[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 28994]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  LOW WATER LEVELS IN THE GREAT LAKES

  (Mrs. MILLER of Michigan asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call the 
attention of the Congress to a very serious problem that is affecting 
our magnificent Great Lakes, and that is historic low lake levels.
  Just as we are seeing low lake and water levels around other parts of 
the country, the Great Lakes, which, remember, comprise actually one-
fifth or fully 20 percent of the fresh water supply of the entire 
world, are losing water at alarming rates. And these low lake levels 
are having a significantly negative impact on millions that live in the 
Great Lakes Basin who make their living on the lakes or simply use them 
to recreate on.
  For example, millions of recreational boaters are running aground or 
they can't keep their boats in marinas. Lake freighters are not being 
able to load up the way that they need to because the low lake levels 
are causing untold millions of dollars of losses for the shipping 
industry, and the very fragile environmental habitats of many species 
of fish and waterfowl and other species have been negatively impacted 
as well.
  Mr. Speaker, much of what is happening to the Great Lakes can be 
attributed certainly to weather changes. We have had some warmer 
winters. Therefore, you have less ice cover so evaporation is occurring 
all year long.
  As this Congress considers funding for other national environmental 
treasures, let us remember our magnificent Great Lakes.

                          ____________________