Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act

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.

The Day after Tomorrow: The Great Lakes in Crisis

Close your eyes and think of the worst disaster movie you’ve ever seen, OK, do you have it set in your mind’s eye? The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is releasing a report that shows the expected impacts of global warming on the Great Lakes – nearly 95 percent of this nation’s fresh surface water – are much more devastating than anything you could have imagined.

Great Lakes Restoration and the Threat of Global Warming makes it clear that the Great Lakes are poised to reach an irrevocable crisis 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 » »

Location, Location, Location

Unfortunately, the dating term geographically undesirable (GU) also appears to apply to Congress Members attitude toward the Great Lakes and the issues we have fervently been working on. Usually an explanation of why a budding romantic relationship failed to flower, GU also defines a lack of leadership and perhaps interest in the Great Lakes for lawmakers representing the more far flung districts in our eight states.

After reviewing comments made by those who took part in Great Lakes Day 2008, it becomes clear rather quickly that geography had a lot to do with the kind of experience HOW members had when Read More » »

Our Lakes and Rivers are Becoming Toxic: Vote For CWRA

This month both the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold hearings on the Clean Water Restoration Act. Thirty-five years after the landmark Clean Water Act was put into motion our water quality has improved somewhat but our goals continue to elude us. This isn’t helped by the fact that too many industrial and municipal facilities surrounding the Great Lakes and lining the rivers that flow into the lakes have violated EPA permit limits. Records show them dumping way more sewage, E.coli, mercury, PCBs, cancer-causing chemicals such as benzo(a)pyrene, suspended solids, and Read More » »

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 » »

Sign a Petition to Congress on the Great Lakes

Freshwater Future (formerly Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund) has initiated an online petition urging Members of Congress to act this year to pass and fully fund legislation to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Healing Our Waters Coalition staff worked closely with Freshwater Future on the development of this petition, and we encourage one and all to sign it and forward to colleagues, friends, and family. Freshwater Future and the HOW Coalition will work to tally signatures from constituents of particular members of Congress in the Great Lakes and deliver the petitions at in-district events during the Read More » »

Great Lakes Day 2008

The Great Lakes region’s Healing Our Waters Coalition members joined forces in Washington today to hike the Hill and advocate for Great Lakes issues with US House and Senate Members and staff. They spent all of yesterday training up on a host of issues and preparing for today’s events.

“We need all the lobbying we can get,” Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich) told throngs of Great Lakes advocates preparing to march the halls of Congress.

Rep. Ehlers asked coalition members to urge Congress to pass the Great Lakes Legacy Act which is up for reauthorization. It was first passed 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 » »

In Michigan, “It’s the Economy, Stupid” All Over Again

Is it surprising that people in Michigan would like to work again? Of course not, that is why it isn’t surprising that Mitt Romney handily won yesterday’s primary. As primary season turns to election season, Romney’s advisors promise to continue to focus on the economy as a prime concern to keep momentum going for their candidate. If that is the case, then the Brookings report detailing how restoration would not only save the lakes but recharge the Great Lake states economic engine is a must read.

A troubled auto industry and national high unemployment rate (7.4%) were Read More » »