May 21, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. - While testifying before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee today on Capitol Hill, Lt. Governor John D. Cherry Jr. urged federal lawmakers to reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act, preserving much needed federal dollars for cleanup, restoration, and protection efforts.
Public interest in restoring and protecting the Great Lakes is greater today than at perhaps any time in the past," Cherry said to members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. "As you consider reauthorizing the Great Lakes Legacy Act and advancing other Great Lakes programs, I urge you to recognize the very real environmental and economic benefits these actions will have for our region and our nation as a whole."
Cherry also told lawmakers that the Great Lakes states look to the federal government to be a critical partner in restoring Michigan's greatest natural resource and that reauthorizing, strengthening, and fully funding the Legacy Act would be a significant step toward ensuring a bright future for the Great Lakes.
Since it was created in 2002, the Great Lakes Legacy Act has facilitated the cleanup of approximately 250,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments in Michigan alone, using $20 million in Legacy Act funds and leveraging nearly $13 million from state and local sources.
"The Great Lakes are a unique and extraordinary natural resource for the nation as a whole," Cherry said. "The Great Lakes Legacy Act is a key component of our strategy for restoring the Great Lakes, and I urge the committee to act swiftly in forwarding legislation for passage by the full House.
More than 32 million Americans receive significant benefits from the Great Lakes, including drinking water, food, recreation, commercial navigation, and water resources for industries and utilities.
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