Reps. Palmer, Brandenburg, Garfield, Accavitti, Acciavatti, Adamini, Bieda, Caswell, Daniels, Ehardt, Farhat, Farrah, Gieleghem, Gillard, Gleason, Hager, Hardman, Jamnick, Koetje, Kooiman, Law, Meyer, Minore, Pappageorge, Pastor, Richardville, Rivet, Sak, Sheltrown, Shulman, Spade, Stakoe, Stewart, Tabor, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Vander Veen, Voorhees, Waters, Wojno, Woodward and Phillips offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 63.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to increase efforts to preserve and protect Lake St. Clair.

            Whereas, Lake St. Clair is an essential component of the network that comprises the world's largest source of accessible freshwater.  Often referred to as the "Heart of the Great Lakes" for its unique importance, location, and shape, Lake St. Clair is an immeasurable resource to the region's economy, ecology, health, and recreation; and

            Whereas, Lake St. Clair provides the drinking water for 2.3 million people, produces one-third of all fish caught on the Great Lakes, and includes some of the most important ecosystem along the Great Lakes basin; and

            Whereas, Several key federal acts, including the Great Lakes Fishery Act of 1956, the Clean Water Act of 1978, the Great Lakes Shoreline Mapping Act of 1987, the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, and the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, include Lake St. Clair in the definition of the Great Lakes for the purpose of programs and grants; and

            Whereas, Lake St. Clair also received special attention in the Water Resources Development Act of 1999, which directed the Secretary of the Army to prepare a comprehensive management plan for Lake St. Clair, a first draft of which is scheduled for release in 2003; and

            Whereas, In spite of its critical role, Lake St. Clair has been subject to several serious environmental problems in recent years.  These have ranged from beach closings due to faulty sewage and septic systems, combined sewer overflows, toxic contamination, and the impact of invasive species; and

            Whereas, Lake St. Clair will benefit from the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002, which provides funds to monitor and clean up contaminated sediments in the Great Lakes Areas of Concern, including the St. Clair River and Clinton River watersheds, which are adjacent to Lake St. Clair; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to increase efforts to preserve and protect Lake St. Clair; 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.