There's a need for federal action to fight invasive species.
Tough regulation governing infested ballast water in the hulls of freighters entering the Great Lakes from the Atlantic Ocean should be a national priority, as the Journal Sentinel notes.
Inertia and uneven legislation at the federal level and among the Great Lakes states on several water quality and quantity fronts continue to leave these waters poorly protected.
As a voter who is a registered Republican, that worked to help President Obama defeat Senator Clinton, because I believed the enclosed rehtoric of the president during the campaign, I ask Please take another look at his environmental action with ballast water vs. economic globalization before offering him support. Restoration projects although excellent, are not as good as prevention.
ReplyDeleteThis administration will not properly address ballast because it would hurt economic globalization as being the answer for our country to recover, by the lead of a communist country that is going to control the size of their middle class work force and currency, which will allow a few more American jobs, so the distribution of wealth to the select few in China can again continue. This will enable our largest employers, of retail sales people to continue to provide cheap goods.
Voters who care for the environment must remember who claimed to have "called the shots" when toxic dispersant were used experimentally for days on end, instead of immediately organizing a flotilla of collection ships. Environmental voters should also be informed that despite repeated warnings to this administration, (even posted on ocean initiatives web site) that ballast system could carry this mess, the Federal government did not bother to check ships entering Lake Pontchartrain. Oh and do not forget the inaction on Asian Carp. The idea of dilution being the solution to pollution while waiting for another study, for several conflicting government agencies and a twenty year non-transparent military purposed plan, is the way this administration has been addressing ballast water for two years, since the House passed legislation in 2008 by the outstanding vote of 395-7. This legislation would have forced mandatory instalation of technology. Mandatory instalation of technology would not only curb invasives in our country, but would also provide International Maritime Organizations sea captains a way to prevent water borne illness in countries without an infastructure to enforce the costly dangerous ineffective ocean flush as they may be more inclined to use technology. These cost would be incured by mainly foreign ships bringing foreign manufactured goods into our country, and would have led to a higher cost basis for foreign products according to a dec 2009 report for congress. Odd if the following was the presidents campaign statement when talking about trade treaties. “Similarly, we should add binding environmental standards so that companies from one
country cannot gain an economic advantage by destroying the environment.”
I guess he now fiqures economic globalization led by a communist country, with a pass, to dump polluted water will carry us on their coat tails and is best, for American independence rather than protecting our waters and creating a level playing field for American manufacturing. Sorry if this sounds rough, as I know I was hoodwinked.
Hey Don M, where is exactly are you a registered Republican?
ReplyDeleteBecause it is not in Wisconsin seeing as there is no such thing.