The $475 Million dollar project includes cleanup of water and beaches, wetland restoration, and fighting invasive species such as Asian carp.
The plan calls itself light on study and heavy on action, seeking to heal the Great Lakes ecosystem from “150 years of abuse” and to ensure that “fish are safe to eat; the water is safe to drink; the beaches and waters are safe for swimming, surfing, boating and recreating; native species and habitats are protected and thriving; no community suffers disproportionately from the impacts of pollution; and the Great Lakes are a healthy place for people and wildlife to live.”
The plan is to cut invasive species and increase detection of new threats.
The plan also seeks to cut damaging runoff from farms, cities and suburbs into Great Lakes watersheds, which supply municipal drinking water and animal habitat, and to reduce beach pollution so recreation areas can stay open longer during the year. It includes the first complete assessment of the lakes’ entire 530,000-acre coastal wetland, and a goal of restoring nearly 100,000 acres of wetlands and other habitat areas by 2014.
Several governors from Great Lakes states say the plan will boost their environmental quality — and help energize a multibillion-dollar regional economy reliant on shipping, fishing and tourism.
Popularity: 5%
