Bipartisan Group Criticizes Great Lakes Restoration Cuts

A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives are lobbying against proposed deep cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. 

The Co-Chairs of the House Great Lakes Task Force, Congressman Bill Huizenga, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Congressman Sean Duffy and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter and Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition Co-Chairs, Congressman David P. Joyce and Rick Nolan, released the following statement after President Trump introduced his budget proposal cutting the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by 90%, from $300 million to $30 million.

“The bipartisan Great Lakes delegation is united in its support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative which has made so much progress in cleaning up the largest surface freshwater system in the world,” said the Co-Chairs.

“Much work remains, however, to deal with both the legacy pollutants as well as the new threats of harmful algal blooms and invasive species like Asian carp. Therefore, we were all very disappointed to see that the President’s budget once again fails to recognize the value of GLRI and the importance of the Lakes to our region. We look forward to working together, once again, to provide necessary funding for the health and safety of our Great Lakes.”

The House Great Lakes Task Force is a bipartisan group that works across the Great Lakes region to ensure the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes.