Policy

Mayor Daley Shows Support For Rep. Dave Camp’s Bill

The Permanent Prevention of Asian Carp Act received support from a welcome and some might say, unlikely, person this week –Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who has weighed in on the latest and most important discussion in the Asian Carp crisis. Mayor Daley has written a letter to Congress expressing his support to accelerate a study that examines how to permanently separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins.

When Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago River and connected the two basins, it created a pathway by which invasive species could infest U.S. waters. The Asian Carp is poised to join Read More » »

Bipartisan Senate ActionApproves GLEPA

Republican and Democratic Senators on the Committee on the Environment and Public Works came together today to pass the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act, as part of the Great Waters package of bills that we have been advocating for over the past months. This is a very positive step forward for the Great Lakes that authorizes more than $650 million for restoration on a multi-year authorization instead of forcing us to work with piecemeal bills on an annual basis. The bill was introduced by Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and George Voinovich (R-OH).

Today’s EPW passage of the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Read More » »

U.S. Senate Prepares to Take up Great Lakes and National Restoration Bills

A year ago, a group of organizations and individuals who work on restoration projects around the nation met in New Orleans, La. Why? To discuss forming a coalition to fight for federal dollars to restore our nation’s most important aquatic ecosystems. Now, the U.S. Senate is preparing to take up a host of bills that would jump-start restoration efforts across the country.

That’s great news—and reflects the subsequent efforts of the Great Waters Coalition and its members—including the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition.

The Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee was scheduled to hold a mark up on a package Read More » »

EPA Names Finalists for $160 Million to Advance Great Lakes Restoration, Economic Recovery

Coalition urges U.S. Congress to continue to fund program at $475 million to
create jobs, restore Lakes, and lay foundation for long-term prosperity

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (June 1, 2010)—The EPA today announced preliminary grant awards to restore the Great Lakes as part of a federal $475 million program to restore the Lakes—the largest fresh-water resource in the world.

The agency has identified 270 projects totaling more than $160 million that will be eligible for funding as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program to restore fish and wildlife habitat, clean up toxic pollution, reduce Read More » »

Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act Priority Issue

The Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act needs co-sponsors in both the US Senate and the US House. The US Senate has garnered two more signatures: those of Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). These are the first senators to sign on since the bill was introduced in March bringing the total number of Senate co-sponsors to eight. But there are 16 U.S. senators so we still have to get half of the Great Lakes senate delegation to lend their John Hancock to this important bill.

The U.S. House has been more successful at signing Read More » »

Big Deal Bill Needs Big Support

On the same day that the U.S. Senate introduced the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act of 2010 (S. 3073), Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) brought it to the U.S. House (H.R. 4755). This bill is a big deal. The bill would streamline proven Great Lakes programs into one act allowing us to fight invasive species, clean up toxic hot spots and move on other restoration priorities without having to drop everything each year to lobby Congress for another authorization.

This landmark bill would be funded every five years, allowing us to dedicate more time and effort to restoration work. Rep. Ehlers Read More » »

Landmark Great Lakes Bill Needs More Senate Support

In March, the U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act of 2010 (S. 3073). The bill that would authorize programs to fight invasive species, clean up toxic hot spots and address restoration priorities has six additional co-sponsors. Today, the bill still has only six co-sponsors – there are 16 Great Lakes Senators – so where are the final ten?

This bill is a win-win for Great Lakes restoration and economic recovery, making it unbelievable that there are still some U.S. Senators from the eight Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania Read More » »

Great Lakes Chambers Go to Bat for Great Lakes Restoration

Last week, a coalition of Great Lakes Chambers of Commerce met with Congress members from across the Great Lakes region and asked each and every one to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The group of 30 metro Chambers of Commerce from 12 states in the Great Lakes Region formed in 2008. They made their third trip to Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers on shared issues such as Great Lakes restoration.

They asked lawmakers to restore the $475 million GLRI to the FY2011 budget (the President’s budget lowered the amount recommended to $300 million), as well as create a national Read More » »

Implementation Program Offers Hope to Great Lakes Region

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is going to help local groups in the Great Lakes region obtain and use funds from the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with a new Implementation Program. The effort will ensure local groups are equipped to manage and complete effective programs with GLRI funds and by so doing, will help ensure sustained support from the federal government to clean up, restore and heal the Great Lakes.

The Implementation Program has chosen five of the most degraded areas in the Great Lakes to focus our efforts with the 2010 round of GLRI funding ($475 million). Read More » »

Supreme Court Rejects Second Attempt to Close Chicago Locks

The Supreme Court once again decided not to close the locks as a temporary way to halt the advance of Asian carp into the Great Lakes. The courts will still be deciding whether or not to reopen the century old locks case in April that Michigan and six other Great Lakes states have brought against Illinois.

“Our motion was an extraordinary attempt to protect the Great Lakes, but we felt it was necessary to because the Court deserved to have access to the new DNA and economic information before making a decision,” said Michigan AG Mike Cox. “

Cox brought Read More » »