A Great Lakes President?

Presidential candidate Barack Obama has announced a $5 billion plan to restore the Great Lakes, funded by reductions in tax cuts for oil companies.

1 minute read

September 22, 2008, 7:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Obama released a five-point Great Lakes plan, noting that he and his family have lived near the shores of Lake Michigan for two decades. Under the plan, he would create a Great Lakes czar within the Environmental Protection Agency, clean up polluted hot spots around the lakes and have a zero-tolerance policy toward invasive species by targeting the ballast water in ships. The plan also calls for funding expensive repairs to end sewer overflows throughout the region, which send harmful bacteria into the lakes."

"Obama's campaign said the $5 billion over 10 years would come from rolling back tax cuts and other incentives to big oil and gas companies. Heather Zichal, environmental and energy policy director for the campaign, said the trust fund is meant to jump-start restoration of the Great Lakes."

"A Great Lakes restoration bill has been languishing in Congress for several years."

Friday, September 19, 2008 in The Detroit Free Press

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