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Progress toward one of Environment Michigan’s top priorities—comprehensive,
fully funded restoration of the Great lakes—accelerated last year
when President Bush signed a law that will double funding to rehabilitate
fish and wildlife habitat in the lakes. The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife
Act, which increases funding from $8 million to $16 million per year,
will preserve and enhance some of Michigan’s premiere recreational
destinations.
The act represents a victory in the implementation of the Great Lakes
Regional Collaboration, which was drafted with significant input from
Environment Michigan staff. Reauthorization of the Great Lakes Fish and
Wildlife Act was a goal in that plan.
In a related development, after prompting from Environment Michigan
and other members of the Healing Our Waters—Great Lakes coalition,
Michigan’s congressional delegation became the first in the nation to
unanimously endorse a comprehensive bipartisan bill to implement the
entire Great Lakes Regional Collaborative. The bill seeks to stop sewage
contamination, prevent aquatic invasive species, and restore wetlands and
other critical habitat.
“Saving the Great Lakes is a national priority. We must leave our children,
their children and future generations a world-class resource they can
enjoy as we have,” said Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers (Grand Rapids), one of the
authors of the bill. “I am so pleased that all my colleagues from Michigan
recognize the importance of the Great Lakes, and I will continue to press
this legislation with the rest of the Congress and maintain the momentum
of Great Lakes restoration initiatives.”
It will take more than just Michigan’s delegation to pass this bill through
the incoming Congress, but Environment Michigan is working to make
restoring the Great Lakes a top priority in Washington in 2007 and
beyond.
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