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Task Force Letters Target GLRI Money

The US Senators on the Great Lakes Task Force need colleagues to sign onto a series of letters supporting $475 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by Thursday afternoon (that is tomorrow!).

Multiple letters requesting funds for specific programs are being sent to each committee with jurisdiction over the GLRI or involved federal agencies. For example, the minority and majority chairs of the Commerce, Science, Justice and Related Agencies will get a letter from the Task Force asking for full funding of a NOAH program that is part of the GLRI. If each committee provides funding at FY2010 Read More » »

EPA Seeks Public Input on Health of Waters

The US Environmental Protection Agency has set up a web forum for two-weeks where the public can weigh in on how to better manage our most significant water pollution problems. The online feedback will inform the discussion at the EPA’s April conference: Coming Together for Clean Water.

“This online discussion is for anyone who wants to share their best solutions for restoring healthy waters and creating sustainable communities across the country,” states Peter Silva, assistant administrator in the Office of Water.

They are looking for input from professionals, advocates and anyone in the public interested in clean water issues.

To join the Read More » »

Great Lakes Task Force Letter Needs More Signatures

The Great Lakes Task Force is asking all Great Lakes lawmakers to sign onto a letter that advocates for full funding of important restoration programs by this Thursday. The letter will be delivered to the Ranking and Minority chairs on the Interior Appropriations Committee.

The Task Force is asking the Committee to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $475 million for FY 2011. The President’s budget lowered the request to $300 million at a time when we need added investment to reach to goals for GLRI outlined by the Administration and when many GLRI dollars are being siphoned off Read More » »

The EPA is Coming to a Town Near You

Next week, the EPA will kick-off a series of public comment sessions in the Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to examine the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The hearing schedule is:

July 21, Milwaukee, Wis.
July 22, Chicago, Ill.
July 23, Merrilville, Ind.
July 27, Cleveland, Ohio
July 28, Erie, Pa.
July 29, Rochester, N.Y.
August 3, Lansing, Mich.
August 4, Duluth, Minn.

More information at: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/glri/index.html

Make a Call for the Great Lakes Today!

Your US House Member and US Senator need to hear from you today. We need you to contact them and tell them how important President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is for the entire region’s economy and ecology. Tell your Congressperson that you expect to see his/her name on the House or Senate letter showing support for this budget initiative. We need to let our delegation know that we are watching and expecting action! After you call or email – if you have time – please comment on this thread and let us know what you heard from your Congress Read More » »

Action Alert: Tell your Members of Congress to Match President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Funding

President Obama included a $475 million Great Lakes Restoration initiative in his proposed FY2010 Budget – the largest Great Lakes funding commitment ever made by a President. While this is a great testament to our new Great Lakes President, Congress ultimately dictates federal funding levels. The first step in that process is the Congressional Budget Resolution, which is currently being debated in Congress. The House and Senate plan to pass their budget resolutions by the first week of April.

HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION: Please take ten minutes today to call Congress today to urge your Representative and Senators to Read More » »

Tell Congress to Enact President Obama’s Historic Great Lakes Commitment

President Obama recently announced $475 million in his budget for Great Lakes Restoration – an effort that is critical to creating jobs and reviving our economy. The catch is that Congress holds the purse strings through their budget resolution and the annual appropriations process.
That’s where you come in.
Read Coalition statement on President Obama’s Budget
Tell Congress to match the President’s commitment

Cha-Ching

An article by Spencer Hunt of the Columbus Dispatch reminds us not to forget about our great fight with invasive species in the Lakes. The story makes it clear we need to implore our US Congress to pass restrictions on ballast water discharges as soon as possible. We continue to write and speak about the crisis point that we are at – that no return is just around the corner – yet the valuable Ballast Bill of 2007 and 2008 continues to languish. “We have never been able to eliminate any aquatic invader that’s gotten into the (Great Lakes) Read More » »

Promote the Great Lakes Restoration Presidential Candidate Letter Campaign

Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives is proud to host a letter campaign to encourage the Presidential candidates to support the Great Lakes Restoration Strategy. Please consider including the campaign on your Web site, in emails, in newsletters, on your blog or any other way you can get the word out.

To make this easier we offer a few ideas.

1) You can link to the survey hosted on the Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives Web site:

http://www.healthylakes.org/presidential-candidate-petition/

2) You can place the petition to appear under your Web site design with the following code:

<iframe src="https://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?id=524&pagename=homepage" width="710" height="1100" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" name="Great Lakes Presidential Candidate Petition">View 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 » »