Brown Announces $1 Billion Investment in Great Lakes Restoration

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) applauded the announcement from the Biden administration that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will invest $1 billion in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to clean up and restore the Great Lakes. This funding was allocated as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Brown helped to write and pass. This investment will accelerate cleanup at locations known as Areas of Concern (AOCs). In Ohio, this means increased restoration work in the Maumee, Black, and Cuyahoga Rivers which, due to a long history of industrial and agricultural industry use, were declared AOCs decades ago. The bipartisan infrastructure investment will mean the Black, Cuyahoga and Maumee rivers are expected to be rehabilitated and removed as AOCs by 2030.

"Lake Erie provides drinking water for 11 million people. We must do all we can to keep it healthy for them, and for the businesses, families, boaters, and anglers that rely on the lake," said Senator Brown. "Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and funding we secured for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we are continuing one of our most successful environmental programs. Today's announcement is a historic commitment to our communities and ensures the continued renewal and protection of Lake Erie and its tributaries for today and for the next generation."

For years, Brown has worked to secure important wins for Lake Erie through his longtime support for the Great Lakes Restoration, conservation and clean water programs and by speaking out against harmful proposals that threaten the health of Lake Erie.

Brown secured $1 billion for the GLRI in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Biden in November. Funding will provide resources to communities to address the most serious issues that threaten the ecological and economic wellbeing of the Great Lakes basin, including invasive species, pollution, and toxic contamination. The infrastructure investment also includes an additional $54 billion in clean water and drinking water funding that will replace lead service lines, eliminate combined sewage overflows, and ensure safe drinking water.

Brown spoke out against President Trump's 2021 budget, which would have cut USDA conservation programs that help improve water quality in Lake Erie. Brown and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) worked together to ensure GLRI was not only reinstated but also fully funded after President Trump proposed eliminating the program in 2018.

Brown was also able to include several provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill to protect Lake Erie and Ohio Waterways. The final bill includes provisions from Brown's bipartisan Give Our Resources the Opportunity to Work (GROW) Act, which will better utilize existing federal conservation programs to protect waterways and expand access to quality farmland.

Brown helped to establish the Regional Conservation Partnership Program in the 2014 Farm Bill which created voluntary partnerships between agricultural and conservation groups aimed at helping farmers improve soil health, protect water quality, and restore wildlife habitats. This program has resulted in numerous innovative conservation practices that are reducing runoff into Lake Erie.

Source