Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act

Is Obama Committed to Saving the Great Lakes?

The Detroit Free Press asked HOW’s Andy Buchsbaum to write an essay about his hopes and fears for the Barack Obama presidency. Andy used this opportunity to wax poetic about the importance of saving the Great Lakes for future generations of Americans. To read his essay, click here.

Here are some other interesting stories that ran over the weekend:
Spending Billions to Repair the Great Lakes would multiply in payoff
Pollution Law plans hailed

Word on the Street

Even before Barack Obama won last night, he had teams of people planning for his 76-day transition. Word on the streets of Chicago and Washington is that Illinois Democrat Rahm Emanuel is on Obama’s short list for the Chief-of-Staff position.

This is the same man who stood before HOW a little more than a year ago and implored us to make this Presidential election about the Great Lakes. The same man who said he would do everything in his power to get the $26 billion into law that we need to heal and revive the lakes. Now, the Washington Post Read More » »

Time to release the Fuss Busters

What is all this fuss over the Great Lakes? That seems to be the line some folks are taking since presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s released his plan to restore the lakes. The story has been picked up across the region and thrust the issue of restoring the Great Lakes into this hotly contested election. Newspapers, television and the blogosphere is jam packed with vivacious responses – some good, some bad.

It is nigh time that the Great Lakes become Read More » »

Change is in the Air

Both presidential candidates are talking about change and so are we. We represent voters in eight states, five of which are swing states, so it does seem to matter what we think.

After three years, eight state legislatures approved the Great Lakes Compact – that’s 13,000 lawmakers in agreement. This leaves little doubt that there is consensus across the region for the compact. Now, we must build upon that landmark agreement to save the Great Lakes before it is too late.

“We must control pollution and protect human health from its adverse effects. We must protect fish and wildlife, restoring critical areas Read More » »

McCain Signs Pledge, State Houses Demand Others Follow Suit

Arizona Sen. John McCain is the first Republican presidential candidate to sign the pledge to support and fully fund restoration of the Great Lakes. McCain joins both Democratic frontrunners, Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) in making this committment. This is huge. It means that if McCain does well on Super Tuesday and wins the Republican nomination for President, we are well on the way to having the eventual presidential nominee from each party making a commitment to protect and restore the Great Lakes. That is an essential step in seeing the goals of the Great Lakes Collaboration Strategy realized Read More » »

Touché

The word is in, at least from the Mitt Romney camp – he recognizes the Great Lakes as a national treasure, but he stops short of signing the Congressional pledge for restoration. However, word on the street is that John McCain has signed the pledge. We are in the process of trying to verify this information with his campaign.

These new developments come as both candidates are pulling out all the stops to win the hearts and minds of Michigan’s Republican voters before tomorrow’s primary vote. Newspaper editorials over the past week have pleaded with the candidates Read More » »

McCain on Great Lakes Water Diversion

The Detroit Free Press today published excerpts from an editorial board visit with Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The Free Press pressed him on the issue of Great Lakes water diversion to thirsty Southern states in the following exchange:
 
Q: You come from a state that is growing and dry. Michigan is a state that is shrinking and has lots of water. Do you see a time when states in the South and West might want to go after the water here?
 
A: I’m sure they might Read More » »

Great Lakes Mayors Issue Latest Challenge To Presidential Candidates: Great Lakes Support Key To Winning Midwest

Great Lakes Governor’s ring are you listening? A pledge like sugar on your lips sure would glisten. A beautiful sight, the Great Lakes Mayors unite asking for you to lend the Lakes a hand. First Wisconsin Governor Doyle lead the eight Great Lakes governors in asking the presidential hopefuls to outline their vision for the Great Lakes. Next, four Great Lakes Congressmen sent a letter to the candidates asking them to take a pledge to shepherd restoration into law and fully fund it while in office. Now, the Mayors of the Great Lakes have come forth and issued Read More » »

Obama, Clinton Pick up the Gauntlet and Sign the Great Lakes Pledge

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.). Read More » »

Governor Doyle Says Great Lakes Need To Be A Priority For Congress And The President

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has been credited with putting the green back into Wisconsin policies, and it appears he is trying to share the enthusiasm across the Great Lakes region. As Chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, Doyle, a Democrat, held a press conference recently and launched the first pitch for aggressive action to save the Great Lakes and asked presidential hopefuls to outline their vision for the Great Lakes. Now, he has taken time to share with HOW his thoughts on why the Great Lakes are so vital to the region and the nation, why national Read More » »