HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2017.05.10 - 22912MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #17 11 9
BY: Commissioners Gary McGillivray, District #20; David Woodward, District #19; Marcia Gershenson,
District #13; Helaine Zack, District #18; Janet Jackson, District #21; Nancy Quarles, District #17; David
Bowman, District #10
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — OPPOSING PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP'S PROPOSED
REDUCTIONS TO FUNDING PROVIDED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR
GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the Great Lakes are a cherished resource for our nation, they comprise the largest freshwater
system on Earth, holding roughly 18 percent of the world's fresh water supply and 84% of all surface
freshwater in North America; and
WHEREAS the Great Lakes basin includes eight states having an impact on more than 35 million people
in the United States and Canada; and
WHEREAS building on years of research, monitoring and planning the Great Lakes region came together
in 2005 and developed the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to restore and protect the Great
Lakes; and
WHEREAS the Strategy was developed with input from more than 1,500 stakeholders and identifies
priorities, defines problems, outlines solutions, and provides clear goals and objectives for measuring
progress in cleaning up the Great Lakes; and
WHEREAS the Brookings Institution estimated that by implementing the Great Lakes Regional
Collaboration Strategy would generate $50 billion in long-term benefits; and
WHEREAS the Environmental Protection Agency launched the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative ("GLRI")
with broad public support in 2010; and
WHEREAS Since 2010, Congress has provided more than $2.2 billion in funding to GLRI to promote the
cleanup of toxic hotspots, prevent the spread of invasive species, curb the growth of harmful algae
blooms, and promote the overall well-being of the Great Lakes; and
WHEREAS the Brookings Institution report shows that every $1 invested in the Great Lakes restoration
will result in a $2 return in the form of increase fishing, tourism and home values; and
WHEREAS the Great Lakes are an economic driver that supports jobs, commerce, agriculture,
transportation, and tourism for millions of people across the country; and
WHEREAS a study conducted by the University of Michigan concluded that more than 1.5 million jobs are
directly connected to the Great Lakes, generating $62 billion in wages every year; and
WHEREAS President Donald J. Trump's 2018 budget proposal calls for cutting the federal allocation to
the Environmental Protection Agency by 31% and irresponsibly cutting funding to the GLRI by 97% from
$300 million to $10 million; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners feel that by drastically cutting GLRI funding
would only result in a short-sighted, short-term cost saving measure with long-term implications to the
region; and
WHEREAS since 2010, the GLRI has funding more than $3.6 million for restoration initiatives within
Oakland County.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
opposes the proposed reductions in the funding provided to the Environmental Protection Agency for
Great Lakes protection and fully supports the restoration of funding to the Great Lakes Restoration
Initiative.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Oakland County Board of Commissioners encourages all
organizations, private and public, that support the health of the Great Lakes to undertake activities to
remedy proposed funding cuts that will significantly damage the economic and environmental well-being
of the Great Lakes Region.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward
copies of this adopted resolution to the President of the United States, Prime Minister of Canada, the
Premier of Ontario, Canada's Federal Minister of the Environment, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the
United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, the
Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Commanding General and Chief
of Engineers of the US Army Corp of Engineers, the Governor of the State of Michigan, the State Senate
Majority and Minority leaders, the State House Speaker and Minority leader, the Director of the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, the members of the Oakland County delegation to the Michigan
Legislature, the Michigan Association of Counties, the Macomb County Executive, the Wayne County
Executive, the Mayor of the City of Detroit.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing Resoluti
Commissioner David Woodward
District #19
Con5imTssionr Ilia r6v\CFLia des
District #17
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n1011, missioner Jane son
District #21
Commissioner David Bowman
District #10
Resolution #17119 May 10, 2017
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections