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• The
Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (GLRC Strategy) is
a $26 billion federal-state plan for cleaning and preserving the
Great Lakes that will produce economic benefits well in excess
of its costs.
• The GLRC Strategy estimates the present-value
economic benefits from implementing the Strategy recommendations
at more than $50 billion in long-term benefits; and between $30
to $50 billion in short term multiplier benefits. (The total of
these two benefits equals approximately $80 - $100 billion that
would have a direct impact on the overall economy in the Great
Lakes region.) 
• The GLRC Strategy was called for by an
Executive Order from President Bush, and involved more than 1,500
individuals, eight strategy teams, federal agencies, state, local
and tribal government officials and private sector stakeholders.
• The
GLRC Strategy’s eight teams focused on particular subject
areas including: enhancing coastal health; treating areas of concern;
reducing non-point contamination sources; dealing with toxic pollutants;
preserving habitats and enhancing conservation; addressing aquatic
invasive species; developing a system of indicators and information;
and assuring sustainable development.
• The GLRC Strategy
aims to protect and restore existing wetlands in both urban and
rural areas so that all water bodies across the Great Lakes region
function as healthy ecosystems. Achieving these objectives will
involve: restoring wetlands, creating buffer areas in urban and
suburban areas; supporting the development and implementation of
comprehensive nutrient and manure management on livestock farms;
and achieving hydrological improvements in urban watersheds.
• The
Great Lakes and its waterways offer tremendous
opportunity for reinvigorating the economy of the region and boosting the competitiveness
of the nation as a whole. Federal policy makers should be urged
to fully fund implementation of the GLRC Strategy now, before the
price tag for this effort grows even more.
• Federal policy
makers need to understand the economic significance of Great Lakes
restoration and that by enacting legislation they can deliver important
economic benefits to both the regional and national economies
• Federal,
state, local and tribal policy makers need to work together to
support the lakes potential as a major resource in development
of freshwater protection, treatment and energy conservation technologies
into the 21st century and beyond.
(Information included here is from the report, “Healthy
Waters, Strong Economy: The Benefits of Restoring the Great Lakes
Ecosystem,”, by J.C. Austin, S. Anderson, P.N. Courant,
R.E. Litan, Sept. 2007, The Brookings Institution – Great
Lakes Economic Initiative.)
Download
a PDF version of this fact sheet »
Questions? Call Liz
Walsh at (608) 251-9131 x12 or email liz [at] gatheringwaters.org.
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