LANSING – Investment in restoration and protection of the Great Lakes could provide $7 to $13 billion worth of “tangible benefits,” including a boost in tourism-related employment along coastal counties.
The plan, developed by the MI-Great Lakes Plan, Lt. Governor John Cherry and the Office of Great Lakes, outlines how federal, state and local officials can collaborate more to improve the Great Lakes and Michigan’s waterways, but also calls for specific actions to be taken at the state and federal level, including a push for federal funding totaling more than $3 billion annually.
The report ties the importance of the changes to the state’s economy, finding that while nearly all lake-related industries declined in employment between 2000 and 2007, tourism-related employment along coastal counties increased by 33 percent during that same time. Lake jobs in the field of science also increased slightly over the period.
“Protecting and restoring Michigan waterways is essential to our economic transformation,” said Cherry. “By investing in the Great Lakes, we will sustain and improve our quality of life, make Michigan more attractive to talented workers and new businesses, and create jobs.”
Included in the plan’s approach to federal investments will be $54 million for the Great Lakes Legacy Act, which deals with continued cleanup of contaminated sediments, along with $3.8 million for the BEACH Act to protect human health and prevent beach closings.
The plan also calls for restoring funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund back to its high of $1.35 billion. The money would go to communities for improvements to their water and sewer systems.
“The MI-Great Lakes Plan is built from the ground-up based on the experiences, challenges and needs of communities across Michigan,” said Ken DeBeaussaert, director of the Office of the Great Lakes. “The recommendations in the plan reflect approaches that have already succeeded in creating jobs and improving water quality and apply those approaches to meeting the challenge of long-term sustainability of our waterways and economic recovery.”
The plan was assembled through input from interest groups, along with public meetings held in eight different watersheds across the state. The list of recommendations is not complete, the report notes, as such a list would be extensive and quickly outdated by the time it’s complete.
Officials involved with the plan’s recommendations will push for action by elected officials and federal agencies.
“We urge our Congressional delegation to strongly consider the recommendations outlined in the plan when considering Michigan projects for the new economic stimulus package. The recommendations clearly outline projects which create jobs while also addressing numerous problems facing the Great Lakes. From fixing sewers to removing dams, all involve putting people to work while restoring Michigan’s natural infrastructure,” said Donna Stine, policy director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
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