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In: Agricultural runoff

Large livestock operations, known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), generate billions of gallons of manure and wastewater each year. Without strong safeguards, this waste pollutes rivers, fuels toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie, and drives up costs for communities that depend on clean drinking water. 

On August 8, 2025, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) held a public hearing on the state’s 2020 CAFO General Permit — the rules that set limits on how these facilities manage their waste. Unlike wastewater treatment plants, which are strictly regulated, agriculture remains largely unregulated. The 2020 permit included new protections to better control pollution, but implementation has been delayed due to challenges from industrial farming groups. 

“States have historically relied on voluntary best management practices to reduce runoff, but this approach has not been effective,” said Angela Blatt, Senior Agriculture Policy Manager at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. In 2015, the U.S. and Canadian governments set a goal to reduce total phosphorus entering the Western Lake Erie Basin by 40% by 2025, in an effort to curb harmful algal blooms and improve water quality. Nearly a decade later, this goal has not been met, despite hundreds of millions of dollars in public investment. “We cannot continue to rely on voluntary measures alone,” said Blatt. “The current strategy is both environmentally and financially unsustainable.” 

Blatt’s testimony underscored the need for Michigan to adopt stronger protections — including limits on winter manure applications, safeguards for watersheds already struggling with pollution, and greater transparency in waste transfers. Without these changes, Michigan will continue to miss its phosphorus reduction goals for Lake Erie, leaving communities and ratepayers to bear the cost of polluted water. 

“Without accountability and performance measurement, voluntary practices too often fail to deliver real results on the ground. Stronger, enforceable rules are the only way to reach our clean water goals,” said Blatt. 

Looking Ahead 

The Alliance for the Great Lakes will continue working with partners, regulators, and communities to push for stronger, science-based action on agricultural pollution. The Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 40 million people. Protecting them means moving beyond voluntary measures and ensuring everyone — including large agricultural operations — does their part. 

The post Stronger Oversight Needed to Reduce Agricultural Pollution  appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2025/08/stronger-oversight-needed-to-reduce-agricultural-pollution/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Combined sewer overflows, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Lead service lines
Donald Jodrey headshot.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

On July 4th, President Donald Trump signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” or “OBBBA.” Now that OBBBA is law, the focus in Congress turns to funding the government and passing legislation that is required to renew, or “reauthorize,” federal programs in the new fiscal year that starts October 1st.  

On the funding side, the President’s proposed budget recommends deep cuts that would threaten the health of the Great Lakes and the people who depend on them. Congressional Republicans are unlikely to accept the full cuts, as some in their leadership have spoken out against some of the proposals, but important funding is still likely to be scaled back. Among the cuts would be funding to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows from entering our lakes and people’s homes. 

On the fight to reauthorize key programs, there are some potentially positive signs, though some of the renewed programs may end up with less funding. Programs up for reauthorization cover fisheries management, water infrastructure, managing invasive carp, and on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hot spots. 

At the Alliance, we’re following these developments closely and working to ensure that federal programs and policies protect and restore the clean, fresh water of the Great Lakes in a manner that promotes a sustainable economy and environment for Great Lakes residents. 

The administration’s budget proposal threatens the Great Lakes, our public health, and our environment 

The first order of business is Congressional action on the 12 annual spending bills that Congress must enact before the end of September, when the new fiscal year begins and current government funding runs out.    

The FY 2026 President’s Budget that was submitted to Congress this spring proposes sweeping cuts to many federal agencies that significantly reduce domestic discretionary spending. For the Great Lakes, the proposed cuts risk the health of residents who rely upon the lakes as a source of drinking water because the budget proposes to eliminate nearly all of the $3 billion in water infrastructure funding that is provided annually to states. These steep cuts would make it difficult for Great Lakes states to address water infrastructure backlogs, replace lead service lines, address contaminant issues such as PFAS, and provide principal forgiveness for disadvantaged communities that struggle to construct expensive drinking and wastewater infrastructure because they may lack the tax base to do so. These are just a few of the problems with proposing to eliminate nearly $3 billion in annual federal funding that supports water infrastructure needs nationally. Information gathered by the Environmental Protection Agency indicates that the national backlog of water infrastructure needs is growing, not diminishing, over the next 20 years.  

