Groups Push Back Against Proposed Great Lakes Cuts

Environmental and conservation groups are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s proposal to cut federal funding for a Great Lakes cleanup program.

Trump’s budget would roll back funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from $300 million to $30 million.

The Obama-era cleanup program has received bipartisan support in Congress. Todd Ambs, campaign director of Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, said the president’s proposal should be “dead on arrival.”

“The budget is the same old song from last year – drastic cuts to many core Great Lakes programs and status quo funding on other programs when larger investments are needed,” said Ambs.

The group would like Congress to support full funding for the program. In addition, they’re advocating for funding to repair drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, policies to prevent the spread of Asian carp and other invasive species, as well as farm conservation programs under the Farm Bill.

Members of Congress have already voiced support for a continuation of funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, including U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

The co-chairs of the House and Senate Great Lakes Task Forces released the following statement in response to the proposed cuts:

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. 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.

According to the Great Lakes Commission, the program funded more than 400 projects during the 2016 fiscal year to a tune of $331 million.

“Investments in the Great Lakes are an investment in the future of Wisconsin’s economy. Rather than supporting the progress towns and cities across Wisconsin are making, President Trump’s budget would stall this effort,” said Baldwin in a news release. “We already know GLRI is a critical program for our region, the health of our communities, and the protection of our clean water resources. I will continue to do my part and fight for this important program so we can continue our progress investing in the Great Lakes economy.”

Trump is requesting $5.4 billion in funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is roughly $3 billion less than in 2017. However, the president’s proposal adds $327 million back in the budget to address the cleanup of contaminated sites on the National Priorities List. Almost $400 million would also go toward state and tribal assistance grants, as well as state revolving loan funds for drinking water.