| Fresh Water-Healthy Lives Engaging Everyone in Preventing a Great Lakes Crisis |
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| The sun sets on Manistee River |
- The Grand Rapids Press
August 20, 2005
Guest Column
We Must Act Now to Save Great Lakes
- "Why am I not on the beach?" I ask myself on a perfect Michigan summer day. As a newly retired corporate executive, I am experiencing my first "summer off" since
childhood. Yet I find myself hunched over my computer, reading a government report on the restoration, protection and management of the Great Lakes.
My husband and I recently retired to Michigan. We moved from Nashville, Tenn., much to the amazement of our friends and neighbors. "You must be crazy" we
heard repeatedly as we packed our belongings and headed north.
But after extensive travel throughout the United States, we fell in love with the Great Lakes. That is why I am inside on this beautiful sunshiny day. I learned that in
late 2004, President Bush formed a bipartisan team to develop a plan to restore the health of the Great Lakes.
Named the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration, the team is asking for public input prior to Sept. 9. Since the entire plan requires $20 billion in funding, I find
myself asking the question, "why do I care?" as I read each section of the report. "Can we afford eight areas of focus?"
The questions framed my thoughts as I read the proposal. This is what I learned:
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) enter the Great Lakes, preying on the native wildlife. Economic losses to the Great Lakes Basin from AIS are estimated at $5billion a
year. These invasive species enter the fresh water largely as a result of the processes used by ocean vessels to add and release ballast water while in the Great
Lakes. It is impossible to foresee the potential damage as salt water species enter what is roughly 20 percent of the world's fresh water.
Alarming level of contamination
In heavy rains, raw sewage overflows from sanitary sewers into the rivers that feed the Great Lakes. Because of the human health risks associated with raw
sewage, beaches must be closed when this occurs. In 2003, over 1,800 closures occurred on Lake Michigan beaches alone! In addition, the Great Lakes are a
key source of drinking water. How can we afford this type of contamination--a pollution that touches residents, tourists, and current and prospective businesses?
- As the wetlands and natural habitats along the coastal shores and rivers disappear,so does the wildlife. Over 140 animals and 270 plant species have
disappeared in recent years. And since over $50 billion are generated from boating, fishing and hunting in the region, as they disappear, so does the revenue
stream. Can we afford to lose that income as a region? I also learned the wetlands act as a buffer, slowing water runoff, trapping sediments, fertilizers and
pesticides. They are a natural filter for the rivers, tributaries and lakes in the region.
- Unacceptable situation
Three of the sections focus on toxic chemicals and pollutants found in the soil, groundwater and air surrounding the Great Lakes. As they reach the water, not only
do they poison the wildlife, they also pose health issues to swimmers and increase the cost of treating our drinking water and dredging our harbors and marinas.
We cannot eat the fish from the Great Lakes without first checking the fish consumption advisory. This is a sorry statement for a region known to anglers world-
wide.
- There are no information management systems to monitor, track or measure ecological information across the U.S.and Canadian shared waters. The Great
Lakes touch multiple government agencies. The lack of standards and information systems make it easy to lose sight of the severity of the challenges, to accept
an unacceptable status quo.
- Water is our greatest asset
Economic development is critical to the region. However, we cannot sustain growth and development if we deplete or mismanage our resources. While other part
of the country boast hundreds of days of sunshine, mountains, or even oil, our greatest environmental asset is our water.
The collaboration is suggesting sustainable development, a practice that balances social, environmental and economic ramifications in development decisions. It
means our children and grandchildren will benefit from our decisions.
As the sun sets behind me, I realize I do care a great deal about this initiative. And while I am saddened by what I have learned, I am heartened by the efforts
underway to address these issues. The challenge will be the funding.
Everyone should contact their federal and state elected officials, urging them to fund this plan in its entirety. It is the only way we can begin to reverse the damage
we have done to one of the world's most precious resource.
