Press Release

13-City Boat Tour Kicks Off Today, Highlighting Need to Restore Great Lakes

Coalition Calls for Presidential Candidates to Stand up for Great Lakes Restoration

BUFFALO, N.Y. (June 6, 2008)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is launching a 13-city boat tour today in Buffalo, N.Y., to highlight the need to restore the Great Lakes and to urge the U.S. Congress and presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama to act to restore the lakes.

“The boat tour underscores the importance of the Great Lakes to millions of people and the urgent need to restore them,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, the boat tour’s sponsor. “To those seeking Read More » »

New Report: Congress Must Deal with Global Warming—Great Lakes Impact

ANN ARBOR, MI (May 28, 2008)—The Great Lakes can lessen the impact of global warming or become global warming’s victim—it all depends on Congress, according to a new report from the Healing Our Waters®-Great Lakes Coalition. The authors urged Congress to enact a comprehensive plan to restore the health of the Great Lakes.

“Climate change is already affecting the Great Lakes, and no matter what we do now, the those impacts will increase in the future,” said Donald Scavia, Ph.D., report co-author and professor of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Read More » »

Coalition Supports Bill to Clean Up Great Lakes Toxic Hot Spots

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (May 8, 2008) – The U.S. Senate yesterday introduced a bill to clean up Great Lakes toxic hotspots responsible for drinking water restrictions, beach closings and declines in fish and wildlife populations.

“Cleaning up toxic pollution in the Great Lakes is essential to our public health, economy and way of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We urge the U.S. Congress to pass and fund this important, efficient and successful clean-up program.”

Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and George Voinovich (R-Ohio) introduced the Legacy Act of 2008 (S. 2994), whose funds go Read More » »

Coalition Applauds U.S. House for Passing Strong Invasive Species Bill

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (April 24, 2008)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition today applauded Congress for passing a bill to prevent aquatic invasive species from entering the Great Lakes and other U.S. waters.

“We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a strong invasive species bill that protects our lakes, our national parks, our economy, our public health and our way of life,” said Tom Kiernan, president of the National Parks Conservation Association and co-chair of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We urge the Senate to pass its bill and President Bush to sign into law these strong protections from Read More » »

New Analysis: Restoring Great Lakes Will Bring Major Lakeside Cities Each $200 Million to $13.3 Billion in Economic Gains

Passage of federal, state, and local legislation to fund restoration needed to realize potential gains

Ann Arbor, MI (April 16, 2008)—A new analysis finds that major Great Lakes cities will see economic gains between $200 million to $13.3 billion if the Great Lakes are restored. This report is a supplement to The Brookings Institution’s “Healthy Waters, Strong Economy” report released in November 2007 that found that Great Lakes restoration would bring the region approximately $80 to $100 billion in both short-term and long-term economic gains. This analysis shows that a significant portion of those gains would go directly to major population 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 » »

Great Lakes, a National Resource, Is Victim of National Neglect

Statement by Jeff Skelding, National Campaign Director, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
on New Report by Great Lakes Commission and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 27) – “This report underscores that the Great Lakes – a national resource – is the victim of national neglect.

“Despite the recognized importance of the Great Lakes as an economic engine and environmental masterpiece for the nation, the lakes have had to rely primarily on local governments to fight pollution and generally stay healthy.

“This report sends a clear message to lawmakers in Washington, D.C.: Stop short-changing the Great Lakes. 

“The longer Read More » »

Great Lakes, a National Resource, Is Victim of National Neglect

Statement by Jeff Skelding, National Campaign Director, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
on New Report by Great Lakes Commission and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 27) – “This report underscores that the Great Lakes – a national resource – is the victim of national neglect.

“Despite the recognized importance of the Great Lakes as an economic engine and environmental masterpiece for the nation, the lakes have had to rely primarily on local governments to fight pollution and generally stay healthy.

“This report sends a clear message to lawmakers in Washington, D.C.: Stop short-changing the Great Lakes. 

“The longer 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 » »

Great Lakes State Legislators Call on Presidential Candidates to Ban Water Diversions and Restore the Great Lakes

The chorus is growing.

Today, state legislators from Super Tuesday states joined the region’s mayors, governors and U.S. Congressmen in urging Presidential candidates to restore the Great Lakes.

You can listen to an audio recording of today’s press event here

You can read the sample letter sent by the state legislators here.

You can read the press release here.

As the presidential race heats up, let’s see which candidates embrace the Great Lakes in their platform so that, hopefully, the next President will continue Read More » »