Sens. Voinovich and Levin-Sponsored Great Lakes Legacy Act Passes Committee

Press Release

SENS. VOINOVICH AND LEVIN-SPONSORED GREAT LAKES LEGACY ACT PASSES COMMITTEE

The bipartisan Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 - legislation introduced by Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chairmen and U.S. Senators George V. Voinovich (R-OH) and Carl Levin (D-MI) -was passed out of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee today unanimously. The bill, which aims to clean up contaminated expanses in the Great Lakes known as Areas of Concern (AOC) within 10 years, expands on legislation passed six years ago.

"Protecting and restoring the Great Lakes has been a top priority of mine throughout my political career," said Sen. Voinovich, a member of the EPW Committee. "I am focused on working with the Great Lakes delegation to advance restoration efforts in this critical region. This bill will provide the Environmental Protection Agency with the tools and resources needed to remove contaminated sediment and clean up Ohio's Areas of Concern, including the Maumee, Black, Cuyahoga and Ashtabula Rivers. The Legacy program is a vital piece of the comprehensive strategy that is absolutely necessary to protect the Great Lakes for generations to come."

"The Great Lakes are an indispensable natural, economic and recreational resource for Michigan and many other states," said Sen. Levin. "This program has been successful in removing contaminants, and we must continue the progress. This legislation builds on the existing Legacy program in several crucial ways and will help protect and restore this unique treasure for the benefit of citizens in Michigan and across the nation."

The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 focuses on AOCs in the Great Lakes. Forty-three AOCs have been identified in the Great Lakes - 26 located entirely within the United States; and five that are shared by the U.S. and Canada. The Legacy Act would address those sites that are located either wholly or partially in U.S. waters.

These sites do not meet the water quality goals established by the U. S. and Canada in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, mainly because of contaminated sediments from historic industrial activity. This contamination results in several detrimental consequences including fish advisories, degradation of fish and wildlife populations, taste and odor problems with drinking water, beach closures and bird and animal deformities or reproductive problems.

The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 would authorize $150 million annually for clean up of the AOCs within 10 years. The legislation gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greater flexibility to manage funds. Under this bill, eligible projects would be expanded to include habitat restoration because many AOCs cannot be delisted until habitat restoration work is done. Also, the bill would give the EPA the discretion to provide Legacy Act monies to demonstration and pilot projects.

The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002 contributed significantly in the effort to clean up AOCs in the Great Lakes. Almost 800,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments have been removed since the program's creation. This material has been safely removed from riverbeds so that it no longer poses a threat to human and wildlife health.

The cosponsors of the bill are Senators Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Robert Casey, D-Penn., Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Norm Coleman, R-Minn., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Barack Obama, D-Ill. and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

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