Restoring Our Great Lakes

RESTORING OUR GREAT LAKES

At our northern border lies a national treasure and a critical natural resource - the Great Lakes. The Lakes not only hold one-fifth of the world's surface freshwater - an estimated six quadrillion gallons - but also cover more than 94,000 square miles, and drain more than twice as much land. And, the Great Lakes basin is home to more than 33 million people - one-tenth of our entire U.S. population! Together, the eight Great Lakes states comprise more than one-third of the national manufacturing output, and the Lakes represent a critical shipping lane for these states' manufactured goods and other natural resources. Ohio's nine ports on Lake Erie, alone, handle 70 million tons of cargo annually - that's almost seven tons of cargo for every Ohio resident, with a total value of over $1.5 billion. My colleagues in Congress and I understand the value of the Great Lakes as a natural resource to the region, and we have been making progress in improving the overall quality of the Lakes. Over the last few years, I have worked to secure over $34 million for Ohio and the Great Lakes states to expand public access to the Lakes. And, at this point in the fiscal year 2004 appropriations process, I have been able to secure an additional $9.4 million for the Great Lakes. Currently, Senator Carl Levin and I are also working to address invasive species through the National Invasive Species Council Act and the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act. For several years, I have been calling for a plan to restore the Lakes and have been urging the governors, mayors, environmental community, and other regional interests to agree on a vision for the future of the Great Lakes - not just for the immediate future, but for many years down the road. We must work together to create and implement a long-term strategy to restore and protect these vital lakes. Recently, Senator Levin and I introduced the Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act in the United States Senate. This legislation would help provide the tools needed for the long-term enhancement of the Great Lakes. Our bill would create a $6 billion Great Lakes Restoration Grant Program to build on existing federal and state efforts to cleanup, protect, and restore the Lakes. This bill also would establish the Great Lakes Environmental Advisory Board, which would be an equal partnership between the federal, state, and local governments and other interested citizens and organizations. This Advisory Board would be instrumental in setting priorities and guiding future efforts to restore the Lakes. Finally, this bill gives the Great Lakes National Program Office, housed at the Environmental Protection Agency, the mandate to work with other federal agencies and Canada to identify and measure water quality and other environmental factors on a regular basis. Our Great Lakes continue to be threatened by problems that endanger their future. We have an obligation to our children and to our children's children to do what we can to watch over and defend this incredible natural resource. We must work to preserve and protect our Great Lakes. There is something truly magical about them - something that transcends debates on policy and grant programs. There is something magical about looking out on one of our Great Lakes and seeing a man or a woman out there fishing alone in a boat. There is something magical about seeing a young couple or an old couple walking alongshore at night. And, there is something magical about seeing a small child out there being taught to fish by a grandparent. These are things that we cannot measure by money but require money and coordination to protect. The Great Lakes are a treasure. They bring us immeasurable joy today and hopefully can do so for generations to come if we protect them. We must work now to create and implement a long-term strategy to help ensure that the Great Lakes continue to be as beautiful tomorrow as they are today.