The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SUPPORTING GREAT LAKES WEEK” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E287 on Feb. 29, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORTING GREAT LAKES WEEK
______
HON. MARCY KAPTUR
of ohio
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, this week in Washington is Great Lakes Week. It could not come at a more important time.
Last Thursday, the Administration released the 2012 Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework, which is important in establishing the fight to protect our Great Lakes against invasive Asian carp that threaten our $7 billion fishing industry. No lake is more important than Lake Erie--The largest fishery on the Great Lakes.
We should be thankful that President Obama is elevating Asian carp as a priority. I encourage him to do more to stop the carp from migrating into our precious ecosystem.
Last month, another important study was released, outlining a necessary path forward to separate our Great Lakes from the Mississippi watershed. This is the only real solution for stopping the enemy at the gate.
For the same reason, I am a cosponsor of the Stop Asian Carp Act, which calls for that barrier to be built now, not delayed for over a decade. Too much is at risk.
I represent the largest portion of costal Ohio along Lake Erie--
which contains more native fish than all the other Lakes combined. We must protect this valuable ecological treasure, and the local multi-
billion dollar economy it supports. This involves the lake itself, the maritime industry, coastal tourism, recreation, wildlife refuges, energy protection, industrial plants and so much more.
These endowments extend far beyond Asian carp. This year, lakeside communities again are grappling with an expanding algal bloom that can be poisonous if ingested, creates biological dead-zones, and just plain stinks.
Residents stay inside to avoid the putrid smell, charter boat captains suffer as fishing declines, and hotels and restaurants in popular vacation spots sit empty as travelers take their recreational dollars elsewhere.
Under the Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership, I have brought together researchers, non-profits, and local-residents to work with federal agencies including the EPA, Department of Agriculture, and Army Corps of Engineers to address this huge challenge.
Under President Obama, many of these efforts were integrated into a new program called the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is proving effective at addressing the enormous needs facing our Great Lakes.
Through the GLRI, specific areas of concern like the Cuyahoga, Maumee, and Black Rivers are receiving much needed federal dollars to improve these watersheds.
After years of work to develop the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, the GLRI is helping expand their efforts in wetland habitat restoration and enhancement.
In the Black River, we are removing steel mill slag and restoring habitat for native fish species.
This fall in Sandusky, we dedicated a new research vessel for Lake Erie--The ``USS Muskie.''
And, the University of Toledo is undertaking a study to assess the benefits provided by a newly created wetlands to prevent agricultural runoff that can produce algal blooms and increase nearshore health concerns, such as e coli and other bacteria.
I, along with a broad range of costal stakeholders, continue to work closely with the agency officials to ensure that the most fragile Great Lakes ecosystem--Lake Erie--receives funding levels in line with the great need.
And, it is essential that our Great Lakes delegation work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that we continue sufficient funding to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
America has done so much to help certain areas like the Everglades and expanses of Alaska that few Americans will ever get to enjoy. More than one quarter of our country lives in a Great Lakes state and depends on healthy lakes for water, farming, business and pleasure.
During this Great Lakes Week, and throughout the upcoming months in which we will determine our spending priorities, I urge my colleagues, especially those in our region who have not already gotten on board, to support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and other programs to protect these national and global treasures for today and tomorrow.
____________________
