GLIN==> Statement on EPA Inspector General's Report

I wanted to share a statement on behalf of the Healing Our Waters-Great
Lakes Coalition on the recent EPA Inspector General's report that came
out late Tuesday.
Jordan Lubetkin
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 16, 2009
 
CONTACT:
Jeff Skelding, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (202)
797-6893
Chad Lord, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (202) 454-3385
Jordan Lubetkin, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (734)
887-7109
 
Great Lakes Clean-up Requires ‘Resources to Get the Job Done’
 
ANN ARBOR, MICH.—The U.S. EPA Inspector General issued a report
yesterday criticizing the agency for failing to effectively coordinate
and manage clean-up of some of the most polluted rivers and harbors in
the Great Lakes—so-called “Areas of Concern.”
 
Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes
Coalition, said:
 
“Reversing the slow pace of clean-up requires not only knowing what
needs to be done, but the resources to do it.
 
“The pace of cleaning up toxic sediments has been too slow. But the
problem is not insufficient planning, it is insufficient funding. We
have plans to clean-up toxic sites today. What we need are the resources
to carry out those plans.
 
“Until we complete the backlog of projects that are ready to go now,
additional planning will only further delay the clean-up of polluted
sediments that pose a threat to the health of people, fish and
wildlife.
 
“The bottom line is that successful programs to clean up toxic
pollution and address other serious threats to the Great Lakes have been
starved for federal funding for years. That needs to change if the
country is to succeed at restoring this national icon and realize the
vast economic benefit of a healthy Great Lakes.
 
“Thanks to the Great Lakes congressional delegation and President
Obama, we expect to have an unprecedented boost in resources to tackle
these major problems this year, which will be a huge step forward in the
effort to restore the Lakes, safeguard public health, revive the economy
and uphold our quality of life.
 
“Simply put, we have solutions like the Great Lakes Legacy Act and the
president’s new Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It is time to fully
fund them, before the problems get worse and the solutions more
costly.”
 
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition consists of more than 100
environmental, conservation, outdoor recreation organizations, zoos,
aquariums and museums representing millions of people, whose common goal
is to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
For more information, visit: http://www.healthylakes.org 
 
 
Jordan Lubetkin - Senior Regional Communications Manager
National Wildlife Federation
Great Lakes Regional Center
213 W. Liberty St., Suite 200
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-1398
www.nwf.org/greatlakes 
www.healthylakes.org ( http://www.healthylakes.org/ )

Phone: (734) 887-7109 
Cell: (734) 904-1589

Inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.
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