great Lakes

Obama Campaign: Announced Obama-Biden Plan for Great Lakes

Democrats Pitch $5 Billion Great Lakes Clean Up Fund

Change is in the Air

tpache — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:47:22 +0000

Both presidential candidates are talking about change and so are we. We represent voters in eight states, five of which are swing states, so it does seem to matter what we think.

After three years, eight state legislatures approved the Great Lakes Compact – that’s 13,000 lawmakers in agreement. This leaves little doubt that there is consensus across the region for the compact. Now, we must build upon that landmark agreement to save the Great Lakes before it is too late.

“We must control pollution and protect human health from its adverse effects. We must protect fish and wildlife, restoring critical areas and stopping the introduction of chemicals [and] invasive species,” Gov. Jim Doyle said at the Healing Our Waters Conference. “We must adopt sustainable use practices that will protect the lakes and enhance their commercial and recreational value.”

The swift movement of the Compact from the states to the halls of the US Senate has raised the profile of the Great Lakes before the nation. Right now, momentum is on our side – it is the perfect time to aggressively work for restoration.

“This is real momentum, this is something to build upon,” said Gov. Doyle. “It is a lot easier to go with the flow than against the flow right now we have turned that flow around like the old Chicago River and we have it going in the right direction.”

The Compact does something more for us than conservation, and raising awareness, it lays a foundation for achieving full restoration in the form of short term actions, such as: ballast legislation to combat invasives and legacy act funding to clean up areas of concern – to long term actions such as the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act.

McCain Signs Pledge, State Houses Demand Others Follow Suit

tpache — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:46:23 +0000

Arizona Sen. John McCain is the first Republican presidential candidate to sign the pledge to support and fully fund restoration of the Great Lakes. McCain joins both Democratic frontrunners, Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) in making this committment. This is huge. It means that if McCain does well on Super Tuesday and wins the Republican nomination for President, we are well on the way to having the eventual presidential nominee from each party making a commitment to protect and restore the Great Lakes. That is an essential step in seeing the goals of the Great Lakes Collaboration Strategy realized once and for all. McCain has also promised to ban any attempts to divert Great Lakes water elsewhere.

A serious promise to fully fund and implement Great Lakes restoration has been touted by the region’s Congressmen, governors, mayors and now, state legislators as necessary to win Great Lakes support on Election Day. In a press conference yesterday, four lawmakers from the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and New York announced a letter they have sent to candidates and pressed home this message.

“We have to have the collaborative effort of the federal government,” explained Sen.George Maziarz (R-N.Y.). “It is important we get this commitment now, prior to the election.” Maziarz plans to bring the state senate to a vote on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Water Resources Compact on Super Tuesday to show the nation the significance of the issue. “It is not just important to the state of New York but nationally – particularly in the area of economic development.”

So far, only Illinois and Minnesota have approved the Water Compact. Once all eight states pass the Water Compact, Congress must ratify it to make it binding.

In December, U.S. Reps. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.), Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ind.) asked all of the presidential candidates to sign a pledge to support restoration legislation, shepherd it into law, and ensure it gets the full funding it needs. So far, McCain, Obama and Clinton are the only ones to have taken ink to paper and given their word to such a challenge.

While Mitt Romney expressed support for restoration while campaigning in Michigan, he has not been willing to sign his name to it – to give his word that he will ensure it happens under his watch. Until he does so, McCain may just find he has an edge among Republican voters in the Great Lakes states.

Touché

tpache — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:13:32 +0000

The word is in, at least from the Mitt Romney camp – he recognizes the Great Lakes as a national treasure, but he stops short of signing the Congressional pledge for restoration. However, word on the street is that John McCain has signed the pledge. We are in the process of trying to verify this information with his campaign.

These new developments come as both candidates are pulling out all the stops to win the hearts and minds of Michigan’s Republican voters before tomorrow’s primary vote. Newspaper editorials over the past week have pleaded with the candidates to promise support for restoration. The Battle Creek Inquirer argued that support could win candidates more than Michigan – it may sway the other seven Great Lakes states as they approach Election Day – a treasure trove of 141 electoral votes that as in the past could help determine a close race.

Mitt Romney is the only candidate said to have responded to the Detroit Free Press questionnaire on the Great Lakes. National media, including the New York Times political blog, are beginning to take notice.

