PMFORUM Breaking News

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has released an action plan to guide the Obama Administration's historic efforts to restore the Great Lakes. The action plan, which the administrator unveiled at a meeting with governors from the Great Lakes states on Sunday, 21 February 2010, lays out the most urgent threats facing the Great Lakes and sets out goals, objectives and key actions over the next five years to help restore the lakes.

"We have an historic opportunity to restore and protect these waters. This action plan outlines our strategy to protect the environmental, human health, and economic interests of the millions of people who rely on the Great Lakes," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson (pictured at left). "We're committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation."

"The Great Lakes are our region's greatest natural resource, and I want to thank President Obama for his commitment to making the restoration of the Great Lakes a national priority," said Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, co-chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. "Wisconsin is defined by the Great Lakes, and one of our greatest responsibilities is to preserve this important freshwater resource for future generations. This action plan sets a strong course of action as we confront tremendous challenges to not only protect, but also restore the Great Lakes."

"The Great Lakes are one of our country's greatest natural resources and economic assets," said Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, co-chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors. "We must protect and preserve our lakes for our families and outdoors enthusiasts, as well as the industries that rely on the waterways to transport their goods around the world. I look forward to working with my fellow governors and the Obama administration to continue tackling the challenges facing the Great Lakes now and in the future."

Approximately 30 million Americans get their drinking water from the Great Lakes, which also support a multi-billion dollar economy based on fishing, boating and recreational activities. The lakes face significant challenges, including pollution and the threat of harmful species.

President Barack Obama has committed to making Great Lakes restoration a national priority. In February 2009, President Obama proposed $475 million for a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the most significant investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. The action plan, which covers FY 2010 through 2014 and was developed by 16 federal agencies as part of the federal inter-agency task force chaired by Administrator Jackson, will help guide the administration's efforts to implement this historic program.

The action plan directs aggressive action under five priority "focus areas" the task force has identified as vital for restoring the Great Lakes. They are:

• Protect and cleanup the most polluted areas in the lakes: The task force will work with state and municipal partners to clean up toxic hotspots so that these critical "working waterways" are put back to work for healthy fishing and recreation.

• Combat invasive species: Invasive species pose a unique threat to the Great Lakes, and the plan outlines a number of steps to keep such species out of the lakes. For example, recognizing that Asian carp continue to be an emerging threat, we are planning to allocate additional funds under the Initiative to tackle this problem.

• Protect high priority watersheds and reduce runoff from urban, suburban and, agricultural sources: The Great Lakes are renowned for their beaches. Initiative funding will be targeted toward, among other things, reducing pollution so they can stay open more often for people to enjoy.

• Restore wetlands and other habitats: The action plan includes a first-ever assessment of the entire 530,000 acre Great Lakes coastal wetland, to help the task force begin to restore troubled areas; and

• Implement accountability measures, learning initiatives, outreach and strategic partnerships: The task force will work closely with the Great Lakes states, non-profits, stakeholder groups and Canada to protect and restore the lakes.

The plan also provides accountability in each of these five priority areas by including measures of progress and benchmarks for success over the next five years.

In November, EPA released a request for proposals (RFP) to solicit applications from a diverse group of participants and partnerships to support the goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The deadline for applications was January 29, 2010. Since then, EPA has received more than 1,000 proposals for funding to support Great Lakes restoration activities. Funding through other agencies will be announced separately. More information on the full program plan can be found at http://www.greatlakesrestoration.us

For more information about projects to restore the great lakes, visit the Council of Great Lakes Governors website at http://www.cglg.org/.