As an Eagle Scout for many years, I know firsthand why we must all work to strengthen conservation programs and other policies that protect our environment. As a scoutmaster, I teach Boy Scouts the principle of leaving areas better than when we found them. The Great Lakes Water Protection Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution to fulfill this pledge with one of our country’s greatest natural resources, which holds 95% of our country's surface fresh water.

An estimated 24 billion gallons of combined untreated sewage and storm water are dumped into the Great Lakes each year. This sewage contributes to hundreds of beach closure, threatens the source of drinking water for more than 30 million Americans and endangers the environmental well-being of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Additionally, there are more than 50 public Lake Michigan beaches in Illinois, and every year high levels of harmful pathogens, like E.coli, cause hundreds of beach closures and contamination advisories, costing the local economy millions of dollars. Between 2012 and 2013, Illinois Lake Michigan beaches experienced nearly 700 closures and advisories. Beach closures cost taxpayers an estimated $2.4 million annually, according to a University of Chicago study.

The Great Lakes Water Protection Act bans sewage dumping into the Great Lakes by 2035, providing clean water for future generations. This deadline gives communities the necessary time to upgrade their infrastructure and will minimize the economic impact that beach closures have on local communities every year.

In short, the Great Lakes Water Protection Act is good for both our environment and our economy.

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