Obama Proposes $5 Billion Trust Fund For Great Lakes
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) -- Sen. Barack Obama will propose a $5 billion trust fund for Great Lakes cleanup and restoration if elected president, his campaign said Tuesday.
The fund, to be phased in over 10 years, would be the centerpiece of a plan that also includes designating a coordinator to oversee Great Lakes programs and a stepped-up fight against invasive species.
The Democratic nominee's campaign announced the plan in a telephone conference featuring Democratic Sens. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin.
"America deserves to have a president who understands that supporting the Great Lakes isn't just about scoring points during the election year," Doyle said. "It's about preserving our environment and protecting a vital economic engine in the Midwest."
The trust fund would be paid for by rolling back tax breaks for oil companies, Obama's campaign said. It would support a variety of projects including sewage system repairs, cleanup of polluted sediments and restoration of wetlands and wildlife habitat.
The Great Lakes coordinator, based in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, would help develop a priority list for federal, state and local initiatives.
Obama's program also pledges a "zero toxics" policy for the lakes, which make up nearly one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water. It calls for measuring pollution already entering the lakes, determining the sources and reducing future deposits.
Another priority would be strengthening federal standards against mercury, a leading Great Lakes pollutant, the campaign said.
The plan also promises a more aggressive effort to prevent additional exotic species from reaching the lakes, particularly the Asian carp, which has infested the Mississippi River and is moving toward Lake Michigan.
It says Obama would work with the eight Great Lakes states to stop freighters from bringing exotics to the region in their ballast water. Scientists believe many of the 180 invaders now in the lakes arrived in ship ballast tanks.
Foreign creatures such as the zebra mussel and round goby compete with native species for food and habitat and cost the regional economy billions.
Obama's supporters said the Illinois senator was more familiar with the Great Lakes than his opponent, Sen. John McCain. They accused McCain, an Arizona Republican, of supporting President Bush's efforts to reduce funding for Great Lakes program this year.
McCain spokeswoman Sarah Lenti said: "The Obama solution like always, throws taxpayers' money at the problem -- sometimes money that has not even been requested -- but he has no record or experience at solving problems by going across party lines. Obama might talk about the Great Lakes, but John McCain has the experience to get the job done."
Loading comments… 
First Posted: 09-16-08 06:52 PM | Updated: 10-17-08 05:12 AM