Rep. Sak offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 385.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act.

            Whereas, Toxic hot spots created from past industrial and other activities continue to plague the Great Lakes and associated fish and wildlife decades later. In particular, contaminated sediments prevent the full use and enjoyment of the 30 remaining Areas of Concern (AOCs) designated within U.S. waters, including 14 areas within Michigan waters. To protect the public health, contamination necessitates limitations on eating fish, swimming, and drinking water in one of our nation's natural treasures; and

            Whereas, The Great Lakes Legacy Act provided vital federal support to clean up the Areas of Concern over the last five years. Using approximately $126.5 million in federal funding to match state and local dollars, nearly 800,000 cubic yards of heavily contaminated sediments were removed from sites within five Areas of Concern, including three within Michigan. These actions facilitated the restoration of these waters to productive habitat and use. However, as much as 75 million cubic yards of contaminated sediments at 75 sites within Areas of Concern still require cleanup; and

            Whereas, The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 (S. 2994) would continue this successful program to restore the Great Lakes to their full grandeur. As recommended in the recent collaborative strategy to restore and protect the Great Lakes, the act would extend the current authorization for cleanup funding for an additional 5 years, triple the dollars that could be appropriated to $150 million per year, and provide greater flexibility to use the funding. At this funding level, great strides would be made to achieve the goal of cleaning up all known contaminated sediments in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern by 2020; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.