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Welcome to the Great Lakes Town Hall

What is the Town Hall? Like the town meetings on which it is modeled, the Great Lakes Town Hall provides a "space" where residents from all across the Great Lakes basin can come together to share and explore what it means to be a Great Laker – from discussing common concerns and policy initiatives to sharing the unique culture and experiences of life on our Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Town Hall has two main components, The Daily Post, a short commentary added each morning by a guest writer and the Weekly Editorial, posted by one of the three Great Lakes Town Hall editors.

The Daily Post

When it comes to diverting Great Lakes water, Waukesha, Wisconsin takes the Liquid Chutzpah Award.  Now it needs the water not so much to replace radium-tainted groundwater, it needs the water to support the Milwaukee water hub initiative.

As Jim Rowen puts it, "The coalition is deflecting us from this fact: Waukesha's draft application for Lake Michigan water seeks permission to acquire far more water than it now uses - - in part to serve to large swaths of open land south and west of Waukesha's that significantly expands the size of the city."

Other recent posts by Dave Dempsey

3 days 16 hours ago

Bravo, Congressman David Obey

5 days 4 hours ago

Pills and Pollution

6 days 4 hours ago

Great Lakes Budget Proposal: Pretty Good
Weekly Editorial

A couple of things to think about this week...

...the Great Lakes Restoration Budget.

The President's FY2011 budget was released last week and it reduces funding for Great Lakes restoration from $475 million to $300 million.

Remember, President Obama had pledged $5 billion for restoration and the $475 million was considered a down payment with subsequent year funding expected at similar levels. Well, things change and the executive branch is now dealing with the practical and political realities of the deficit, and the Great Lakes don't exist in a vacuum. Thus the cut.

I'm not so concerned about the reduction to $300 million and here's why.

Poll
The shipping industry wants to do the right thing and should be allowed to continue taking voluntary measures.
0% (0 votes)
There should be a ban on oceangoing ships to stop invasive species.
36% (4 votes)
I support the Coast Guard new regulations which include setting a limit for the number of organisms per unit of ballast water.
18% (2 votes)
Other – please explain below
45% (5 votes)
Total votes: 11