Romney was also forthcoming with HealthyLakes on Friday morning, telling us:

“The Great Lakes are one of our country’s national treasures. Great Lakes restoration and sustainability is important for economic development and job creation in the region. We need to be sure that the water is safe for drinking, beaches are safe for swimming, and that fish are safe for eating. We must be responsible stewards of the environment to ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit the same quality of life that we enjoy today. Our approach to being good stewards of the environment should combine new technology and implementation of common sense policies. Ideas such as this will ensure that we protect our land, air and water, while not inhibiting economic growth.”

By Friday night, Romney told a crowd that he supports the Great Lakes restoration bill that is languishing in Congress. He supports funding it and has said that although he would want to see the final bill before ultimately committing to sign it, he said he is inclined to do so. Romney took the issue one step further arguing that Great Lakes states ought to have the authority to manage the water without federal interference. So, no diversion or big national water policy that leaves the lakes low and dry.

Hooray, finally someone talking some sense! It’s now time for Romney to step up to the plate and make sure his actions match his rhetoric. Translation: sign the pledge put forward by U.S. Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) and three other members of Congress and commit to making restoration funding a top priority of your administration. Your main rival in Michigan, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), already has. The clock is ticking!

Memo to other Republican and Democratic candidates: You’re not off the hook. Support the restoration of the Great Lakes. Side with the region’s mayors, governors, Congressional delegation, industry and conservation community. The issue is a no-brainer. I mean, who isn’t for the Great Lakes?

McCain on Great Lakes Water Diversion

Jordan Lubetkin — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:35:53 +0000

The Detroit Free Press today published excerpts from an editorial board visit with Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The Free Press pressed him on the issue of Great Lakes water diversion to thirsty Southern states in the following exchange:

Q: You come from a state that is growing and dry. Michigan is a state that is shrinking and has lots of water. Do you see a time when states in the South and West might want to go after the water here?

A: I’m sure they might want to go after it. But I don’t see that as a likely scenario, because I think that would be up to the people of these states, and they wouldn’t enter into an agreement that would move water out of the Great Lakes to other states. I’m a federalist. I don’t think water should be taken from one area to another, unless there’s some kind of compact.

The Colorado compact, over the Colorado River, was the agreement of every state that was involved. I would think maybe, in this region, you might see compacts to share the water of the Great Lakes, and how to make best use of the water. But I don’t see them willingly saying they’ll ship all that water down to Arizona. If they would, I’d work on the pipeline myself.

Woah! Don’t get the work gloves out just yet, Senator, because we’re hoping the Great Lakes Water Compact passes and that pipeline is never built.

I would have liked the Free Press to ask perhaps a more pointed question that gets at not only the issue of water diversion, but also about the role we as a nation can play in restoring the Great Lakes-stopping sewage contamination, preventing invasive species and solving other serious threats-through the implementation of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy.

Here’s what I’d ask:

Mr. McCain, will you use your leadership as President to pass Great Lakes restoration legislation and to outlaw diversion of Great Lakes water?

That question looms large for all presidential hopefuls. Let’s see how each answers it in the coming months.

Great Lakes Mayors Issue Latest Challenge To Presidential Candidates: Great Lakes Support Key To Winning Midwest

tpache — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:28:23 +0000

Great Lakes Governor’s ring are you listening? A pledge like sugar on your lips sure would glisten. A beautiful sight, the Great Lakes Mayors unite asking for you to lend the Lakes a hand. First Wisconsin Governor Doyle lead the eight Great Lakes governors in asking the presidential hopefuls to outline their vision for the Great Lakes. Next, four Great Lakes Congressmen sent a letter to the candidates asking them to take a pledge to shepherd restoration into law and fully fund it while in office. Now, the Mayors of the Great Lakes have come forth and issued one more challenge to presidential candidates, congressional candidates and local lawmakers alike to fully support restoration of the Great Lakes.

In Racine, Wisconsin Friday, the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative – a group designed to give US and Canadian mayors a voice on issues impacting the Great Lakes – held a press conference challenging candidates to protect the lakes, fund restoration and promise not to divert water to other parts of the U.S. or the world.

“We are spending millions of dollars on protection of the lakes, waste water treatment plants, storm sewers, local municipalities and towns are spending billions, but we need all levels of government to do the same. Today we are challenging the US presidential candidates to take strong positions on the lakes,” said David Ullrich, executive director of the Initiative.

