Feb 26 2009
Obama Lowballs Great Lakes Cleanup
During the election, President Barack Obama promised to spend $5 billion during his presidency on the proposed Great Lakes restoration plan. But his recently released budget proposal only includes $475 million this year for the project. This seems low to me. We are currently in spending mode. It is hard to imagine that there will be more money for cleanup in future years. And if Obama’s budget is the high number, we are likely to see less than $2 billion during his administration spent on the much-needed cleanup.
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20090226/NEWS01/302260015/1002/rss
The $5 billion trust fund for Great Lakes cleanup and restoration is to be phased in over 10 years and would be a centerpiece of a plan that also includes designating a coordinator to oversee Great Lakes programs and a stepped-up fight against invasive species.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/16/obama-proposes-5-billion_n_126949.html
The EPA is already considering taking up the fight for the Great Lakes relative to invasive species. According to the following article, “Breaking with the Bush administration, EPA head Lisa Jackson said Tuesday the permit for discharging water from ships enacted just this past December by the Bush Administration’s EPA “doesn’t begin to address some of the concerns that are out there.”
Also, “Officials expect the region to get nearly $2 billion for wastewater and drinking water system upgrades under the recently enacted stimulus package.”
The EPA is going to seek more money for removing toxic sediments from harbors and rivers too.
.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/25/epa-considering-taking-up_n_169760.html
Considering what the Bush/Cheney regime did to the environment, don’t ya think we ought to wait to slam Obama?