Great Lakes Article:

Stupak ratchets up Great Lakes discussion in US
By SooToday.com Staff
SooToday.com
Monday, June 18, 2007

NEWS RELEASE

CONGRESSMAN
BART STUPAK

1ST CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

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Stupak establishes bi-partisan water caucus

WASHINGTON - Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) announced the establishment of the bi-partisan Congressional Water Caucus.

Stupak, along with Representatives John Linder (R-Georgia), Jim Costa (D-CA), George Radanovich (R-CA) and Grace Napolitano (D-CA), will co-chair this caucus.

The caucus' goals will include promoting dialogue among Members of Congress about water quality, supply and access.

Another major goal of this new caucus will be to educate Representatives about water, providing scientific information about water resources and water use.

Stupak said that his background as a leader on Great Lakes and water issues makes him a natural fit to be co-chairman of this caucus.

"This new caucus has the potential to be a strong voice on water issues in the halls of Congress," said Stupak. "This caucus will provide another forum for me to fight to protect our Great Lakes, which are so vital to the lifestyle, recreation and economy of northern Michigan."

"Water in general, and the Great Lakes, in particular, continue to face enormous challenges," Stupak noted. "If there ever was a time to discuss the future of water in America, that time is now. It's a critical matter for our country."

Stupak has made Great Lakes and water issues among his signature priorities.

As early as the mid-1990s, Stupak helped defeat a Canadian company's plans to sell water from the Great Lakes to China.

Stupak was the first elected official to oppose drilling for oil and gas in and under the Great Lakes, a position he began publicly advocating in 1997.

He was also the first to author legislation to ban this procedure, initiating the effort that led to the U.S. Congress imposing a temporary ban on the practice.

In 2005, Stupak's years of work on the issue paid off as he achieved a major victory when a permanent federal ban on new drilling for oil and gas in and under the Great Lakes was enacted into law.

Stupak also led the fight to block a proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule change that would have allowed blended sewage to be more frequently discharged into lakes, rivers and waterways.

More recently, Stupak led a high profile congressional investigation into water contamination at the Camp Lajeune Marine base.