Next, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley weighed in, “This issue is just as important as the Everglades was to the US.”

The Mayors then urged presidential candidates to support and implement the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy.

“The public deserves to know where the candidates stand on these topics and we will be sending a questionnaire asking each of them to state their positions on a number of critical issues currently facing the Great Lakes region,” said Daley.

The Mayors carrot: the great lakes states hold 25 percent of the electoral votes and several swing states. They hope this will pressure candidates to educate themselves on the issues surrounding the Great Lakes. “We need to get clear answers from the candidates regarding where they stand on this issue and this will be for congressional candidates as well as US presidential candidates,” Daley said. Once the primaries have produced two presidential candidates Daley has offered to work with their staff to bring them up to speed.

Of the US Congress, the Mayors want approval of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy and ballast water restrictions as well as restoration funding.“We need long term funding for the Great Lakes – as outlined in Great Lakes Restoration Strategy,” said Daley.

There are still six states that need to take action to approve the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. The challenge urges these states to take action swiftly. By doing so, the states will help protect the lakes from water diversion. We need to “ensure that other areas of the country and world do not rely on the Great Lakes for their water supply,” Daley added. (Click here to read the Mayors Challenge, including expectations from Canada.)

Looks like all levels of Government in the Great Lakes region are challenging the candidates in unison. This kind of pressure will make it very difficult to ignore the Great Lakes as the 2008 presidential campaign moves forward. The Governors, Congressmen and Mayors won’t let candidates forget the region controls 141 electoral votes and possesses a few swing states that could determine the final count on Election Day. When it comes right down to it, all we want for Christmas is a promise to restore the Great Lakes once and for all.

Obama, Clinton Pick up the Gauntlet and Sign the Great Lakes Pledge

tpache — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:27:37 +0000

A few weeks ago, four Great Lakes Congressmen joined forces to challenge each presidential hopeful to take a pledge to make protecting and restoring the Great Lakes a priority of the winner’s administration.

“As you work to craft your presidential platform, we, as elected officials encourage you to adopt comprehensive Great Lakes restoration as a key element of your campaign,” stated the pledge letter signed by Reps. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.).

In a story appearing today, Associated Press reporter John Flesher writes: “Presidential commitment to the Great Lakes means one thing: fully funding restoration now, because the longer we wait, the problems get worse and more costly,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

Late last week, healthylakes.org was informed by Barack Obama’s campaign that he signed the pledge. Today’s AP article adds Hillary Clinton to the list of signatories. By signing, Obama and Clinton, as US President commit to appoint a cabinet-level official to spearhead the implementation of the Great Lakes Collaboration Restoration Strategy; preparing an annual restoration budget addressing the problems the lakes face and putting real dollars into the restoration.

Obama has the advantage of knowing first hand the significance of the Great Lakes, perhaps that is why he signed on so quickly and don’t forget, he is the only top candidate to send an emissary to the Healing Our Waters Coalition’s annual conference this past September.

After signing the pledge, Obama stated, “ I am proud to sign the Great Lakes Protection Pledge, and when I am President, the Great Lakes Collaboration will receive real support, real financial resources, and real leadership from the federal government. As a resident of the Great Lakes region, I understand the importance of this critical natural resource to our nation’s economy, environment and public welfare.”

Around the same time that the Congressmen sent the pledge letters to the candidates for President, the eight Great Lake Governors sent a letter to the same White House hopefuls and held a press conference asking them to outline their vision for the Great Lakes and acknowledge support of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Restoration and Protection Strategy. What followed was silence. Chair of the Great Lakes Governors, Gov. Jim Doyle (D-Wisc.) told HOW that although his office contacted each candidate’s office to stress the importance of the issue and asked for a response, “To date,” Doyle continues, “we have not received any formal responses from any of the Presidential candidates.”

We are at a crucial moment in time; the next U.S. President’s actions will determine the fate of more than 90 percent of our nation’s fresh surface water. But then, the Great Lakes states have the power to determine who the next president will be. The lakes belong to a region with control over 141 electoral votes and they border five swing states, at least one of which had the distinction of deciding the last presidential election. And since we won’t vote for anyone who is silent or who fails to promise to restore the Great Lakes, it is vital that the other candidates join Obama and take the pledge. In the meantime, healthylakes.org will continue to follow up with the rest of the candidates from both parties and keep our readers apprised of their choices to take the pledge or not to take the pledge. Is there really any question?

