Events

EPA Administrator: ‘We’re Back on the Job’

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson re-affirmed the Obama Administration’s support for the Great Lakes, vowing, “We’re back on the job.”

Administrator Jackson went through the list of Great Lakes restoration priorities, assuring advocates that the White House would work to restore the lakes.

“We remain committed to modernizing wastewater treatment,” said Jackson at none point.

Jeff Skelding, national campaign director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, had this to say about Administrator Jackson’s keynote address in front of Great Lakes Commission and Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition members.

“The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is pleased that the highest levels of the Obama Administration Read More » »

2009 Great Lakes Day Registration

Washington, DC -  February 24 and 25, 2009

As part of the annual Great Lakes Day in Washington, DC, the Healing Our Waters® - Great Lakes Coalition (HOW) brings coalition members and allies from the Great Lakes states to Washington to discuss the importance of restoring and protecting the Great Lakes with elected officials on Capitol Hill. Please join us in Washington to continue to elevate the importance of Great Lakes restoration in the halls of Congress.

Scholarship applications due February 1st so CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW.

For a preliminary Great Lakes Day 2009 Agenda, Read More » »

It’s a Celebration

The fourth annual Healing Our Waters Coalition Conference opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Wednesday night to much fanfare and celebration over the successful passage of the Great Lakes Compact in the eight state legislatures. The following morning, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (D) used his keynote speech to implore those concerned with the Great Lakes to take it to the next level and use the Compact as a foundation to meet all the goals for restoration set by the eight states just a few years ago.

“We need to make sure this is a top priority for everyone in the United Read More » »

Great Lakes are the Economy, Stupid!

Swing voters and the economy are foremost on the minds of the presidential candidates, as voters from five of those swing states plan to meet at the Great Lakes Restoration Conference in Wisconsin, September 10-12 to urge John McCain and Barack Obama to restore the Great Lakes – the foundation of the 8-state region’s economy.

“Residents of the Great Lakes states are looking to the next president and Congress to restore our Great Lakes within five years to protect the local economy, our drinking water, national parklands, and way of life,” said Tom Kiernan, president of Read More » »

Coalition Gathers in Milwaukee to Urge Presidential Candidates, U.S. Congress to Restore Great Lakes—Foundation of Regional Economy

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (Sept. 10)—Great Lakes advocates are gathering at the 4th Annual Great Lakes Restoration Conference in the electoral battleground state of Wisconsin Sept. 10-12 to urge presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress to restore the lakes—the foundation of the region’s economy.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle is providing the keynote address to the conference—the largest gathering of Great Lakes advocates, elected officials and business leaders.

“The Great Lakes are a national treasure—important to our state, our nation and the world as both an environmental and economic asset,” said Gov. Doyle. “In addition to defining our borders Read More » »

Public Issue #1

While the ink left by Michigan Governor Granholm’s signature is still wet on the Great Lakes Compact, her Lt. Governor John Cherry is embarking on a public awareness tour of the Great Lakes in Michigan. Starting today at Port Huron marking the Earth Voyager’s port of call, Cherry plans to launch his new agenda to talk up the value of the Lakes and get the next President-to-be fully engaged in restoring the Great Lakes. We need to protect this vast fresh water resource and get more federal dollars invested in the clean up and preservation. HOW supports Cherry Read More » »

Buffalo Here We Come

The Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives Boat Tour team are VERY excited to kick off the tour this week in Buffalo. Earth Voyager set sail from Port Huron, MI earlier this week. We’ll be blogging from Buffalo, and all the tour stops. For now, spread the word, and don’t forget to send a letter to the presidential candidates about protecting the Great Lakes!

Wisconsin Joins Michigan In Ballast Battle

Wisconsin has taken steps to join Michigan as the second state to regulate ballast water in the Great Lakes sending a clear signal to Washington that absent Congressional leadership and legislation, the state is prepared take the initiative to create ad hoc ballast controls. As it turns out, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has the legal authority to regulate ballast water discharges under the state’s Pollutant Discharge Elimination System so international shippers may soon have to apply for permits for discharges into Lakes Michigan and Superior.

Wisconsin’s determination of its legal authority to regulate ballast water under existing state Read More » »

Republican Candidates Strike Out Looking on Great Lakes in Debate

While the Republican candidates were clearly playing “base” ball at an economy-focused debate in Dearborn, MI last night - with Giuliani and Romney sparring over who cut more taxes - they struck out looking on a clear economic development priority for the region: restoring the Great Lakes.

A recent Brookings Institution report found that investing in the Great Lakes Restoration plan would bring in a greater than 2-to-1 return on investment of at least $50 billion to the region. That kind of economic boon means job creation and a new way forward in a region struggling to find its Read More » »

Coalition Comments on Federal Efforts to Restore Great Lakes

The Healing Our Waters® - Great Lakes Coalition will be presenting the following comments today at the October 2 meeting of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration in Chicago.

Comments of Healing Our Waters Coalition Members on Progress Implementing the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy — October 2, 2007

This document was prepared on behalf of the Healing Our Waters Coalition by coalition members including Alliance for the Great Lakes, Clean Water Action, Ducks Unlimited, Great Lakes United, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.

Overall Comments

In 2005, business, Read More » »