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Global warming continues to affect the environment, only
this time the problem is the water from the lakes, which is likely to be
seriously reduced by the heat.
According to Reuters, the Great Lakes
will have to suffer from the global warming which will bring additional
problems, such as pollution, to the region’s ecosystem.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition which includes
about 100 environmental groups said Wednesday that the changes in the climate will
cause the temperatures to increase, the ice cover to melt and evaporate faster
which will make the water levels to drop by up to 3 feet (1 meter) over the
next century.
The five lakes that are responsible for 20 percent of the
world's fresh water will be also affected.
For example, last year the water levels form Lake Superior reached their lowest point in 77 years.
The Coalition report urged the U.S. Congress to pass the $20
billion restoration plan for the Great Lakes
which was initially proposed three years ago.
The plan includes repairs of sewage treatment plants, restoration
of coastal wetlands that are a natural pollutant cleaner and the stopping of
some species of fish and plants that are invasive.
These actions have to start now or the situation could get worse.
“If Congress delays in acting to curb global warming and to
restore the lakes, the problems will only get worse and the solutions more
costly,” said Jeff Skelding from the coalition, according to Reuters.
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