Nearly 50 people gathered at Ferry Landing in Grand Haven to get an
update on legislation to restore the Great Lakes. The August 8 event
was sponsored in part by Grand Valley's Annis Water Resources
Institute. Director Al Steinman told the crowd the role of science
plays a very important part in cleaning up the Great Lakes.
“Science helps us determine what the appropriate projects are that
we should undertake; it helps us validate the process,” said Steinman.
“By doing scientific projects in advance, we can determine the most
efficient way to move forward with restoration projects. If you don’t
do the science, you start these activities and may find it’s the wrong
thing. That can mean a lot of money being poorly spent.”
Congressman Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, said he’ll continue to push for federal funding to take care of past mistakes and move toward a maintenance plan for the lakes. “This is an ongoing process,” said Hoekstra. “We’ve been able to clean up some hot spots, but the process is not going fast enough.”
Congressman Vern Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, emphasized the need to educate lawmakers in other states about the importance of the Great Lakes. “Many people don’t realize that 35 million people depend on the Great Lakes for life, whether it be for water or for jobs,” said Ehlers. “President Bush was right when he declared the Great Lakes a national treasure.”
Ehlers spoke about ongoing legislation including the Great Lakes Compact and the Great Lakes Legacy Act, both aimed at maintaining the quality of the lakes, preventing invasive species and cleaning up ballast water.
The event featured Earth Voyager, the fastest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes. The vessel is a Formula 60 trimaran — 60 feet long, 44 feet wide, with a mast that stands nearly 100 feet off the water.
Other sponsors included Alliance for the Great Lakes, Grand Haven City, Clean-up Our River Environment, Grand River Sailing Club, Grand Haven Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Ottawa County Conservation District and Spring Lake Yacht Club.
- Alan Steinman says continued research and studies are necessary for economic reasons
- Steinman says funding should first be used to address contaminated sediments
- Rep. Peter Hoekstra says we are making progress but we need federal funding for a long-term plan for clean-up and maintenance.
- Rep. Vern Ehlers says 35 million people depend on the Great Lakes for life, water, jobs, and more. He notes that awareness needs to be raised around the country and in Washington to get more funding
