Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, are known to the world as the Great lakes. These so called “Great” lakes have been under some extreme environmental stress lately. The lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes on the earth’s surface and, provide drinking water to billions of people within the surrounding area. So what’s the big deal?
In 2006, the United States Congress introduced the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act, which stated the many problems that are encroaching around the lakes such as, the deep pattern of irreversible deterioration, the closing of over 1,800 beaches, the huge dead zone in Lake Erie, and the $500 million dollar damage done each year due to invasive species. Today, the issue remains as a huge environmental threat.
On Sunday, February 21, the Obama administration revealed its own plan to rescue the lakes. The plan proposes a $2 billion dollar budget over the span of five years to restore the lakes through a wide range of restoration programs from the federal to the state level all under the watch of the Environmental Protection Agency. The plan gives a very graphic view of the state of the lakes and also, outlines its major goals such goals, in being, the removal and prevention of 45 million pounds of “e-waste”, pharmaceutical waste, and almost 5 millions pounds of household hazardous waste. Not to mention, the restoration of coastal wetlands and rein in of pollution run off from farms and homes. Lastly, the plan addresses how it also seeks to stop the spread the vast presence of invasive species like the zebra mussel.
The start of the project depends on the final approval of this budget by Congress and the final “OK” from all the governmental agencies involved. Let’s hope that the Obama administration and the EPA can restore the greatness and natural beauty of these lakes.