Although Congressional Republicans solidly supported the President in passing OBBBA, Congressional Republicans are unlikely to accept the proposed FY 2026 proposed budget cuts, as key Republicans in leadership positions have spoken out against some of the proposed cuts. As a result, on the House side where the individual appropriations subcommittees have begun to “mark up” the annual spending bills, the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee did not agree with the Administration to eliminate water infrastructure funds to states for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (“SRFs”).   

Notwithstanding this opposition to the Administration’s proposal, they did propose significant cuts totaling $661.9 million, or approximately 24%, of the funds for the nation’s primary source of water infrastructure funding. This means that the Great Lakes States will collectively lose $137.1 million. This loss is ameliorated by the fact that some Members of Congress from Great Lakes states pursued “Community Project Funding” where they directed funds from within these large federal appropriations to water infrastructure projects in their districts. If a Member of Congress secured such community-specific funding, the overall loss to their state is less than it would have been. The 24% cut to water infrastructure funding combined with the Community Project Funding would result in the following changes to water infrastructure funding compared to last year: 

StateChange in federal water infrastructure funding
Illinois + $800,000
Indiana – $20,200,000
Michigan – $2,100,000
Minnesota + $28,800,000
New York– $53,200,000
Ohio – $23,500,000
Pennsylvania– $34,200,000
Wisconsin – $33,500,000

Although House Republicans are not fully embracing the Administration’s proposed cuts to water infrastructure funding, SRF funding to states under the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee mark-up is less than last year, which is problematic for the reasons discussed above.

Similarly, Congressional Republicans on the House side are also not accepting the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (“NOAA”) Office of Atmospheric Research, which funds numerous research facilities around the country and also in the Great Lakes, including the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (“GLERL”) in Ann Arbor, MI and the related research organization housed there known as the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research or “CIGLR.” CIGLR is a public-private partnership of 10 research universities throughout the region, non-governmental organizations, and local governmental partners who tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the Great Lakes. These challenges include the monitoring of harmful algal blooms, or “HABs,” which are produced by agricultural runoff. CIGLR monitors HAB outbreaks, which occur during the summer months, to ensure that the Great Lakes drinking water in areas affected by HABs is safe to drink and to protect swimmers and fishermen from the effects of HABs – which can be fatal. Although the details are not yet available, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science marked up its bill this week and proposes to only decrease NOAA’s Office of Atmospheric Research by $257 million, which leaves intact most of these functions. We have yet to determine whether GLERL or CIGLR is fully funded and able to maintain the functions it provides to Great Lakes States. 

On the other side of the Capitol, the Senate has only started its process to develop the 12 annual spending bills and two senior Senators, Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine (who voted against OBBBA) and Interior Appropriations Chair Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have expressed doubts about supporting the Administration’s proposed cuts. The Senate’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science has begun to consider its bill funding NOAA programs, but halted its markup this week where it added back approximately $650 million for NOAA’s Office of Atmospheric Research. No further details are available on the Senate markup as it is not complete, but Senate Republicans are also not fully on board with the Administration’s funding proposals. 

Although there is a great deal of uncertainty over how Congress will resolve its differences with the Administration on the FY 2026 budget, and the Congress must also consider a package of “rescissions” recently proposed by the Administration (canceling prior year spending), it is clear that the House and Senate are unlikely to pass any of the individual spending bills before Congress recesses in August. After Labor Day, Congress will devote its time to issues associated with enacting a budget for FY 2026 that begins on October 1st. Given this attenuated schedule, it is possible that there will be one or more continuing resolutions for FY 2026 which just extend current levels of annual funding for a period of time. We will closely monitor these developments and let you know how the annual funding process is unfolding. 

