Benefits of cleaning Great Lakes cited; $26 billion plan would
bring in more, experts say By Dan Egan Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel Sept. 6, 2007 - A road map to restore the Great Lakes
has been circulating in Congress for nearly two years, but so
far lawmakers have largely balked at the route. Money is a big
reason. Twenty-six billion dollars is the estimated cost to
clean up the lakes' toxic messes, cork the chronic sewer
overflows, restore trashed wetlands and stem the onslaught of
invasive species, among other things. But an independent panel
of economic experts said Wednesday that the restoration plan
shouldn't be viewed as an expense, but as an economic
opportunity. They maintain that fixing the world's largest
freshwater system would create an estimated $50 billion in long-
term economic benefits. The reason: Healthy waters are not only
good for the people and wildlife that depend on them. In this
increasingly thirsty world, they are also good at attracting
investment. "These restoration activities are not