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PUBLIC WANTS PROSECUTION FOR COASTAL WETLAND
DESTRUCTION
 The public has
spoken - they want Cherry Tree Inn criminally prosecuted for
illegally grooming its “beach”. In a recent online poll conducted by
the Traverse City Record Eagle,
almost 59% of the 821 participants think Cherry Tree Inn should pay
for violating state and federal
law by bulldozing their shoreline over last year’s Thanksgiving
weekend. Given that this was a blatant
violation resulting in the complete destruction of a Great Lakes coastal wetland, the public should
want prosecution and the DEQ and Corps should enforce the violation
to the fullest extent. The DEQ
has referred the case to its criminal division and the Michigan
Attorney General for possible criminal prosecution. Michigan cannot afford to lose
more coastal wetlands. It is the duty of the DEQ and Corps to protect
the public trust and our vital natural resources. Full enforcement is
needed to ensure that such unabashed deleterious
violations do not happen in the future.
The results of
the poll are below:
Should the Cherry Tree Inn be criminally prosecuted for
illegally grooming its beach?
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RESPONSE
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VOTES
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PERCENT
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GRAPH
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Yes
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483
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58.83 %
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No
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289
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35.20 %
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|
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Not sure
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28
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3.41 %
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Don't care
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21
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2.56 %
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TOTAL
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821
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100.00 %
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..
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http://www.record-eagle.com/poll/2007.htm
CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE
Congress
has been very busy working on bills that would protect our
magnificent Great Lakes, sparkling
inland lakes, blue-ribbon trout streams, and wildlife rich
wetlands. Now your help is
needed to make these initiatives become a reality. Contact your members of Congress
and urge them to support the following bills:
Great
Lakes Implementation Act of
2007
This bill puts into practice priority
recommendations of a $20 billion Great Lakes
clean-up plan released as part of the Great Lakes Regional
Collaboration. This bill would
help stop sewage contamination, prevent invasive species
introductions, clean up toxics, and restore wetlands.
Clean Water Authority Restoration Act
The Clean Water Authority Restoration Act
would reaffirm and restore the broad scope of protection intended by
Congress to ensure our waters are restored and maintained to make
them safe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and a host of other vital
uses.
National
Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA)
NAISA provides a comprehensive approach to
preventing the introduction of more aquatic invasive species to all
waters of the United
States.
Great Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Act of 2007 and Barrier
Project Consolidation and Construction Act of 2007
This legislation authorizes the completion
of an electronic barrier to keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.
Asian Carp
Prevention and Control Act
This bill would list three species of
Asian carp – the bighead, black and silver carp – as injurious
wildlife under the Lacey Act. By doing so, Congress would prevent the
intentional introduction of these species into the Great
Lakes by prohibiting the interstate transportation or
importation of live Asian carp without a permit.
Water
Resources Development Act
This legislation authorizes a variety of
national water-related projects, including flood, storm and shoreline
protection; environmental restoration; and improvements to critical
infrastructure of the nation’s waterways and ports.
Clean
Water State Revolving Loan Fund
This bill will increase the
funding for grants to $14 billion over four years for the Clean Water
State Revolving Fund. This is an important tool
to help municipalities upgrade sewage infrastructure and prevent
sewage overflows from occurring.
Farm Bill –
Wetlands Reserve Program
One of the most successful federal wetlands conservation programs is
the Farm Bill’s Wetlands Reserve Program, which provides a voluntary,
non-regulatory, incentive-based program for private landowners,
farmers and ranchers to protect and restore the functions and values
of wetlands on their property. The program is authorized to enroll up
to 250,000 acres annually; however, at the current rate of
enrollment, WRP will cease to exist beyond 2006 unless it is
reauthorized and the acreage cap increased.
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