Ehlers’ landmark cleanup law to be reauthorized

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers, the original sponsor of the landmark cleanup law known as the Great Lakes Legacy Act, heard testimony today from Great Lakes advocates and stakeholders on the law’s renewal. Congressman Ehlers is leading the effort to provide an additional five years of federal funding to clean up pollution flowing into the Great Lakes.

“The Great Lakes Legacy Act has made tremendous progress in cleaning up polluted areas of concern around the Great Lakes over the past five years, and much more work remains to be done,” said Ehlers. “I was encouraged by today’s testimony. With support from Great Lakes stakeholders and from my colleagues in the House and Senate, I hope this important law will be renewed and expanded before the end of the year.”

Over the years, industry and other sources have contaminated the sediment in waters leading into the Great Lakes. The contaminants include mercury, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and lead. Currents and bottom-dwelling organisms spread the toxic sediment from inland lakes, streams and rivers to the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Legacy Act identified 31 polluted “areas of concern” around the Great Lakes, which contain toxic sediment that flows into the lakes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 850,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment has been removed from areas of concern since 2004. The U.S. Policy Committee on the Great Lakes estimates that approximately 75 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment remain, which could cost between $2 to $4 billion dollars to remedy.

The current law authorized $50 million dollars per year for the EPA to carry out monitoring, prevention, and cleanup of contaminated sediment. President Bush has supported fully-funding the program throughout its existence. Ehlers would like to triple the current level of funding in order to continue progress on cleanup efforts, and remove all the sediments before any more get into the Great Lakes.

Congressman Ehlers is expected to introduce the reauthorization bill very soon.