"Bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Bill Wins Environmental Support"

"Bipartisan legislation that promises the largest federal investment ever to clean up the Great Lakes -- $650 million annually for the next five years -- has been introduced in the Senate and in the House to applause from environmental groups.

'The Great Lakes are a unique American treasure,' said Senator Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat who introduced the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act on Thursday. 'Nearly a tenth of our population lives in the Great Lakes basin, relying on the life-sustaining drinking water the lakes provide, and reaping economic and recreational benefits from them daily. We must recognize that we are only their temporary stewards and do all we can to ensure that the federal government meets its ongoing obligation to protect and restore the Great Lakes.'

Senator George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican who co-chairs the Senate Great Lakes Task Force and an original cosponsor of the bill, said, 'This legislation will ensure the vital resources necessary to protect and preserve the Great Lakes for future generations. It will also establish the advisory capacity necessary for federal agencies, local government and others to come together to share ideas and guidance and to prioritize funding needs.'"

Environment News Service had the story March 9, 2010.