| Apr 22 2010 | Dold: Action Needed to Protect Great Lakes Beaches and WaterPosted by: Chicago GOP on Apr 22, 2010 Tagged in: Untagged |  |
Pledges to Lead in Congress to Keep the Great Lakes Clean
Today, Illinois 10th District Republican Congressional candidate Robert Dold, Wilmette Mayor Chris Canning and "Below the Surface" Founder Kristian Gustavson joined together at Gillson Beach to highlight their commitment to protecting the health of the Great Lakes.
According to a recent Alliance for the Great Lakes report, 413 million gallons of combined storm water and sewage were sent through the locks into Lake Michigan in 2009. More than 11 billion gallons were released into the Lake in 2008. Thirteen percent of Great Lakes beach samples violated public health standards for safe swimming in 2008 due to high E. coli levels – more than twice the national average.
"When elected to Congress I will be a leader working to keep the Great Lakes – our crown jewel of the Midwest – clean and safe," said Dold. "More than 30 million people use the Great Lakes for recreational purposes and drinking water each year. I will ensure that we can continue to enjoy the benefits of this area's most treasured natural resource."
Dold proposed increasing the fines for dumping sewage into the lake. The money would then go into a fund to help clean and monitor the health of the Great Lakes.
Dold spent the morning celebrating Earth Day by cleaning up the nearby beach with volunteers. Dold also later visited with Central Elementary School students from Wilmette while they released trout into Lake Michigan to help combat the declining trout population.
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