Bipartisan support for continuing Great Lakes programs

With respect to other legislative issues affecting the Great Lakes, including reauthorization for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, reauthorization for the Great Lakes Fishery Reauthorization Act, reauthorization for the Clean Water Act’s State Revolving Funds, and the implementation of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project in Joliet, Illinois, that is intended to halt invasive carp from getting into Lake Michigan, there are some positive developments. 

First, President Trump has publicly announced his support for both the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (or “GLRI”) as well as the Brandon Road Project. For GLRI, which the Administration proposes to fund at last year’s enacted level, the bipartisan reauthorization bill, which has been reintroduced in both the House and Senate, has attracted numerous bipartisan cosponsors and is likely to pass during this session of Congress, which ends in 2026. We are working closely with a bipartisan group of Great Lakes Members of Congress to ensure that the bill moves through both the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, passes the House and Senate, and becomes law. 

For the Brandon Road Project, President Trump issued a memorandum earlier this year directing federal agencies to move expeditiously to implement the project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”), which initiated project construction in late 2024, is doing just that. All contracts for the first phase of project construction are issued, and work is well underway. The Corps is working diligently with its local partners, the States of Illinois and Michigan, to get ready for the next phase of construction (slated to begin in the fall of 2026), which requires an additional transfer of lands from the State of Illinois to the Corps. This land transfer is scheduled to occur before September 2025 so that the Corps may begin site testing and preparation of these lands and remediation of any contamination as necessary. No additional federal funding is needed until FY 2027, and the project is on track thanks to the diligent work of the States of Illinois and Michigan and the Corps. 

Other legislative reauthorizations are moving, with the schedule largely dictated by the Administration’s transition, which is unprecedented in scope in terms of actions that affect federal agency budgets, staffing, regulations and policy, as well as judicial review. At the Alliance, we work to stay on top of these changes and to inform and educate decision-makers on the effects of proposed actions. As another source of good news, the Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act just passed the House this week and may now be considered by the Senate. Work is also underway among authorizing staff to prepare for the reauthorization of the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which must be reauthorized by the end of 2026; we are working that issue as well. 

We will continue working on all these issues as they move through Congress. We are hopeful that the Administration’s support for both GLRI and Brandon Road, and the awareness of how numerous federal programs support the Great Lakes and its people, will result in final actions on funding and legislating that protect the Great Lakes. 

If you have any concerns about proposals and actions in the federal legislative or executive branch that are being considered, we encourage you to contact your Congressional representative to express your views using the action alert below.

Tell Congress: Don’t Cut Critical Great Lakes Programs

Congress is considering budget proposals that could devastate our nation’s ability to protect the Great Lakes, public health, and our regional economy.

Take Action

The post Critical Months Ahead for the Great Lakes in Congress  appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2025/07/critical-months-ahead-for-the-great-lakes-in-congress/

tfazzini

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Combined sewer overflows, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Lead service lines
Donald Jodrey headshot.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

The Trump Administration’s proposed FY 2026 President’s Budget slashes federal non-defense spending and proposes steep cuts to federal programs that protect and restore the Great Lakes and the communities that depend on them.  

The White House proposal to cut federal funding threatens Great Lakes residents, putting their health and economic security at risk by defunding water infrastructure programs, important research and observation programs, and efforts to assist communities overburdened from pollution. At the top of the list is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“U.S. EPA”), with a proposed overall cut of 55% that would gut key water infrastructure programs that help pay for safe and clean drinking water, and stop sewage overflows, flooding, and basement backups. Also on the chopping block are the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (-19%), the Interior Department (including the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Geologic Survey, -31%), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (-18%), all of which play key roles in restoring and protecting the Great Lakes through action on the ground and robust scientific research. Taken together, the White House proposal to gut federal funding not only threatens the Great Lakes but also sets up a showdown with Congress, which must decide whether to protect core funding for the programs it created or go along with the President’s proposed deep-cut budget. 

