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U.S. House Committee Passes Act to Clean Up Toxic Pollution in Great Lakes
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (July 31, 2008) – The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today passed the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008, sending to the full floor a bill that funds the clean up of toxic pollution around the largest source of surface fresh water in the United States.
“Cleaning up toxic pollution in the Great Lakes is essential to our public health, economy and way of life,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We urge the U.S. Senate to pass and fund this important and successful clean-up program so we can put an end to drinking water restrictions, beach closings and fish consumption advisories for the millions of people who depend on the Great Lakes.”
Introduced by Representatives Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) and James Oberstar (D-Minn.), the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 (H.R. 6460) passed the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by voice vote.
“We applaud Representatives Ehlers and Oberstar for their leadership and urge the full U.S. House and Congress to quickly pass and fund this important program,” said Skelding.
Earlier in the day, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed the Legacy Act out of committee, setting the stage for the U.S. Congress to pass the act, which funds the clean-up of contaminated sediments in Great Lakes harbors and tributaries.
Designated “Areas of Concern” by the U.S. and Canadian governments, the polluted sites pose threats to human health and to fish and wildlife populations. Yet of the 31 sites in the United States or shared with Canada, only one site – Oswego River – has been de-listed since 1987. (A list of U.S. Areas of Concern in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin is below.)
“The pace of clean-up has been too slow,” said Skelding. “We have solutions. It is time to use them. Delay will only exacerbate the problem and cost more to solve. It is time for Congress to stand up for our lakes, our economy and our public health by passing and funding this essential program.”
The Great Lakes Legacy Act is a top priority for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 reauthorizes the Great Lakes Legacy Act for five years and increases the authorization of funds from $54 million to $150 million per year. Experts peg the total cost of cleaning up the sites at between $1.5 billion and $4.5 billion.
Cleaning up toxic pollution in the U.S. Areas of Concern will increase coastal property value for at least $12 billion to $19 billion, according to the Brookings Institution.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition consists of more than 100 zoos, aquariums, museums, and hunting, fishing, and environmental organizations representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
For more information: http://www.healthylakes.org/
For Immediate Release:
July 31, 2008 Contact:
Jeff Skelding, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (202) 797-6893, jskelding@nwf.org Jordan Lubetkin, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (734) 904-1589, lubetkin@nwf.org Chad Lord, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (202) 454-3385, clord@npca.org United States Areas of Concern include:
ILLINOIS
Waukegan Harbor, Illinois INDIANA
Grand Calumet River, Indiana MICHIGAN
Clinton River, Michigan Deer Lake, Michigan Detroit River, Michigan Kalamazoo River, Michigan Manistique River, Michigan Muskegon Lake, Michigan River Raisin, Michigan Rouge River, Michigan Saginaw River and Bay, Michigan St. Clair River, Michigan St. Marys River, Michigan Torch Lake, Michigan White Lake, Michigan NEW YORK
Buffalo River, New York EighteenMile Creek, New York Niagara River, New York Oswego River/Harbor, New York Rochester Embayment, New York St. Lawrence River at Massena, New York OHIO
Ashtabula River, Ohio Black River, Ohio Cuyahoga River, Ohio Maumee River, Ohio PENNSYLVANIA
Presque Isle Bay, Pennsylvania MINNESOTA/WISONSIN
St. Louis River and Bay, Minnesota and Wisconsin WISCONSIN
Lower Green Bay and Fox River, Wisconsin Menominee River, Wisconsin Milwaukee Estuary, Wisconsin Sheboygan River, Wisconsin Jordan Lubetkin
Senior Regional Communications Manager National Wildlife Federation - Great Lakes Office 213 West Liberty, Suite 200 | Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Phone: 734-887-7109 | Fax: 734-887-7199 | Cell: 734-904-1589
NWF's mission is to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. www.nwf.org/news/
Working to restore the Great Lakes by offering solutions to sewage contamination, invasive species and other threats. www.healthylakes.org |