Here it is -- a creditable effort by the Kerry/Edwards team to put forth something detailed and meaningful as an alternative to the Bush record of neglect and abuse of the Great Lakes. The lead on the wire services is that Gov. Granholm pointed out Bush's flip-flop on water exports. More later. If the Bush campaign outlines a detailed Great Lakes plan, I'll post it for comparison.
THE KERRY-EDWARDS GREAT LAKES PLAN:
RESTORING OUR HERITAGE
The Great Lakes are a magnificent resource. They constitute the largest body of fresh water on our planet, provide drinking water for over 30 million people , transport over 110 million short tons of goods and services every year , and provide food and recreational opportunities for millions of Americans, including over 250 million visitors to parks on the lakes. The Great Lakes are vital to the region’s $3 trillion economy and way of life.
Today, the Great Lakes are under unprecedented stress:
· Mercury emissions and other toxics from the smokestacks of coal-burning power plants and other industrial sources are poisoning the Great Lakes, contaminating fish, and threatening water supplies.
· Toxic “hot spots” in sediments – a legacy of industrial pollution – continue to leach chemicals into the Great Lakes, harming fish stocks and water supplies.
· These pollutants have caused hundreds of fish advisories for the Great Lakes. These include advisories for toxics in many sport fish found throughout the Great Lakes and statewide fish consumption advisories due to mercury contamination in every one of the Great Lakes states.
· Contaminated water is routinely deposited into the Great Lakes in the form of stormwater and sewer overflows, which causes serious health risks and beach closures. In 2002, nearly 900 beaches on the Great Lakes were closed due to bacterial contamination.
· Open space and sensitive areas around the Great Lakes are subject to unprecedented development pressures.
· Invasive species threaten the ecological balance of the Great Lakes; over 160 exotic species have invaded the Lakes. Invaders like zebra mussels deprive fish of food, cause blooms of toxic algae, and overtake boats, spawning areas, and drinking water intakes. The damage caused by the zebra mussel alone is estimated at $5 billion.
· Wetlands, which serve as nurseries for fish and wildlife and act as natural filters to purify the Lakes’ waters, are being destroyed at an alarming rate. The Great Lakes have lost more than two-thirds of their original wetlands, and many more wetlands are targeted for development.
Rather than taking action to reverse these trends, the Bush administration has pursued shortsighted environmental policies have accelerated the deterioration of the Great Lakes. The Bush administration has:
· Weakened mercury standards proposed by EPA’s own scientists, which would have reduced mercury contamination by as much as 90%. Instead, the Bush plan allows coal-fired power plants to emit more mercury over a longer time period than is permitted by existing law.
· Cut funding for stormwater and sewage treatment at a time when municipalities need more federal assistance than ever. For example, earlier this year, more than 4.5 billion gallons of untreated sewage was dumped into Lake Michigan. But President Bush’s 2005 budget cuts the State Revolving Fund -- the program that address municipal sewage systems – by $170 million in the Great Lakes region.
· Starved the Superfund program and eliminated critical funding for the cleanup of legacy pollution problems in the Great Lakes. The administration has refused to reinstate the tax on oil and chemical companies to support the cleanup of toxic waste sites throughout the Great Lakes region and around the country.
· Turned a blind eye to the continued destruction of wetlands. Despite making an Earth Day pledge to restore three million acres of wetlands, the Bush administration proposed a rule that would allow the destruction of up to 20 million acres of wetlands nationally. After intense pressure from sportsmen, the administration withdrew the rule but left in place a “guidance” policy that results in the same amount of wetlands losses.
· Refused to use the Clean Water Act to protect the Great Lakes from discharges of invasive species from their leading source, the ballast water of ships. Seven Great Lakes states are pursuing litigation that challenges the Bush administration on this negligence. In addition, the Bush administration has sat on the legislative sidelines by allowing a comprehensive bill that would protect the Lakes – the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act – to languish in Congress.
· Expressed support for the transport of bulk water supplies from the Great Lakes to the southwestern United States.
John Kerry and John Edwards have a plan to restore the Great Lakes and to revive this engine of economic prosperity. Their plan is built around a commitment to restore the heritage of the Great Lakes: pure drinking water; fish that are safe to eat; and a wonderful outdoor resource for all Americans. John Kerry and John Edwards will replace empty talk with serious action to protect and restore our Great Lakes.
