Show Me the Money

Michigan Columnist Calls on Voters to Highlight Great Lakes in 2008 Election

Syndicated columnist George Weeks this week highlighted the importance of Michigan to demand more from the 2008 presidential candidates. He writes: the key thing is for Michigan voters to stress the issue as candidates campaign here. He also mentions Michigan’s efforts to move forward on Great Lakes restoration, as well as the Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives Boat Tour as important ways to get the candidates’ attention this summer. Click here to contact the presidential candidates about the Great Lakes.

War Game Proves: Saving the Great Lakes is a National Security Issue

Imagine it is the year 2030 and China has invaded Siberia while its allies India and Pakistan point nuclear missiles at the populous Western Russia. The Russians have positioned themselves to invade Canada while China has lined the U.S. West Coast with warships. Meanwhile, Mexico and Central America have invaded Brazil. And after years of civil war, African countries have disintegrated into political chaos and violence. What brought all this about? Fresh water.

Nations need fresh water resources to feed their people and crops as well as make the economic engines run, but our fresh water is threatened by pollution, diversion, Read More » »

Coalition Applauds Congress for Improving Great Lakes Funding

Coalition Applauds Congress for Improving Great Lakes Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 14) – The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today praised the U.S. Senate for passing a budget that increases funding to essential Great Lakes programs to stop invasive species and restore fish and wildlife habitat.

“The U.S. Senate’s budget is a win for the Great Lakes and a win for the millions of people who depend on them for their jobs, health and way of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We urge Congress to appropriate the money, because the longer we wait, Read More » »

You Did It!

Something unprecedented happened this week – all sixteen of the Great Lakes US Senators joined forces to tell the Budget Committee that the Great Lakes deserve more money. Can anyone remember a time when all sixteen Senators have come together, across party lines, to sign such a letter before?

“The longer we wait to meet the problems facing the Great Lakes, the more expensive and difficult they will be to solve. To meet just a small demand of problems identified by the Strategy and challenges, we recommend significant funding increases for all Great Lakes specific programs,” the letter states.

Could it Read More » »

He Let Us Down, Again

President George W. Bush had an opportunity to do something right and good with this year’s budget and what did he do with it? Squandered it of course. What money there is for the Great Lakes is buried in a laborious $3 trillion budget document. Somehow the economic potential restoration presents and the future national security concerns integral to one-fifth of the world’s fresh water supply have escaped the President. Imagine that. He must not be an avid HOW reader.

“The budget short changes the Great Lakes,” said Jeff Skelding, director of the Healing our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, it “fails the Read More » »

White House Budget Leaves Great Lakes on Thin Ice

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been reviewing President Bush’s proposed White House budget that was released on Monday.

The verdict: not good for the Great Lakes.

Our early take on the budget holds.

Read for yourself how Great Lakes programs fared in a spreadsheet comparing the White House budget request with enacted spending levels.

The biggest single cut is to a program to help communities modernize old wastewater treatment facilities to prevent sewage contamination. You can read how the cuts will affect each Great Lakes Read More » »

Priorities: Something to Think About, President Bush

It really wasn’t surprising that President George Bush did not mention restoring the Great Lakes during his last State of the Union. It would have been truly shocking had he. But I held out hope. I mean George Bush is the guy who starting this collaboration among city, state, tribal, congressional and environmental gurus to protect the Great Lakes.

It is likely the President didn’t expect us to come back to him with such a pricey package of legislation – even for jaded Washington appropriators - $20 billion is a big deal. And Bush has witnessed smaller pieces of our Read More » »

Great Lakes Lawmakers Vote to Override Bush Veto

Last night Great Lakes members of Congress from both parties rebuffed the Bush administration by voting to override his veto of a bill that authorizes funding for many Great Lakes restoration projects - the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).

A recent AP Article includes quotes from several Michigan Representatives including Candice Miller (R), Bart Stupak (D), Tim Wallberg (R), and Vern Ehlers (R).

Despite reservations about environmentally suspect projects in other parts of the country, WRDA authorizes funding for completing the Asian carp barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. This is one of Read More » »

U.S. House-Passed Appropriations Bill - ‘A Critical Step Forward for Great Lakes’

ANN ARBOR, MICH (June 28)—The U.S. House of Representatives last night passed the Interior Appropriations Bill, providing new funding for Great Lakes restoration programs, including those to stop sewage contamination and prevent the onslaught of new invasive species into the lakes.

“This bill is a critical step forward for the Great Lakes, our economy, and our way of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters®-Great Lakes Coalition. “We commend the House leadership—especially Congressman Mark Kirk—for their efforts to boost funding for Great Lakes restoration.”

Read the Press Release

Congressman Kirk Goes to Bat for Great Lakes Funding

Last week Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) was busy fighting for the Great Lakes in the House Appropriations Committee. Rep. Kirk submitted an amendment to the FY 2008 Interior / EPA appropriations bill which said that of the $2 billion for Army Corps construction funds, $1.35 million shall be for the demonstration dispersal barrier (Barrier I) and $6.9 million shall be for the permanent barrier (Barrier II); and of the $126 million in O&M funds for the Great Lakes region, $500,000 shall be for each barrier (a total of $1 million).

His amendment faced an uphill battle because no earmarks were Read More » »