[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF THE GREAT LAKES COLLABORATION IMPLEMENTATION ACT

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                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2007

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, the Great Lakes provide drinking water for 
40 million people, and 56 billion gallons of water per day are used for 
municipal, agricultural, and industrial use. The Great Lakes contain 
5,500 cubic miles of freshwater--that's 6 quadrillion gallons of water, 
equal to 90 percent of U.S. supply and 20 percent of world supply. In 
fact, if you emptied the Great Lakes onto the continental U.S., 
everything would be under 9\1/2\ feet of water. The Great Lakes 
shoreline stretches for 10,210 miles. That's a lot of sand for summer 
Saturdays at the beach. The Great Lakes contain over 250 species of 
fish, and they sustain a $4 billion sports fishery industry and 
millions more in commercial fishing.
  Is it any wonder that we call them great? The lakes are the 
foundation of our region's quality of life, and they are a national 
treasure.
  The Great Lakes are so vast, so majestic, and so plentiful that we 
might think they can withstand any contamination. We take them for 
granted. But the Great Lakes have suffered from years of industrial 
pollution, stormwater and agricultural runoff, the introduction of 
invasive species, and wetlands and coastal habitat loss. The size and 
shape of the Lakes only contribute to the problem. The retention rate 
for Lake Superior is 191 years. Lake Michigan is 99 years. It takes the 
Lakes that period of time to cycle through water and get rid of 
pollutants. The Lakes are nearing a tipping point of environmental 
pollution from which they might not be able to recover. Closed beaches, 
fish consumption restrictions, loss of wildlife habitat, and depleted 
fish stocks are harbingers of problems that will only worsen over time.
  Thankfully, we largely know what needs to be done to clean up and 
protect the Lakes. In December 2005, the Great Lakes Regional 
Collaboration, initiated through an executive order by President Bush, 
produced a strategic action plan for protecting and restoring the Great 
Lakes. The Regional Collaboration--a partnership of Federal program 
managers, State governors, mayors, scientists, industry leaders, 
anglers, hunters, environmentalists, and other interested private 
stakeholders--focused their attention on addressing the most critical 
threats to the Lakes. The diverse group of 1,500 participants developed 
recommendations for addressing aquatic invasive species, habitat 
protection, coastal health, Areas of Concern and contaminated sediment, 
non-point source pollution, toxic pollutants, scientific research and 
monitoring, and sustainable development.
  Today I am introducing comprehensive legislation to address these 
threats. As its name implies, my bill--the Great Lakes Collaboration 
Implementation Act--makes many of the necessary legislative changes to 
implement many of the policy recommendations contained in the Strategy. 
This bill prevents further biological contamination from aquatic 
invasive species introductions. It also helps clean up contaminated 
sediments in rivers and harbors and restores beneficial uses of those 
waters. Provisions in the legislation will restore wetlands and other 
fish and wildlife habitat, and help communities improve their 
wastewater infrastructure and prevent sewer overflows. Finally, the 
bill strengthens scientific research and monitoring activities in the 
Lakes, so that we can monitor our progress and make good decisions on 
what steps to take next in clean up and restoration efforts.
  The solutions are practical and manageable. The sooner we pass this 
bill and provide the necessary funding levels for these programs, the 
less costly the solutions will be in the long run. I urge my colleagues 
to support this critical legislation.

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