GLIN==> Federal Budget Supports Great Lakes Restoration

Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
 
Federal Budget Supports Great Lakes Restoration 
 
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (April 3, 2009)—The U.S. Congress passed its 2010
budget framework last night, which includes a commitment to restore the
Great Lakes.
 
“This budget charts a path for congressional action to restore the
Great Lakes and revive the economy,” said Tom Kiernan, president of the
National Parks Conservation Association and co-chair of the Healing Our
Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Now, it’s time for the county to move
forward on Great Lakes restoration and economic recovery before the
problems get worse and the solutions more costly.”
 
Great Lakes legislators on the Senate and House budget committees
played essential rolls in gaining support for restoration, including
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Gwen
Moore (D-Wis.) and Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.).
 
“We thank Sen. Stabenow and Reps. Kaptur, Moore, and Slaughter for
their leadership in making Great Lakes restoration a priority in the
budget process,” said Andy Buchsbaum, regional executive director of the
National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes office and co-chair of the
Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Now, the rubber hits the
road. Great Lakes restoration and economic recovery depend on Congress
funding these successful programs in its appropriations bills.”
 
In February President Barack Obama released his budget, which included
a precedent-setting $475 million Great Lakes restoration fund to address
problems such as invasive species, habitat loss, and toxic pollution.  
 
“Fully funding the President’s request will be a big step forward in
the multi-year effort to restore the Great Lakes and revive the economy,”
said Jill Ryan executive director of Freshwater Future and co-chair of
the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “We need to make sure that
the momentum being generated in the halls of Congress and the White
House to restore the lakes lead to on-the-ground results for the
millions of people who depend on the Great Lakes for their jobs,
drinking water, health and way of life.”
 
According to the Brookings Institution, an investment of $26 billion to
restore the Great Lakes will lead to at least $50 billion in economic
benefit for the region.
 
Lawmakers will now resolve differences in the House and Senate budget
resolutions. The final budget resolution, while not binding, lays the
framework for the 2010 budget. 
 
The accompanying report to the Senate Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res.
13) contains the following language: 
 
“The Chairman’s Mark recognizes the need to address significant and
long-standing problems affecting the major large scale aquatic,
estuarine, and coastal ecosystems nationwide. The Mark includes funding
for a new inter-agency initiative to address such regional ecosystems.
It assumes the President’s request of $475 million to work with Great
Lakes states, tribes, and local communities and organizations to address
issues prioritized in the Great Lakes Regional Collaborative. This
initiative could address issues such as invasive species, non-point
source pollution, habitat restoration and contaminated sediment. The
Mark also supports the President’s proposal to use outcome-oriented
performance goals and measures to target the most significant problems
and track progress in addressing these ecosystems.”
 
The House Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res. 85) includes the following
language.
 
“SEC. 606. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON GREAT LAKES RESTORATION.
It is the sense of the House that this resolution recognizes the
importance of funding for an interagency initiative to address regional
environmental issues that affect the Great Lakes, and that coordinated
planning and implementation among the Federal, State, and local
government and nongovernmental stakeholders is essential to more
effectively addressing the most significant problems within the Great
Lakes basin.”
 
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is comprised of more than
100 environmental, conservation, hunting and fishing organizations;
museums, zoos and aquariums; and businesses representing millions of
people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
 
For more information visit: http://www.healthylakes.org/ 
 
For Immediate Release:
April 3, 2009
 
Contact:
Chad Lord, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, 202-454-3385,
clord at npca.org 
Jordan Lubetkin, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (734)
887-7109, lubetkin at nwf.org 
 
 
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
( http://www.healthylakes.org/ )
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