| New plan aims to rescue the Great Lakes |
|
|
|
Marcella Raymond, Jim Tankersley WGN News Environmental experts and the Obama administration say the Great Lakes need to be rescued. The sprawling ecosystem is plagued by toxic contamination, shrinking wildlife habitat and invasive species. A new plan detailed Sunday says the Environmental Protection Agency will spend $2.2 billion over five years to repair a century of damages to the lakes which hold 20% of the world's fresh water. Developed by 16 federal agencies, the plan requires annual EPA progress reports on restoration activities and how money is spent. The plan also has a zero tolerance policy toward the invasion of Asian Carp and other foreign species. Because once they're in, they're nearly impossible to get out. Federal and state officials say they will enforce current environmental rules and put new ones in place where needed so that the Great Lakes will have native plants and animals that keep thriving, fish that are safe to eat, and water that's okay for drinking and swimming. Several governors from Great Lakes states say the plan will boost environmental quality and help energize a multibillion-dollar regional economy reliant on shipping, fishing and tourism. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|