LANSING – Regional chambers of commerce from across the Midwest announced on Wednesday they were promoting a national initiative to help rebuild the region’s economy, an initiative that includes efforts to clean and maintain the Great Lakes.
The Detroit Regional Chamber is the lead group in the effort that also includes chambers from Cleveland and Chicago. In all, more than 30 local chambers of commerce and companies that employ more 94,000 people signed on to the initiative.
The initial announcement also drew praise from a number of environmental activists for its emphasis on the Great Lakes.
Among the issues the coalition cites in pushing a new agenda is improving the Midwest’s transportation infrastructure, creating both a more open and secure border with Canada and adopting a comprehensive immigration policy.
The group is also calling for diversifying the heavily industrialized area’s economy through innovation and entrepreneurship.
And it called for �??harnessing the Great Lakes economic potential.�?�
The announcement about the organization comes just a few weeks before the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago plans a seminar on revitalizing the economy in the Great Lakes area.
Mark V’Soske, president of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, said a national policy promoting the Midwest will be good for the national economy since the Midwest has one-third of the country’s population and accounts for one-third of its economic activity.
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