Lake St. Clair - the Heart of the Great Lakes

Reps. Miller and Levin co-sponsor resolution drawing attention to its importance, attempt to secure additional funding

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Candice Miller and Congressman Sander Levin today introduced a House Resolution affirming the status of Lake St. Clair in the Great Lakes system and calling for increased efforts to preserve and protect Lake St. Clair as a vital part of the Great Lakes system.

"I am so pleased to be a part of this bipartisan campaign informing the public about the real status of Lake St. Clair," Miller said. "The fact of the matter is, none of the Great Lakes are specifically designated a 'Great Lake.' They are all part of the Great Lakes system, and Lake St. Clair is already recognized as part of it. So Lake St. Clair is already eligible for the programs and funding designated for the Great Lakes system."

"The essential challenge is to accelerate the progress that has been made in recent years," said Rep. Sander Levin. "We are determined to focus all efforts on additional concrete steps that can be taken to protect Lake St. Clair as a vital resource."

Additional actions by Reps. Miller and Levin include:

• Legislation to quadruple federal funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, up to $5 billion a year. Since 1995, more than $200 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund has been allocated to water infrastructure projects benefiting water quality in Lake St. Clair. The Twelve Towns Drain project alone, which will greatly reduce pollution in the Clinton River, has received over $100 million in low-interest loans from the Revolving Fund to prevent sewer overflows into Lake St. Clair during heavy rain events.
  
  
• Full funding ($54 million in 2004) for the new Great Lakes Legacy Program to clean up toxic hot spots in the Lake, including the two in the Clinton and St. Clair watersheds.
  
  
• Working with the Michigan Delegation on stronger legislation to deal with invasive aquatic species, which will be introduced by Senator Carl Levin and Rep. Vern Ehlers, and with the Army Corps of Engineers who is spearheading the effort to prepare a comprehensive management plan for Lake St. Clair, scheduled for release later this year.

"This resolution really accomplishes what needs to happen - it reaffirms Lake St. Clair's importance as the heart of the Great Lakes, draws attention to its problems and brings a bipartisan and more cohesive attempt to secure additional funding for Lake St. Clair to help deal with these problems," Miller and Levin added.

Doug Martz, chairman of the Macomb County Water Quality Board, also supports the Resolution.

"I am pleased that Reps. Miller and Levin have introduced this resolution, demonstrating they will work together to address the problems involving Lake St. Clair," Martz said. "This is a positive step in the right direction, and it requires a team effort from elected officials of every level and from the public.

"I'm glad this resolution recognizes Lake St. Clair as the heart of the Great Lakes," Martz added. "I call on Michiganians everywhere to help it pass."

"As a lifelong resident of Macomb County, I know Lake St. Clair is a Great Lake," Miller concluded. "And we need to focus our fight on bringing Lake St. Clair the recognition and the dollars it needs."

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