Great Lakes Report Highlights Michigan's Successful Strides Toward Protection, Restoration

Press Release

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the release of the 2010 State of the Great Lakes Annual Report which highlights the many successful efforts to protect and restore Michigan's most valuable resource - the Great Lakes.

"This report details the progress we've made in protecting the Great Lakes," Granholm said. "We have to be eternally vigilant to ensure that the Great Lakes remain great. With a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem, Michigan will continue to be a destination for commerce and recreation."

The 2010 annual report focuses on on-the-ground efforts to protect and restore the four lakes that border Michigan: Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. Funding from the new federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and other programs, such as the Michigan Coastal Management Program, are enabling Michigan to make tremendous advancement toward implementation of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy and the MI-Great Lakes Plan. Over $80 million has been awarded to-date under the 2010 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for more than 140 projects across the state.

In her 2004 Special Message to the Legislature on Water, the governor laid out a broad agenda and called for the legislature to work with the administration on a bipartisan basis in reclaiming Michigan's historic role as protector of the Great Lakes and our water resources. The report demonstrates that great strides have been made in finding bipartisan agreement with support from business, environmental and conservation groups. These efforts include development and implementation of new water withdrawal laws, aggressively working to prevent new introductions of invasive species such as the Asian carp, and building strong partnerships and collaborations through development and implementation of regional and state strategies for protection and restoration efforts.

Ken DeBeaussaert, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment's Office of the Great Lakes, stressed the importance of federal, state and local partnerships in advancing restoration efforts. "All across Michigan, there are countless unsung heroes working daily in professional and volunteer capacities to restore the Great Lakes and protect our waters," DeBeaussaert said. The State of the Great Lakes Annual Report is prepared by the Office of the Great Lakes. To download a PDF of the 2010 State of the Great Lakes Report, visit www.michigan.gov/dnregreatlakes.

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