With water infrastructure needs growing, budget drastically cuts funding

Under this budget, U.S. EPA would abdicate a large portion of its federal responsibility and partnership with the states as set forth by Congress in both the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. And it comes at a time when water infrastructure needs are growing fast. Based on its 2023 Drinking Water Needs Information and Assessment Survey and its 2022 Clean Water Needs Survey, U.S. EPA estimates that Great Lakes states need at least $290.3 billion in water infrastructure investment over the next twenty years. Against this need, the proposed budget would decimate federal funding levels for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (“SRFs”) – the primary federal program for funding and financing water infrastructure projects – by nearly 90%. Such cuts threaten to destabilize states and communities struggling to ensure safe drinking water and protections from flooding and sewage. The Great Lakes states would see the following decreases in federal funding for water infrastructure programs: 

StateDecrease in federal water infrastructure funding
Illinois – $94.6 million 
Indiana – $57.5 million
Michigan – $84.1 million
Minnesota – $41.2 million
New York– $204.2 million
Ohio – $102.9 million
Pennsylvania– $89.2 million
Wisconsin – $55.6 million

While the states have built up funding in their state-administered SRFs since Congress established these programs, the states cannot meet the estimated water infrastructure needs on their own. The proposed budget ignores that federal funding plays key roles in state-administered SRFs. States rely heavily on federal funding to provide principal forgiveness or grant funding to disadvantaged communities that struggle to afford standard awards. States also use federal funding to help pay for staffing and technical assistance to communities, and to supplement repayable loan awards. U.S. EPA plays a key role in administering SRF funding, including assessing infrastructure needs on a regular basis to make sure funding goes to the states proportional to the need, and ensuring drinking water, stormwater, and sanitary system operators comply with standards that keep us and our waters safe. The White House’s blithe explanation that it is returning control of these programs to the states ignores the important federal partnership that has been underway since Congress first established these programs decades ago.  

Cuts threaten programs that protect Great Lakes from algal blooms, invasive species, and more

The administration’s budget also proposes a $1 billion reduction in EPA’s categorical grants. These programs support state efforts to implement Clean Water Act regulations, reduce lead in drinking water, reduce sources of non-point source pollution that fuels harmful algal blooms, assist small and disadvantaged communities struggling to implement water infrastructure programs, and develop a water workforce. Like the proposed reductions to the SRFs, the proposal to nearly eliminate all categorical grants upends important federalism goals for programs Congress established to deal with specific needs. 

As noted above, the budget also includes steep cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Interior Department (the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geologic Survey and the National Park Service), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These cuts threaten the restoration of the Great Lakes by decreasing our ability to conduct scientific investigations, address runoff pollution and harmful algal blooms that threaten our drinking water, control invasive species to protect our fisheries, and protect national parks in the region. 

The cuts in the administration’s proposal would threaten the quality of the drinking water relied on by more than 30 million Americans in the Great Lakes region. The cuts would defer and delay action to stop sewage backups into homes and surface waters, replace failing septic systems, and solve chronic flooding. Access to safe and clean drinking water and freedom from flooding and sewage impacts are basic needs that should be guaranteed to all citizens and communities across the Great Lakes. 

Will Congress agree to such steep cuts?

The big question is whether Congress will agree to such steep reductions. The answer is unclear and, in some cases, such as the proposed $3.4 billion proposed cuts to water infrastructure programs, the answer may be a hard no. 

