Environmental activists who proposed a moratorium on Great Lakes shipping last week did their cause a disservice.
The Healing Our Waters -- Great Lakes Coalition called for the moratorium because ocean-going vessels have introduced invasive species into the Great Lakes. The coalition estimates the ecological damage at $5 billion a year.
Zebra mussels are a familiar example of foreign species being accidentally transported to the Great Lakes and upsetting the ecosystem, but there are many other examples as well.
New invasive species are discovered frequently. That's because ships entering the Great Lakes, after crossing the ocean, discharge their ballast water in the lakes, releasing aquatic organisms that can damage fish and plants.
Some of the environmental group's recommendations should be heeded.
Especially considering Lake Michigan is the source of drinking water for much of the region, who can argue with reducing sewer overflows that send untreated sewage into the Great Lakes? That happens often where storm sewers and sanitary sewers are combined and treatment plants can't keep up with the demand caused by heavy rains.
Setting up facilities for treating ballast water seems sensible, too, as long as the costs are reasonable and the shippers, not the government, pay for the treatment.
But a moratorium on shipping would cause major disruption to the economy.
A shrill call for change is less acceptable than a reasoned voice. Setting a target date for changes is sensible; a moratorium is not.
Address the environmental issues, but don't shut down the ports in the meantime.
Your opinion, please
How should the problem of invasive species on the Great Lakes be addressed?
