(OH) Toledo Blade – Representatives of Great Lakes industry, environment, government, and policy groups yesterday called on Congress to approve President Obama’s $3.6 trillion budget plan because it contains a provision to set aside $475 million to restore the lakes, collectively the world’s largest source of fresh surface water.
The breakdown would include $146 million for removing toxic sediment from tributaries and harbors polluted enough to be listed as “areas of concern”; $105 million to protect wildlife and their habitat; $97 million for near-shore health and pollution prevention that could, among other things, improve beaches; $65 million to evaluate and monitor overall progress, and $60 million to stave off the influx of exotic species. More