Just last week, in a display of bipartisan unity, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, under the leadership of Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), held its first hearing on water infrastructure funding with the goal of finalizing a bipartisan water infrastructure package that would reauthorize both the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds, as well as other water infrastructure grant programs like the Water Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act program. Sen. Capito, who played a leading role in negotiating the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) with its $50 billion investment in water infrastructure, extolled the federalism virtues of the SRFs and the important role they played in assisting states with meeting their water infrastructure needs and providing water services to underserved communities. Senator Capito, and the other senators attending the hearing including Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Senator Angela Alsobooks (D-MD) all praised the IIJA water infrastructure funding, noting the many projects underway in each of their states addressing important community needs, including upgrading treatment facilities, replacing aging systems, supporting the needs of rural and underserved communities, replacing lead service lines, and dealing with contaminants such as PFAS.  

The debate in the reauthorization of water infrastructure programs is not whether there will be the votes to pass the legislation, but how much control to give to states at the expense of federal oversight. These programs are designed to help states meet their obligations – and protect our health – under bedrock federal laws like the Clean Water Act. That is a very important question and one in which the answer has yet to emerge. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will be conducting other hearings on this topic and the House is expected to follow suit later this year. 

In the meantime, the appropriations process is well underway, and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have been working on the FY 2026 budget in anticipation of the start of the fiscal year this October. The Trump Administration’s FY 2026 budget proposal is just that, a proposal, and Congress will be evaluating the steep budget cuts. For our part at the Alliance, we will be meeting with members of the Great Lakes delegations to point out the many problems with the proposed cuts and working hard to ensure that the final budget package passed by the House and Senate protects and restores the Great Lakes. 

2025 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities

The federal government plays an essential role in protecting clean water.

Read More

The post Trump Budget Proposal Slashes Federal Funding, Threatens the Great Lakes and Sets Up Showdown With Congress   appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2025/05/trump-budget-proposal-slashes-federal-funding-threatens-the-great-lakes-and-sets-up-showdown-with-congress/

tfazzini

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, Drinking water affordability, Environmental Justice, Lead service lines
L-R Helena Volzer, Senior Source Water Policy Manager, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Kayla Wilkerson, Director of Budget & Finance, Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, Kaitlyn May, Policy Advisor, Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, Scott Stockman, Legal Counsel, Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, Melanie Houston, Managing Director of Water Policy & Chief of Organizational Planning, Ohio Environmental Council

On Thursday, January 30, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, alongside our partners—The Nature Conservancy, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, The Junction Coalition, and the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC)—came together at the Ohio Statehouse to address the state’s most pressing water issues. Water Advocacy Day was a powerful opportunity to engage with lawmakers, share policy solutions, and advocate for clean, safe, affordable water for all Ohioans.

During the event, Helena Volzer, the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Senior Source Water Policy Manager, led an insightful presentation on the critical impacts of agricultural pollution. She highlighted how excessive nutrients—especially nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers and manure—continue to fuel harmful algal blooms across the Great Lakes, posing serious risks to public health, aquatic ecosystems, and local economies. The financial burden of this pollution is often passed down to communities, increasing drinking water costs and placing an unfair strain on low-income households.

“Agricultural pollution isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a public health and economic issue,” Volzer emphasized. “If we don’t act now, Ohioans will continue to bear the rising water treatment costs while ecosystems suffer.”

Ohio ranks second in the nation for the number of lead service lines, and many older homes still contain lead-based plumbing. Efforts are underway to eliminate lead from drinking water systems, but progress remains slow. Combined with the challenges of harmful algal blooms and agricultural runoff, stronger policies and funding solutions are urgently needed.

Throughout the day, advocates and policy leaders met with state representatives, senators, and aides to push for solutions to prioritize clean water. These discussions emphasized the importance of critical funding for conservation programs such as the H2Ohio program, Ohio’s flagship program to address water quality issues including agricultural runoff, household sewage treatment and wastewater infrastructure, wetland creation, and lead service line replacement. The Alliance and its partners urged lawmakers to strengthen policies that hold polluters accountable, increase investment in clean water infrastructure, and ensure water affordability remains a top priority.

The fight for clean water continues, and Water Advocacy Day was a crucial step in the right direction. Every Ohioan deserves safe, lead-free, and affordable drinking water.