July 10, 2006 Guest Column What can I do for the lakes? My husband and I retired to western Michigan last year. We moved from Nashville, TN, much to the amazement of our friends and neighbors. “You must be crazy,” we heard repeatedly as we packed our belongings and headed north. But after extensive travel throughout the United States, we fell in love with the Great Lakes. I, like most people, assumed the Great Lakes were on the road to recovery. I was heartbroken when I learned I was wrong. Scientists say the Great Lakes ecosystem is at a tipping point; the damage could be irreversible if we do not begin to address issues that have been plaguing the Great Lakes for decades. Fresh water is one of the planet’s most limited resources. And while the Great Lakes represent 20% of the world’s fresh water, we do not fund the infrastructure necessary to protect it. Go with a neighbor and look at the raw sewage floating down our rivers after a heavy rain and you’ll know what I mean. We, as citizens, have a voice in the prioritization of our tax dollars. We need to make water a priority. We can live without a lot of things. Clean, fresh water is not one of them. Upon learning of the critical state of the Great Lakes, I decided to spend the summer of 2005 attending public hearings on the proposed plan to restore and protect these waters. The plan was created by the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration, a bipartisan, cross-functional team that spans all eight states in the region. Areas of focus include invasive species, raw sewage overflows, disappearing wetlands, toxic chemicals and pollutants found in soil, groundwater and air. In addition, the plan calls for the establishment of a regional information management infrastructure to monitor, track and measure information across the waters. The good news is bipartisan legislation is currently pending in both the U.S. House and Senate to support the implementation of the plan. The bad news is we, as a country, tend to ignore problems until disaster strikes. Hurricane Katrina is the perfect example. A bipartisan comprehensive plan was developed to protect the port of New Orleans in 1998. If implemented, it would have minimized the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. The plan was shelved because of a price tag of $14 billion; chump change in comparison to what it will now cost taxpayers. The Great Lakes plan will cost roughly $20 billion over 15 years, a cost that will be born by local, regional and federal taxpayers. With a growing federal deficit, the temptation will be to cast the plan aside, just as the federal government did the 1998 New Orleans Plan. Even Representative Vernon Ehlers of Grand Rapids, one of the bill’s sponsors, doubts we will get funding. What can I do? The question plagued me over the winter as I walked the soft white sandy beaches, filling my lungs with the crisp Michigan air, looking out at the magnificent body of Lake Michigan waters. This is sacred space. On these walks, without fail, I am greeted by colorful strands of ribbons tied to balloons; purple, pink, lime green. They litter the shoreline, bright and offensive, jarring the soft hues of nature. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a small plastic grocery bag. In no time the bag is jammed with balloons, ribbons and trash. But as offensive as the litter that dots the shoreline, I know from the hearings, the dark massive waters hide far more serious issues. I need to do more than pick up trash. And so, I have decided to embark on a journey to learn all I can about these waters and to share my reflections with others in the Sentinel. I look forward to sharing my journey with you. |
What you can do to help
Implementation Act of 2007. |
| Moon rises over Macatawa Yacht Club |
| Copyright 2006 Mary E. McKinney Schmidt |
May 6, 2006
Big Livestock Farms Need Regulation
Senate and House that would implement the 2005 restoration plan for the Great Lakes. Sen. Carl Levin, a Democrat, and Rep. Vern Ehlers, a Republican are to be commended for their leadership in protecting Michigan's most important asset, our fresh water. However, at the same time we are requesting federal funds to help clean up the lakes, there is pending legislation in Michigan's House that would allow concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) free rein in further polluting our waters. Unlike cities, which are required to treat raw sewage, these large livestock facilities will be allowed to spread massive quantities of untreated manure and urine on to fields, creating a steady flow of harmful and potentially deadly pollutants into our waterways. Michigan is surrounded by 20 percent of the world's fresh water. Our legislators must help us protect it. CAFOs should be required to treat their sewage and dispose of it responsibly. They must be held to higher standards than small farms, and monitored accordingly. We can't afford to spend $20 billion to clean up the existing contamination in the Great Lakes while allowing massive quantities of untreated animal waste to pour into our streams and waterways. We can be both a farming state and a fresh water state. Our elected officials need to be encouraged to balance both initiatives responsibly. |
Contact your Michigan state representative and ask that CAFOs be held to higher standards, protecting our land and water from excess disposal of animal waste. |
| Send Comments to: mary@freshwaterhealthylives.org |
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| Winter scenes at the Holland lighthouse |
