Great Lakes Restoration

The following is testimony from EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on Accelerated Great Lakes Restoration:

"The Great Lakes Basin is a national resource treasure that is home to 34 million people in the U.S. and Canada. It holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water, has 10,000 miles of coastline, and contains a diverse array of biological communities. EPA’s FY 2010 budget requests $475 million for Great Lakes restoration programs and projects that strategically target the most significant problems in the region, such as aquatic invasive species, nonpoint source pollution, toxics in sediment, and habitat and species loss. This restoration effort represents the federal government’s commitment to significantly advance Great Lakes protection. The Great Lakes Initiative will use outcome-oriented performance goals and measures to target the most significant problems and track progress in addressing them. EPA and its Federal partners will coordinate state, local, tribal, and industry actions to protect, maintain, and restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes."

Obviously, the preservation and restoration of the Great Lakes is of utmost importance to Rogers City. This is an important issue for Rogers City residents to follow and provide input on. Who knows better than we do about what issues are important and how they should be handled.
We definately want to see increased success in bringing the fishing back to previous levels. There are other issues like millfoil removal (and other invassive species) and lake level that are critical. At the same time, we need to use the Great Lakes for commerce and economic development. Rogerc City could be a major center for Great Lakes shipping; however, it must be done in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. Kudos to EPA for working on this important subject.