The post Water Advocacy at the Ohio Statehouse: A Call for Clean Water Policies appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2025/02/water-advocacy-at-the-ohio-statehouse-a-call-for-clean-water-policies/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Combined sewer overflows, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration, Green stormwater infrastructure, invasive carp, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Significant progress continues to be made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, but much more needs to be done. The federal government plays a major role in this work by funding projects, administering programs, and enforcing rules. With a permanent presence in Washington, D.C., the Alliance for the Great Lakes advocates to federal decision makers to ensure the region’s voices are heard. We update and release our federal priorities each year.

2025 Federal Great Lakes Policy Priorities.

Although increased federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allowed states and the federal government to address drinking and wastewater infrastructure backlogs, removal of lead water service lines, and the cleanup of toxic legacy pollution, we still have too many Great Lakers experiencing polluted water too often. Invasive species continue to threaten the lakes, nutrient runoff from agriculture causes toxic algae blooms, and plastic pollutes our shorelines and contaminates our drinking water.

In our 2025 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified opportunities for the 119th Congress and the Trump Administration to address these challenges in collaboration with states and local communities. Many of these priorities are familiar systemic problems that take time to resolve. But as we’ve shown through efforts like stopping invasive carp, working on a big challenge for a decade or more is often what it takes to finally get the right solution.

For the upcoming year, Congress and the Trump Administration must work together to pass an annual federal budget to provide states with sufficient federal resources to fix our ailing water infrastructure; enact a Farm Bill that will reduce the flow of nutrient pollution into the lakes; maintain progress on key federal projects intended to stop invasive species, including the Brandon Road Interbasin Project; and provide funding for, and reauthorize, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to continue support for on-the-ground restoration projects benefiting many communities throughout the Great Lakes region. Water pollution, and the resulting health and economic burdens, fall unequally on people in cities and towns across the Great Lakes. Federal decision makers should shape policy to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, and affordable water.

Read on for full details of our 2025 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Water infrastructure.

Ensure clean water protects the health of people and natural resources

Clean water is a basic need for all. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding jump-started efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows from entering our lakes and people’s homes.

However, the funding is only a start and recent surveys indicate that water infrastructure needs have grown in the last several years. EPA’s 7th national Drinking Water Needs Information Survey and Assessment, completed in 2023, and the Clean Watershed Needs Survey completed in 2024, estimate that the Great Lakes region will need at least $290.3 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. This is an increase from the last national surveys and indicates that federal funding is not keeping up with needs. As a result, we need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs and to strengthen them to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest needs. One of the most important ways the federal government provides this infrastructure funding to states and municipalities is through State Revolving Funds.

In addition, in 2024 the EPA released its first-ever Water Affordability Needs Assessment, which found that 12.1 to 19.2 million households lack access to affordable water service. This is a major public health risk that compels urgent federal action. One of the recommendations in the report is for Congress to pass legislation establishing a national water affordability program. We agree and plan to work with our partners and Congress to advocate for the establishment of a national water affordability program.

In 2025, we urge Congress to:

  • Increase annual funding to at least $9.3 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds
  • Set aside at least 20 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund as grants for green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, permeable pavement, and additional green spaces
  • Pass a federal ban on residential water shutoffs
  • Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills

In 2025, we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to:

  • Require that states accepting federal funds increase funding and technical assistance for communities bearing the greatest burden of pollution so that they are equipped to apply for and receive funding through State Revolving Funds to replace toxic lead water pipes, repair malfunctioning sewers, and stop community flooding

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Great Lakes restoration.

Fund and reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program has provided funding with near-universal bipartisan and public support for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hot spots. The GLRI also provides major economic benefits. For every dollar spent by the program, an additional three dollars of value is added to the regional economy. In 2024, EPA relied on up-to-date science and extensive input from across the Great Lakes to issue the five-year Action Plan IV for the program to address the most critical threats to the region. The GLRI is also supporting significant progress to address the removal of toxic legacy pollution at Areas of Concern, a number of highly degraded areas that require extensive remediation throughout the Great Lakes.

