PRESS RELEASE
 

AUDUBON NEW YORK * CITIZENS CAMPAIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT * ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES OF NEW YORK 

May 14, 2009

PRESIDENT'S BUDGET INCLUDES BIG BENEFITS FOR NEW YORK

State Economy & Citizens will Profit from Investment in Health of Great Lakes Erie & Ontario

(ALBANY, NY)—The people, businesses and communities of New York State have much to gain if Congress funds a new $475 million initiative put forth by the Obama Administration to restore Lakes Erie and Ontario, as well as the other Great Lakes, environmental and conservation leaders said today.

“Two weeks ago, the New York State Senate passed a resolution calling on our Congressional Delegation to devote $475 million to restore the Great Lakes, as President Obama called for in his budget proposal,” said Senator Antoine Thompson (D-Buffalo), Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee. “Funding Great Lakes restoration at this historic level will grow and enhance our economy, community character and natural environment in cities like Buffalo and Niagara Falls, as well as communities throughout New York’s Great Lakes Basin.”

“Tourism, renewable energy, commerce and clean drinking water are just a few of the many benefits provided by the Great Lakes. The preservation, restoration and protection of our Great Lakes are imperative to the people of my district and the State of New York and is among my top priorities,” said Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo).

“The New York State Assembly has long been a champion on Great Lakes restoration issues, and we are pleased to see President Obama’s proposal to fund restoration projects at these unprecedented levels,” said Assemblyman Koon (D-Fairport). “This type of investment is exactly what Upstate needs to revive our economy while restoring our environment.”

President Obama’s 2010 budget proposal included $475 million to initiate a multi-year effort to protect and restore the Great Lakes, consistent with the 2005 Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to fully fund on-the-ground work to cleanup toxic hotspots, restore habitat, reduce runoff and sewage discharges, and combat invasive species.

“President Obama’s budget includes a big down payment on a critical, multi-year effort to restore Lakes Erie and Ontario and revive our economy,” said Katherine Nadeau, Water & Natural Resources Program Associate, Environmental Advocates of New York. “We encourage New York’s Congressional delegation to fund this initiative, put people to work, and restore the lakes and our economy.”

The health of Lakes Erie and Ontario, which provide drinking water to more than three million New York residents, as well as that of the St. Lawrence River, are jeopardized by threats such as toxic contamination, wetlands degradation, sewage overflows and invasive species. Advocates say that inaction or delay in confronting these threats will make the problems worse and the solutions more costly. 

“President Obama has proposed a major reinvestment in the Great Lakes that lays the foundation for long-term economic gains for New York by targeting funding to address the major threats facing the Lakes and keep New Yorkers working,” said Albert E. Caccese, Executive Director of Audubon New York. “As the state has stepped up and made investments in the health of the Lakes, it’s time for the federal government to do the same for this amazing natural treasure, and we urge our Congressional Delegation to be strong supporters of this proposal.”

The Obama Administration unveiled the initiative as part of its budget announcement last week and environmental groups briefed reporters on the issue today.

“Fulfilling a key campaign promise, President Obama’s Great Lakes budget provides the needed investment to create jobs, improve our economy, and restore America’s freshwater wonder,” said Dereth Glance, Executive Program Director for Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Swift Congressional action is needed for our communities to begin benefiting from Great Lakes restoration,” Glance added. 

New York’s Congressional Delegation can play an important role in funding the Great Lakes restoration and economic recovery plan, with representation on federal appropriations committees, including: Representatives Maurice D. Hinchey, Steve Israel, Nita M. Lowey and José Serrano.

A 2007 Brookings Institution report found that a $26 billion investment in the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy would create $50 billion in economic gains for the region, with a net gain of at least $24 billion from increases in tourism, the fishing industry, recreational activity and home values.

A substantial investment in the Great Lakes system’s health will create jobs and improve New Yorkers’ quality of life. The Great Lakes contain more than 18 percent of the world’s fresh surface water, and more than 90 percent of North America’s fresh surface water. Along with the St. Lawrence River, the lakes provide New Yorkers with places to swim, play, camp and fish, supply clean and low-cost hydropower, provide economic investment from the state’s tourism industry, and provide natural habitat for wildlife.

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