Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition

 

House Moves to Restore Clean Water Protections,
Vital to Great Lakes Restoration, Economic Recovery

 

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (April 21, 2010)—The U.S. House of Representatives today introduced legislation that restores historic safeguards to wetlands, lakes and streams that millions of people depend on for drinking water, jobs and recreation.

 

“Reinstating clean water protections to U.S. wetlands, lakes and streams is a vital component of Great Lakes restoration and economic recovery,” said Jeff Skelding, national campaign director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Millions of people will benefit from the swift passage of this bill.”

 

Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) introduced America’s Commitment to Clean Water Act (H.R. 5088) today along with Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.)

 

“We applaud these Great Lakes members for introducing this bill and urge the rest of the Great Lakes congressional delegation to join this effort to pass the bill quickly,” said Skelding. “Delay in restoring protections will jeopardize many of our nation’s waters that supply drinking water, jobs and swimming, boating, hunting and fishing opportunities for millions of Americans.”

 

The compromise legislation restores Clean Water Act protections that were placed in doubt by U.S. Supreme Court decisions (Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (2001) and Rapanos v. United States (2006)) and Bush Administration guidance. These decisions placed millions of acres of so-called “isolated” wetlands and lakes, intermittently flowing streams, and wetlands adjacent to these streams at risk of losing federal safeguards, leaving them vulnerable to pollution and destruction.

 

“This legislation ends confusion over how to protect our nation’s waters and re-affirms safeguards that Congress originally intended and that were in place before the Supreme Court muddied the waters—nothing more, nothing less,” said Skelding. “Quick passage of this bill will benefit the Great Lakes and our economy.”

 

Wetlands provide essential services for people. Healthy wetlands supply and recharge drinking water; improve water quality; prevent erosion; provide habitat for wildlife, waterfowl, and fish; and support multi-billion dollar hunting, fishing, bird-watching and boating opportunities in the Great Lakes states. One acre of wetlands, according to researchers, provides $10,573 of ecosystem services.

 

Passage of the America’s Commitment to Clean Water Act is essential to protect and restore wetlands—a core component of the multi-year effort to restore the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy has a long-term goal of restoring 1 million acres of high quality wetlands in the region. More than 66 percent of Great Lakes’ original wetlands have been filled in or destroyed. In states like Ohio, over 90 percent of wetlands have been lost.

 

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is comprised of more than 100 environmental, conservation, hunting and fishing organizations; museums, zoos and aquariums; and businesses representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes.