Take Action

Calling All Great Lakes US Senators

What do we want? A Ballast Bill. When do we want it? Now! Great Lakes Senators where are you? We are moving dangerously close to the end of the summer session and we still don’t have Senate approval for a ballast law – dooming us for another year (at least). Another year of ecological havoc, another year for a dozen or so invasive species to establish themselves in our fresh water, and another $5 billion in costs for our states, cha ching!

Please take heed and prevent more species such as the dreaded zebra mussels from entering our fresh waters. Ocean 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 Read More » »

The Senate to Consider the Legacy Act

The Great Lakes Legacy Act reauthorization bill was introduced last week by US Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and George Voinovich (R-OH) with seven of the Great Lakes Senators signing on as original co-sponsors. Now, it is time to corral the rest of the Great Lakes Senate Delegation to join as co-sponsors and show a united front to the US Congress on this issue.

The new law will provide more money - $150 million - and expects to have the 31 areas of concern cleaned up within the decade. The EPA will have more flexibility distributing the funds to contractors untying some Read More » »

If You Aren’t Part of the Solution…

Tomorrow is the last day that the Great Lakes Senators can sign onto the Great Lakes Legacy Act as original co-sponsors. It is time for reauthorization of the law that is the best tool in our carpenter’s box to clean up the toxic legacy of the industrial age. US Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and George Voinovich (R-OH) are actively seeking co-sponsors and will introduce the bill this week.

Cosponsors send a strong signal to the guys with the money on the Hill, according to Joy Mulinex, the Great Lakes Task Force Director. “If only a couple of Members sign onto Read More » »

That Smelly Rat Isn’t In Denmark Anymore

Remember that “alarming” Center for Disease Control report that hit the news only because a watch dog group exposed that it had been suppressed from publication for more than half-a-year? Well, now that Congress has called for an inquiry the Canadian Press reports that the head of research at the CDC is claiming the report was not hidden from public view but held because of questions regarding the methodology. The CDC has also admitted to deleting (key?) data from the report.

Dr. Henry Falk oversees CDC research on environmental health hazards and he told the Canadian Press that 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 » »

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 » »

Signup for Great Lakes Day 2008

Washington, DC, February 27-28, 2008

Registration / Scholarship applications due February 1st

As part of the annual Great Lakes Day in Washington, D.C., the Healing Our Waters® (HOW) -Great Lakes Coalition helps to bring coalition members and allies from the Great Lakes states to Washington to discuss the importance of restoring and protecting the Great Lakes with elected officials on Capitol Hill. Learn more and register here:

http://www.healthylakes.org/great-lakes-day-2008-event-registration

URGE GREAT LAKES SENATORS NOT TO CUT BACK FARM BILL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Farm Bill conservation programs are critical to restoring the Great Lakes. They help farmers put marginal cropland to work for the health of the Great Lakes. However many more Great Lakes farm families want to participate in the Farm Bill conservation programs than can be accommodated because of insufficient federal funding. Conservation programs are woefully under-funded. Two out of three farmers willing to take actions to help the environment are turned down due to lack of funds.

Now, the United States Senate may cut conservation programs even further as it rewrites a new Farm Bill within the next few weeks.

You can Read More » »

Stand Up for Clean Water Today!

In the wake of recent Supreme Court rulings that have rolled back clean water protections, a national coalition of conservation organizations is urging Great Lakes citizens to call their representatives today, Wednesday, September 26, urging them to support the Clean Water Restoration Act.

The bipartisan water bill would ensure that the Great Lakes, along with other streams, tributaries and wetlands are protected from further pollution under the Clean Water Act. We know, you thought that was already the case. Well, surprise, according to the group, it will take this act of Congress to reinstate the scope of the Clean Water Act Read More » »