Illinois PIRG asks you to help protect the Great Lakes
Dear Illinois PIRG supporter,
The Great Lakes are a national treasure critical to the public health, economy and quality of life in Illinois. However, the Lakes are threatened by serious ecological threats resulting in beach closings, fish that are unsafe to eat, lower water levels, and the loss of healthy shorelines.
Right now, Congress and the Bush administration have a historic opportunity to restore the health of the Great Lakes by funding Great Lakes restoration. It is critical that we generate public support from Great Lakes states like Illinois to convince our leaders to invest in the future of our region.
Please take a moment to urge EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt to fund Great Lakes restoration. Then, ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.
To take action, click on this link or paste it into your web browser:
http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=687&id4=ES
Background
The health of the Great Lakes is of critical importance to public health, the environment, and the economies of Illinois and the nation. The Great Lakes hold 90 percent of the nation's supply of fresh surface water, and one-fifth of the world's supply; supply drinking water for 40 million people; and support a multi-billion dollar tourism industry.
Although the health of the Great Lakes has improved in some respects over the past several decades, there is clear and convincing evidence that the ecosystem is deteriorating: beaches closed to swimming, fish unsafe to eat, the invasion of nuisance species like zebra mussels, lower water levels, and the loss of healthy shorelines.
The Everglades faced a similar threat in the mid 1990's, and Congress responded with a massive restoration effort. Likewise, the Great Lakes need a national commitment to restore these critical resources. In response, Congress has introduced two bills that would fund Great Lakes restoration with $600-800 million each year starting in 2005, and totaling $6-8 billion over five to ten years.
The Bush administration has not yet included funding for Great Lakes restoration in its budget for 2005. We need to act quickly to let the administration know that we demand meaningful restoration of the Great Lakes.
Please take a moment to urge EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt to fund Great Lakes restoration with at least $600 million in 2005. Then, ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.
To take action, click this link or past it into your browser:
http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=687&id4=ES
Sincerely,
Diane E. Brown
Illinois PIRG Executive Director
DianeB@illinoispirg.org
http://www.IllinoisPIRG.org
P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.
A personal quest to promote the use of wind energy and hydrogen technology in the Great Lakes area of the United States. The Great Lakes area is in a unique position to become an energy exporting region through these and other renewable energy technologies. *Update 2014: Just do it everywhere - Dan*
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