Support Gulf Coast restoration act

I’m a longtime volunteer, a small part of the large volunteer effort that helps restore natural areas within the DuPage County Forest Preserves. It’s fun, and rewarding. When the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill occurred in 2010, I was sure volunteers would step forward to help down there — and they did, from all over the country. Conservation groups like the National Audubon Society and others led the way. Now we have an opportunity to finish the restoration of the great national treasure which is the Gulf of Mexico.

Legislation pending in Congress (the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act) dedicates 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from BP (and other responsible parties) to both ecosystem and economic restoration of the Gulf Coast. It is easy to assume that such penalties would automatically be dedicated to rebuilding the Gulf. Yet without the RESTORE Act, this money could be directed to unrelated federal spending instead. Bipartisan polling sends a clear message: 83 percent of voters nationwide support using the oil spill penalties to restore the Mississippi River Delta and the Gulf Coast.

This legislation is the right thing to do for the people and wildlife in the Gulf Coast, who still suffer the consequences of the disaster. The RESTORE Act (an amendment to the federal Transportation bill) becomes law when Congress passes the Transportation bill and the president signs it.

Let’s join Sen. Dick Durbin, who has supported the RESTORE Act and helped lead it to the point of passage, in ensuring that the Gulf Coast gets a fair shake. If a similar disaster happened in Illinois, wouldn’t we expect the same fair shake, for our people and our wildlife?

Bob Fisher

Downers Grove