Letter to The Honorable Dianne Feinstein and The Honorable Lamar Alexander

Letter

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is working to ensure full funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to preserve and restore the Great Lakes. In a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Feingold called for the Initiative to be fully funded, in a fiscally responsible manner, after the Obama administration proposed reducing funding for it next year. Funding for the GLRI is critical to combat aquatic invasive species, contaminated sediment, pollution, and habitat loss. There are 50 Wisconsin projects among the Great Lakes projects currently being evaluated for possible funding awards through the GLRI in the coming months.

"The health of the Great Lakes is vital to the economy and environment of Wisconsin," Feingold said. "A failure to invest now in Great Lakes restoration will jeopardize the economic benefits of a healthy Great Lakes region and result in more serious environmental degradation. A commitment to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is critical to preserving the Lakes for future generations."

Feingold has an extensive record of supporting Great Lakes restoration efforts. In 2009, Feingold successfully backed efforts to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for fiscal year 2010. Feingold is the author of the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would undo two divisive Supreme Court decisions that weakened the 1972 Clean Water Act that regulates the destruction and pollution of wetlands and streams that are critical to the health of the Great Lakes. In 2008 Feingold chaired a key hearing and helped pass the Great Lakes Compact into law, which protects the Great Lakes from increased water withdrawals. Feingold is also continuing his support of numerous efforts to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. A copy of Feingold's letter can be viewed here or below.

August 26, 2010

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Chairman

The Honorable Lamar Alexander
Ranking Member

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment
and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Feinstein and Ranking Member Alexander:

Along with being a natural treasure, the Great Lakes are vital to the economic well-being of the communities within the region. The creation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) represents an unprecedented commitment to preserve and restore the world's largest source of fresh surface water. I am writing to urge you to provide $475 million to fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2011. I greatly appreciate the Subcommittee's past support for the GLRI and hope you will continue funding for this extremely important program in fiscal year 2011.

In 2008, President Obama committed to providing $5 billion for the GLRI over ten years, which began with $475 million in full funding for fiscal year 2010. Unfortunately, the President's fiscal year 2011 budget request reduces funding for the GLRI to $300 million. While I recognize the budgetary constraints we are currently facing, and support efforts to reduce the deficit, GLRI funding is critical to combat aquatic invasive species, contaminated sediment, non-point source pollution, and habitat loss in the Great Lakes region. According to a recent Brookings Institution's report, immediately investing in Great Lakes restoration will keep costs down by preventing additional damage, and the economic significance--with at least a $2 return for each $1 invested--of a healthy Great Lakes system must not be overlooked.

I am pleased that the committee-passed Senate budget resolution includes full funding of $475 million for the GLRI. In addition to pointing out the need to address long-standing problems having a significant impact on ecosystems, such as the Great Lakes, the budget resolution notes the importance of implementing prevention strategies to address the threats posed by Asian carp to the Great Lakes economy.

Fully funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $475 million for fiscal year 2011 will allow the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies, to provide consistent financial assistance to many newly developing non-federal projects and partnerships necessary to preserve the Great Lakes for future generations. I appreciate your consideration, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with you to ensure that this funding is provided in a fiscally responsible manner.

Sincerely,

Senator Russell D. Feingold

Source