Governor Doyle Says Great Lakes Need To Be A Priority For Congress And The President

tpache — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:30:02 +0000

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has been credited with putting the green back into Wisconsin policies, and it appears he is trying to share the enthusiasm across the Great Lakes region. As Chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, Doyle, a Democrat, held a press conference recently and launched the first pitch for aggressive action to save the Great Lakes and asked presidential hopefuls to outline their vision for the Great Lakes. Now, he has taken time to share with HOW his thoughts on why the Great Lakes are so vital to the region and the nation, why national politicians need to start addressing issues affecting the Lakes and why water diversion would be bad policy.

Q1. Recently, you announced that the Great Lakes Governors had agreed that the 2008 presidential candidates need to outline their vision for the Great Lakes when they stump in the region. Why is it important that they do so and have any of the candidates risen to this challenge?

A. The Great Lakes constitute the largest surface freshwater system in the world. More than 35 million Americans receive the benefits of drinking water, food, a place to work and live, recreational opportunities and transportation from the Great Lakes.

Our national economy depends on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes generate $55 billion annually through tourism for the entire Great Lakes region. And they create nearly $377 million in personal income from wages and salaries. In Wisconsin alone, the Great Lakes support over 11,000 jobs in Wisconsin’s ports.

However, progress to protect and restore the Great Lakes continues too slowly because the States, without proper support from the federal government, can only achieve so much. That’s why I have called on the Presidential candidates to share their vision for the Great Lakes with us. We need a partner who will help us to build upon our work to protect, preserve, and improve the Great Lakes.

Actions in coming months and years will determine whether our shared efforts will accelerate or falter. The next President will have a key role in determining the fate of the Great Lakes. The Governors have been working hard to protect the Great Lakes through measures like the Great Lakes Water Compact but it is only through supportive federal policy that we will be able to realize our shared vision of a protected and restored Great Lakes.

We have contacted each candidate’s office to stress the importance of this issue and asked them to respond to my letter. To date, we have not received any formal responses from any of the Presidential candidates.

Q2. Please explain what the Great Lakes mean to Wisconsinites and why this issue is important in the 2008 Presidential election.

A. The economy of Wisconsin, as well as that of the other Great Lakes States, is heavily dependent on the continued health and sustainable use of Great Lakes water. Water quality is important. For example, each year, marine commerce on the Great Lakes/Seaway System generates more than $4.3 billion in personal income, $3.4 billion in transportation-related business revenue and $1.3 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

The Great Lakes provide about 20 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power annually and transport of almost 200 million tons of international and interlake cargo.

Of course they are also one of the reasons why people live and work in Wisconsin. They are a valuable recreation resource that many people enjoy for hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching.

Q3. What are the greatest problems facing the lakes that need immediate addressing?

A. In 2003, the Great Lakes Governors came together to bring some coherence to our region’s restoration and protection efforts. Through the Council of Great Lakes Governors, we created the Great Lakes Governors’ Priorities Task Force to develop restoration and protection priorities for our region.

We developed nine priorities to protect and restore the Great Lakes and pushed for aggressive action to achieve our goals. The priorities include:
· Sustainable use of water resources;
· Protecting human health;
· Controlling pollution from diffuse sources;
· Reducing persistent bio-accumulative toxics;
· Stopping the introduction and spread of non-native aquatic invasive species;
· Protecting coastal wetland and wildlife habitats;
· Restoring the most contaminated toxic hot spots;
· Improving information collection and dissemination; and
· Adopting practices that protect the environment along with the recreational and commercial value of the Great Lakes.

We’ve pressed hard for the completion of the Asian Carp Barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and even come together as the eight Great Lakes States to make up a temporary financial shortfall that at the time prevented construction from being continued.

We continue to seek full funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Funds in order to update our region’s aging wastewater infrastructure and stop sewage dumping into the Great Lakes.

And we are seeking support for the Great Lakes Legacy Act to clean up our region’s most contaminated toxic hot spots.

We also must begin restoration work immediately of 200,000 acres of wetlands in the Great Lakes Basin. The States remain committed to working with other non-federal partners to provide an additional $28.5 million cost-share toward this end. These monies would help provide vital habitat to birds and wildlife, while also helping protect water quality.

