For those gullible ones who think the recent federal summit on the Lakes convened in Chicago by Bush EPA chief Michael Levitt means anything, here's some sobering reality. An Ocean Commission with members appointed by Bush came up with proposals for major new spending and government reorganization to improve ocean protection. "Instead, the White House appears to be leaning toward 'giving us a menu of all the wonderful things they are doing right now and saying they believe they can handle it within the current (government) structure and so forth,' said retired Adm. James Watkins, a former secretary of energy who was chairman of the oceans commission.
After the year-long Great Lakes planning process that Leavitt has proposed, no doubt the major new announcement will be what a good job our federal government is doing to protect the Lakes.
If anything is going to happen to improve the Great Lakes, including new federal funding, the citizens of the Lakes states and their governors are going to have to retake the reins. Leaving them in the hands of the Bush Administration is as good as kissing the whole restoration idea goodbye for now.
http://www.independent-media.tv/itemprint.cfm?fmedia_id=9900&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported
UPDATE: For a contrary (and incredibly naive) point of view, read today's Detroit Free Press editorial:
http://www.freep.com/voices/editorials/elakes9e_20041209.htm
Posted by Dave at December 9, 2004 09:21 AM