U.S. House bill extends, increases funding for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – News-Herald.com

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that will extend the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for another five years and increase its funding.

The program gives federal funds to the eight-state Great Lakes region for projects that have removed toxic wastes from industrial harbors, fought invasive species such as Asian carp, restored wildlife habitat and supported efforts to prevent harmful algal blooms.

The current program is set to expire in 2021. The bill that passed the House extends the life of the program until 2026. The bill also increases the current funding level from $300 million to $375 million in 2022 and increases funding by $25 million per year until it reaches $475 million in 2026.

The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

The bill's passage was applauded by members of the House Great Lakes Task Force, whose co-chairs include Reps. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, and Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge Township.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative meets an enormous unmet need for our region and the millions of people who depend on the Great Lakes for their drinking water, work and leisure, Kaptur said in a statement. The Great Lakes are among our planets greatest gifts. They provide our nation with 90% of our fresh surface water, are home to thousands of plants and animals, and generate over $60 billion in wages every year. Put simply, our Great Lakes cannot be replaced they must be protected and deserve robust federal investment. The GLRI has brought to bear resources, expertise, and stakeholders from across the local, state, and federal governments to advance restoration activities.

Joyce thanked those who worked across party lines to ensure its passage this evening so that we can protect the invaluable natural resource and economic powerhouse that is the Great Lakes system.

This legislation is a great example of the progress we can make when we work together to address the issues facing our communities, he said in a statement.

Kaptur added that the increased investment provided in the bills passage offers an opportunity to get the GLRI back to the funding levels originally envisioned when the program was funded in (2010).

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who serves on the Senate Great Lakes Taskforce, said the GLRI has been a successful public-private partnership thats helping to address the greatest threats to the lakes.

Despite the programs success, there is more work to be done, Portman said in a statement. Lake Erie supports fishing and tourism industries totaling over $10 billion and is a top tourist destination in Ohio. With more than 10 million people depending on Lake Erie for their drinking water and hundreds of thousands of Ohioans depending upon the lake for jobs, we must continue to protect our Great Lakes for the economic and environmental well-being of our region.

View original post here:
U.S. House bill extends, increases funding for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - News-Herald.com