Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and running mate Joe Biden committed Tuesday to protecting the Great Lakes if elected in November.
The Obama-Biden Great Lakes Restoration Plan intends to provide $5 billion in federal funds to protect and restore the freshwater lakes, establish a Great Lakes coordinator to oversee federal, state and local agencies, and ratify the Great Lakes Compact.
The compact, which was signed by Gov. Jim Doyle in May, is an eight-state agreement to regulate the use of freshwater in the Great Lakes. The U.S. Senate passed the legislation in August, but it must get approval from the U.S. House of Representatives before it can be signed into law by the president.
Doyle, who also serves as chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, praised Obama's pledge.
The Obama-Biden plan gives us in the Great Lakes states the support and change we need to grow our economy and secure our future,"" Doyle said in a statement.
Republican presidential candidate John McCain has not officially pledged funding to protect the lakes, but has previously said he supports the bipartisan legislation.
