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?

Related posts:

• Governor Doyle: Great Lakes Need To Be A Priority For Congress and The President
• Local Party Officials Urge Candidates on Great Lakes
• McCain Signs Pledge, State Houses Demand Others Follow Suit
• I Pledge Allegiance to the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Mayors Issue Latest Challenge To Presidential Candidates: Great Lakes Support Key To Winning Midwest