The Great Lakes are one of the world’s most important natural resources. As co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, Senator Levin has worked tirelessly to protect and clean up our lakes.

The Great Lakes face many challenges. Over many years, the Great Lakes and their tributaries have been polluted by industrial discharges, PCBs, heavy metals, and other toxic substances. Contaminated sediments that have settled at the bottom of harbors and tributaries must be cleaned up quickly, before they move into the open waters of the Great Lakes. Additionally, over 160 non-native species, including the zebra mussel, Eurasian ruffe, and lamprey eels, have invaded the Great Lakes watershed and disrupted the native wildlife, competing with native species for food and habitat. Fighting these invasive species has proven to be a significant economic drain — every year, the Great Lakes region spends $30 million to keep water pipes from becoming clogged with zebra mussels.

That’s why Carl has fought for funding to restore the health of the Great Lakes and has worked to unite interested parties to develop a comprehensive restoration plan. Carl introduced the Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act in April 2006 to reduce the threat of invasive species, restore fish and wildlife, clean up contaminated sediments in the lakes, and coordinate water quality management.

To help reduce the damage caused by invasive species, he also introduced the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act in 2005 to prevent future invasions of non-native species into the Great Lakes. He cosponsored the Great Lakes Legacy Act in 2002, which was signed into law, to provide the Environmental Protection Agency as much as $54 million to clean up contaminated sediments.