Illinois newly minted Governor Pat Quinn – in Washington for the National Governor’s Association meeting – spoke to the members of the Great Lakes Commission yesterday. The Commission, that Gov. Quinn chairs, is also in Washington to urge Congress to make the Great Lakes a legislative and funding priority.
Quinn urged Great Lakes advocates to press President Barack Obama to make good on his campaign promise and appoint a Great Lakes Czar – a point person for restoration.
“We need to get a Great Lakes Czar,” Gov. Quinn said. “Someone who can get in touch with the appropriate people at the White House, someone we can work with and who can work across agencies to get the attention that we need.”
Congress and the White House have made it clear that they will give funding priority to sates that cooperate instead of compete for stimulus money, according to Gov. Quinn. The Council of Great Lakes Governors shows the eight states are already working together and have structures in place to deliver Great Lakes restoration. “We already have this coalition and we need to bring that to the attention of policymakers. We aren’t reinventing the wheel here – we already have this partnership. This might help us with the investment opportunity the federal government wants to make.”
But even more importantly, Great Lakes advocates need to promote investment in water infrastructure. Gov. Quinn said he heard little discussion of water investments among his colleagues, instead they were focused on building bridges and roads. “They didn’t speak about water as much so that is our job. We have to be the drum majors for water investment, “ Gov. Quinn said, before adding his belief that investing in our waterfronts and cleaning up pollution will impact and enhance our region’s economy for years into the future.
“This is a tremendous opportunity (the economic stimulus) and it will pay dividends. We want our Council of Great Lakes Governors to be even greater. We need to band together – all our states – to make the will of our people the will of this land and of planet earth.”
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