New Google Map Pinpoints Toxic Hotspots around Great Lakes

McHugh Throws Support Behind Legacy Act

New Yorkers living in Rep. John McHugh’s district shouldn’t drink their tap water, partake in the regional Friday fish fry ritual or swim in the local waters because doing so exposes them to dangerous chemicals that could cause birth defects, learning disabilities and even cancer! That is why it is so important for the Great Lakes Legacy Act to be approved in September. Rep. McHugh was one of a handful of lawmakers whose name did not appear on the bill as a co-sponsor even though he had Areas of Concern in his district, including: The Rochester Embayment, Read More » »

Big Wheels Keep on Turnin’ Legacy Act Keep on Churnin’

While Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.)and George Voinovich (R-OH) are committed to pushing the Great Lakes Legacy Act through this Congress, the fact that we are up against a national campaign season is weighing heavily on the prospect of passage. Essentially, Congress has three weeks in September to try and finish business for the year and after that it will be all campaigning, all the time.

“We are hoping to get it done in September,” Garrette Silverman, a spokesperson for Sen. Voinovich said, “but as of now we don’t have any timing for floor action.” And there-in lays the rub, Read More » »

Kaptur Holds Support On GLLA for District’s Good

Marcy Kaptur, (D-OH) is one of the three Great Lakes Representatives with an Area of Concern in her District who is not co-sponsoring the Great Lakes Legacy Act, but she isn’t doing so because she is opposed to the significant reauthorization but because she is hoping to improve it.

“There are a couple alterations that would improve its approach, but that is not to say that she isn’t supportive of the overall thrust of the bill –if anything it is the opposite – she understands the importance of water quality particularly in communities such as Toledo and other industrial cities Read More » »

Dennis No Longer a Menace

Ohio’s infamous Cuyahoga River that sparked the political firestorm that was quenched with the introduction of the Clean Water Act in the 1970s is in Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s (D-OH) district. HOW has just learned that Rep. Kucinich has become a co-sponsor of the reauthorizatin for the Great Lakes Legacy Act - a bill that has trippled the funding authorization to speed up the clean up of the most devestated areas of pollution around the Great Lakes. HOW is ever thankful for his support and hopeful that the bill will come to the floor when Congress convenes in September. To Read More » »

Senator Feeling Heat for Inaction on Invasive Species

The Associated Press is reporting on federal ballast water legislation now stalled in the U.S. Senate.

It’s time to urge Great Lakes senators to work with their colleagues to get strong protections to shut the door on the influx of non-native invaders entering the lakes.

US Senate Approves Great Lakes Compact

US Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and George Voinovich (R-OH) pushed the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Compact through the US Senate today. The Senate passed the bill unanimously this afternoon. The US House is expected to take up the legislation when they return from summer recess in September. Thanks to our Great Lakes Senators for ensuring the success of the Compact!

Great Lakes Legacy Act is on the Move!

It is actually possible that the Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) that funds the clean-up of the numerous Areas of Concern (AOC) around the Great Lakes could go to the floor for a vote before Congress recesses for the summer. Our Congressional Delegation has made fantastic strides in a very short time to reauthorize and improve this extremely important legislation.

Yesterday, July 31, the GLLA was passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Senate Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) pledged to ask the Senate Majority Leader to “hotline” or Read More » »

Great Lakes Legacy Act Approved By Senate Committee

The Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works heard testimony on the Great Lakes Legacy Act that will help remediate the Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes states. They approved the legislation this morning (Thursday, July 31) and it is hoped that the House Committee will also approve their version before this week ends. This is great news for HOW and we are thankful to our Congressional Delegation for making the Great Lakes a priority during this session.

Political Will Power

Something unusual happened on Capitol Hill Wednesday. At a time when the nation is geared to immerse itself in consternation over who the next US President will be and the business of governing grinds to a halt in deference to the quadrennial worship season of the gods of politics – progress was made?! The House Judiciary Committee voted to approve the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Compact with the hope of bringing it to the floor perhaps before summer recess and definitely before the end of the year. The Senate Judiciary Committee spent nearly an hour politely Read More » »

Momentum Builds in Washington to Pass Great Lakes Water Protections

The U.S. Congress is getting closer to protecting the Great Lakes from depletion.

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is marking up the Water Compact today, followed by a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Read our testimony here.

The action on the Hill comes days after President Bush voiced his support for the water agreement— which you can read about in the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News and Stateline.org.

Presidential contenders Barack Read More » »