Q4. The eight Great Lakes governors environmental platform includes policies to protect against water diversion while restoring the ecosystem. Why are both important? How do you feel about the idea of diverting Great Lakes water to help out states affected by drought conditions?

A. Every drop of water in the Great Lakes is used, whether for drinking, manufacturing, transporting ships, or to protect the ecological health of the system. For example, and as the Brown County Port Director recently pointed out, for every inch of water lost, that’s 100 tons of cargo that can’t be put on a ship. The hydro-power industries can similarly provide you with information as to how much more electricity will cost to generate for every ¼ inch of water lost to the system. And, of course, the continued health of the ecosystem itself is reliant upon water levels being maintained.

The Great Lakes Region, including both states and provinces agreed to the Compact in 2005. Now, each of the states and provinces is working on an individual plan that addresses their specific issues. This is due to each state or province having a unique situation, separate from the other Great Lakes Region members. We encourage other states to develop a sustainable water resource plan of their own, just as we are doing here in the Great Lakes Region. As other states move forward in this process we encourage them to consider how they will balance conservation efforts as well as economic development needs.

Q5. The Governors of the Great Lakes have really taken a leadership role in pressuring Congress to deal with invasive species and concerns around ballast water –what can Congress do to better serve the Great Lakes region?

A. The State of Wisconsin has not waited for federal leadership on this issue. Wisconsin is actually leading Great Lakes Basin States in ballast water research with regard to on-shore and in-port treatments.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) continue to pose one of the most serious threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem. An average of one new species is discovered in the Great Lakes ecosystem every eight months, and once present, eradication is often impossible. Prevention is vital to stemming ecosystem impacts from new invasive species. And, because invasive species easily transfer from watershed to watershed, it is absolutely critical that comprehensive national action be taken to combat their spread.

Aquatic invasive species cost the nation billions of dollars in damages each year, are a burden on the economy and strain Great Lakes states’ budgets. They pose a threat to human health and cause immeasurable ecological damage. Further, AIS are injurious to our region’s sport and commercial fisheries and associated tourism and recreation.

Great Lakes Governors continue to call for a comprehensive National Aquatic Invasive Species Act to be passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by the President.

The problem of AIS continues to grow. In fact, in the months that have passed since our September 2005 request for comprehensive Federal invasive species legislation, several new AIS have been discovered in the Great Lakes region alone. These include, for example, the bloody red shrimp, the New Zealand mudsnail and the fish disease viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). Additionally, existing invasive species such as the quagga mussel have spread to Lake Superior and Lake Mead, illustrating how invasive species can move from one area of the country to another.

Congressional action is long overdue. While State and regional actions against AIS remain critical to establishing a complete and protective framework, a coordinated and comprehensive national approach is the only long-term means of stopping new invasive species from penetrating the Great Lakes.

Q6. What more can the Governors do to get comprehensive legislation moving in Congress?

A. Every year for the last several years, the Great Lakes Governors have shared with the U.S. Congress our legislative and appropriation priorities to advance Great Lakes restoration and protection. And every year, we have called on Congress to enact comprehensive invasive species legislation. We will continue to take every opportunity, including letters, testimony and one-on-one discussions, to impress upon the Members of Congress the importance of effectively combating the scourge of aquatic invasive species.

Q7. If Congress continues to delay action, what are states like Wisconsin prepared to do?

A. Such delays are unacceptable. However, States such as Wisconsin continue to address the threat posed by invasive species from each available angle. In Wisconsin, we have worked with the Port of Milwaukee to study the option of shore-based ballast water treatment and a report will be completed soon. Additionally, the Great Lakes States have partnered with others through the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration to create Clean Boat Day, focused on educating recreational users to help prevent the introduction and spread of AIS.

Q8. A recent Brookings Institution report concluded that restoring the Great Lakes would lead to at least $50 billion in long-term economic gain for the region. Talk about what the Great Lakes mean to Wisconsin’s economy.

A. The Great Lakes Basin, including groundwater resources, covers nearly a third of the State. Our manufacturing industries, our ports, our agricultural community, our recreational industries, our Tribal communities, and our residential communities all rely upon a clean and available water resource and will so for generations. Our economy cannot continue to grow unless we are assured that that most invaluable resource—Great Lakes Water—is restored, protected and sustainably used now and into the future.

Governor Doyle: Great Lakes Need To Be A Priority For Congress and The President

Jordan Lubetkin — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:11:21 +0000