Great Lakes activists say Bush waffling on cleanup

[highplainsdem]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/531/5666098.html


Great Lakes activists say Bush waffling on cleanup
Greg Gordon, Star Tribune
Last update: October 12, 2005 at 9:44 PM


WASHINGTON - In an executive order last year, President Bush set in motion a state-federal effort to rid the Great Lakes of invasive species, toxic pollutants, raw sewage and other environmental threats.

Now after the leak of an internal report that doused a $20 billion cleanup strategy, the administration faces a mini-tempest over the degree of Bush's commitment to saving the lakes.

<snip>

In July, the group released its draft blueprint: a comprehensive strategy with a $20 billion pricetag, two-thirds of it for improved sewage systems. It also called for elimination of discharges of mercury, PCBs and other pollutants; new laws and programs to stop such invasive species as zebra mussels from dominating Lake Superior and the other lakes; the restoration of 31 contaminated areas, and other measures.

Then came the leak to the Chicago Tribune of a draft report to Bush from an interagency federal task force that watches over the group. The draft report, a copy of which was obtained by the Star Tribune, expresses "serious concerns" about the plan, which it says calls for $3 billion a year in new federal spending.

<snip>

[mom cat]

1. They aim to let the whole country rot. It is profit taking...and they are

taking everything they can get their gready little hands on.

[Inland]

2. Waffle, nothing. The admin has killed the plan. No money.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0510...

Great Lakes plan all washed up
Hit with hurricane sticker shock, the Bush administration nixes $20 billion restoration

By Michael Hawthorne
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 7, 2005


After a year of promises to make the Great Lakes a greater national priority, the Bush administration is pulling back from an ambitious $20 billion plan to restore and protect the world's largest source of freshwater.

Three months after the plan was released for public comment, administration officials are finalizing a report to President Bush that concludes federal spending on the Great Lakes should remain "within current budget projections," meaning no new money should be allocated.

Instead, federal, state and local officials should concentrate on "improving the efficiency and effectiveness of existing programs," according to the draft report, a copy of which was obtained by the Tribune.

Without the administration's support, Congress likely will not endorse more aggressive--and more expensive--efforts to clean up contaminated ports, fix aging sewer systems, block invasive species and improve the shoreline. Legislation calling for more spending on the Great Lakes already is bottled up in House and Senate committees.

[amandabeech]

8. All but two Great Lakes States are blue.

You have Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Only Indiana and Ohio went for *, although things were close elsewhere. Of course, the bluer areas of these two states border on of the Lakes.

I grew up in Michigan near Lake Michigan and have freinds and family still out there. Even the Pubbies out there want the Lakes cleaned up and rid of invasive species.

Maybe the Lakes States will have to clean it up themselves in partnership with Canada. I think that there is an overarching commission already in place to handle just such things.

If that doesn't work, maybe secession is the only way (just kidding). That would make it more difficult for other states to steal Great Lakes water and take the jobs that are dependent on the water with them.

[Lisa]

9. well, there is a precedent ...

The New England states and the Maritime provinces have signed a regional air emissions reduction treaty (acid rain and greenhouse gases, I seem to recall).

And of course Canada and the US have had the International Joint Commission looking after boundary waters for decades now. If Bush even knows about it, it'll take him awhile to pick that apart.

[VegasWolf]

3. Guess Haliburton doesn't do Great Lakes cleanup. nt

[hickman1937]

4. Bet they're looking into it though.

Once Halliburton comes up with a half assed plan, and a roster of young republicans, the money will be released.
In suitcases full of large bills.

[Demeter]

5. Anybody Who Is Surprised, Raise Your Hand

no takers? I didn't think so.

[Angry Girl]

6. Worst environmental president EVER!

A Polluter's Feast
Bush has reversed more environmental progress in the past eight months than Reagan did in a full eight years....
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/7605389?rnd=1129151088984&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.1212

[struggle4progress]

7. kick

[pro_blue_guy]

10. It's not waffling. It's called flip-flopping.

[Massacure]

11. BWuahah. Flip. Flop.

:rofl:

[Akoto]

12. Administration response: "Mmm, waffles."