JOHN KERRY AND JOHN EDWARDS WILL PROTECT AND RESTORE
THE HERITAGE OF THE GREAT LAKES
John Kerry and John Edwards have a six-point plan for our Great Lakes:
1. Implement a “No Toxics” Plan for the Great Lakes
John Kerry and John Edwards believe that it is time to end the “business as usual” approach to toxic releases into the Great Lakes. They will establish a “no toxics” plan for the Great Lakes that will – for the first time in history – comprehensively measure current toxic loadings, identify significant sources of new toxics, and develop an integrated strategy for reducing historic and ongoing toxic deposits in the Great Lakes and in fish and wildlife.
As a key part of their “no toxics” plan, John Kerry and John Edwards will clamp down on mercury emissions from power plants that are poisoning the Great Lakes. They will order EPA to develop new limits on toxic mercury emissions in order to protect Great Lakes residents and visitors. The Kerry-Edwards EPA will rely on science rather than special interests to protect the resource and the health of the people who enjoy it.
John Kerry and John Edwards also will target toxic legacy “hot spots” and will prioritize their cleanup. They will restore the Superfund program that has been financially starved and neglected under the Bush administration, and they will direct EPA to work through this and other federal programs to identify and clean up toxic sites in the Great Lakes region.
2. Restore Clean Water to our Great Lakes
John Kerry and John Edwards support the bi-partisan Great Lakes Restoration Financing Act, which will provide the funding desperately needed to invest in the sewage repairs, toxic cleanups, and wetlands restoration that will maintain and restore the greatness of the Lakes. As a Senator, John Kerry is already a co-sponsor of the Great Lakes restoration legislation. As President, he will work with a bipartisan Congressional coalition to assure passage of this essential legislation.
John Kerry and John Edwards also will ask Congress to restore the Clean Water Act’s revolving fund, and they will make the federal government a full partner with states and municipalities in addressing wastewater treatment and stormwater control needs. John Kerry also will vigorously enforce the Clean Water Act’s protection of the valuable wetlands that naturally filter the Great Lakes’ water and that provide important habitat for its fish and wildlife.
3. Initiate a “Great Parks and Beaches for the Great Lakes” Program
John Kerry and John Edwards will launch a “Great Parks and Beaches for the Great Lakes” program. This new program will investigate the specific causes of beach closures on the Great Lakes, and develop action plans to restore healthy beaches, working in partnership with local and state leaders.
As part of this new program, John Kerry and John Edwards will make good on George Bush’s broken promise to provide full funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund – a land acquisition and protection tool that is supported by federal oil and gas royalties. John Kerry will and John Edwards will direct a significant portion of these national funds to the Great Lakes region to create new parks, build new boat ramps, and protect open spaces and wildlife habitats.
4. Create a “Great Lakes Outdoors Council”
John Kerry and John Edwards believe that decisions involving the Great Lakes should be made with input from state and local representatives and citizens. The Kerry-Edwards administration will take an inclusive, participatory approach to all federal decisions that affect the vitality of the Great Lakes. John Kerry and John Edwards will require federal decision-makers to actively consult with a “Great Lakes Outdoors Council.” Through the new Council, federal decisions will be informed by and coordinated with actions recommended by local and state officials and citizens. Federal actions involving the Great Lakes will no longer be made in a vacuum.
5. Initiate a “No Nuisance Invasive Species” Program
John Kerry and John Edwards will address the serious problem of invasive species by taking aggressive steps to prevent the introduction of invasives into the Great Lakes. They will reverse the Bush administration’s “hands-off” attitude toward invasive species by ordering EPA to join in efforts with eight Great Lakes states to stop the discharge of invasives in the ballast water of ships. John Kerry and John Edwards also will champion the passage of the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act. As Senator, John Kerry co-sponsored this bipartisan legislation, but it has not been supported by President Bush.
6. Institute a “No Diversions” Policy for the Great Lakes
John Kerry and John Edwards will block any water diversion. They support the efforts of the Council of Great Lakes Governors to enact an interstate compact that will establish formal criteria for evaluating proposed diversions of Great Lakes waters. The Kerry-Edwards administration will work closely with the Governors to monitor all proposed new diversions and prohibit any out-of-basin diversions.
Posted by Dave at September 13, 2004 12:10 PM