michigan: we’ve got the water, and apparently it’s going to be clean

Earlier this summer, Lt. Governor John Cherry announced the launch of the Michigan Great Lakes Protection and Restoration Initiative. The initiative, we were told, would “ensure environmental integrity and support economically viable and healthy communities” by ensuring that no new aquatic invasive species (AIS) are introduced, that pollution is controlled, that good data is collected and analyzed, and that sustainable fish and wildlife processes are put into place. Now, just a few months later, we have a draft of the plan (pdf), and an invitation to contribute our thoughts at a series of public meetings to be held throughout the state of Michigan this month.

The timing apparently isn’t coincidental. According to the Capital News Service in Lansing, the idea is to have something on the desk of our new President when he takes office come January. Here’s a clip:

…According to Ben Kohrman, director of communications for Cherry, one reason for the timing of the release is to ensure a plan of action is ready when new leadership enters Washington, D.C.

“A new administration is coming into office at a critical juncture with Michigan’s economy,” said Kohrman. “This plan was designed for direct commitments from the federal levels.”

Major presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain have pledged to fund restoration of the lakes…

Those unable to attend one of the discussion sessions, are being encouraged to comment on the plan by emailing DEQ-GreatLakesRestoration@michigan.gov, calling the Office of the Great Lakes at 517-335-4056, or by sending a letter to the Office of the Great Lakes, DEQ, P.O. Box 30473-7973, Lansing, Michigan 48909.

This plan, I should mention, is not to be confused with the Great Lakes Basin Compact, which sought to limit the transfer of water from the Great Lakes to areas outside the region. That legislation, protecting 20% of the world’s fresh water from other drought-prone states – like Arizona – that shouldn’t exist anyway – was signed into law earlier this summer.

That’s right, we’ve got the water, and, soon, it’ll be clean and free of invasive species.

So, we’re not looking so dumb for living in Michigan now, are we?