U. of Wisc. photo
Depending on where you live, the Great Lakes may seem far from local.
But they hold 84 percent of the freshwater in North America. So if you ever get thirsty, you might want to pay attention.
President Barack Obama has proposed $475 million in funding for a Great Lakes restoration in his Fiscal Year 2010 budget. It would be a downpayment on a $5 billion campaign promise.