In 2025, we urge Congress to:

  • Fund the GLRI with at least $475 million for FY 2026
  • Reauthorize the GLRI program at $500 million per year for five years from FY 2027-2031

In 2025, we urge the Environmental Protection Agency to:

  • Propose the authorized level of GLRI funding at $475 million for FY 2026
  • Make progress on finishing cleanup of most Areas of Concern by 2030, and implement Action Plan IV to address community needs for Great Lakes restoration

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

Agriculture.

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Nonpoint pollution is pollution that doesn’t come from a single identifiable source such as a pipe, but instead originates from many places over a wide area. This runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water by causing toxic algal blooms, threatens wildlife, harms the tourism economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes. Ultimately these problems demand that the agriculture industry demonstrate it can operate safely without fouling our water.

Every five years, Congress develops a “Farm Bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. Congress passed one-year extensions of the Farm Bill in 2023 and 2024, so in 2025 Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.

In 2025, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that:

  • Increases funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs
  • Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands

Download the agriculture fact sheet.

Plastic pollution.

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution

Researchers estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes each year. Plastic pollution isn’t just an unsightly problem in our waterways. It’s estimated that humans ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week, with unknown long-term consequences for our health.

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on individuals, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.

In 2025, we urge Congress to pass legislation that:

  • Makes plastic producers responsible for reduction of plastic waste
  • Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics including polystyrene foam
  • Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Invasive Species.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars at least since the mid-20th century. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. Invasive bighead and silver carp are still a major risk. Established populations of invasive carp are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is implementing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is fully authorized by Congress, supported by the Great Lakes states, and is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project, which has broken ground and is under construction.

In 2025, we urge Congress to:

  • Provide federal funding to initiate the design and engineering phase for the second increment of construction (the first increment is underway) at the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which is intended to stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes

In 2025, we urge the Army Corps of Engineers to:

  • Continue implementing the first phase of construction at the Brandon Road Interbasin Project
  • Initiate planning, design, and engineering for the second increment of construction so that it can be completed in time for the second increment to follow seamlessly when the first increment is complete

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Join Us February 20

Join the webinar to learn more about these critical issues. You’ll hear from members of our team who presented our federal priorities to members of Congress in meetings at the Capitol.

Register for the Webinar

The post How Washington Can Support the Great Lakes in 2025 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2025/01/how-washington-can-support-the-great-lakes-in-2025/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Lake Erie algal bloom

LANSING, MI (April 3, 2024) – Nutrient pollution is a severe threat to water quality across the Great Lakes region and is particularly important in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Understanding, tracking, and predicting where this pollution comes from is difficult due to weather and cropping complexities and a lack of data. This makes it difficult to properly target where conservation funding should be spent.

Through a new $4.86 million grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and a $600,000 grant from the Erb Family Foundation, the Alliance for the Great Lakes will work in partnership with MDARD to increase the agency’s ability track and monitor water quality in five of Michigan’s priority subwatersheds of the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Technical assistance will be provided by the Michigan State University Institute of Water Research and LimnoTech.

The partnership aims to increase monitoring capacity by deploying higher spatial density monitoring instrumentation with a particular focus on understanding phosphorus trends. The information gleaned from this effort will help MDARD better understand various drivers of nutrient transport and allow for better targeting of conservation efforts to combat nutrient pollution.

“Ultimately, understanding where nutrient pollution is coming from and how it travels through the watershed will allow agencies and practitioners to better target conservation and land management practices to improve water quality outcomes. We are excited to partner with MDARD on this effort and applaud the leadership of Director Boring who has continually emphasized the importance of expanding monitoring and data collection to help guide conservation decision making,” said Tom Zimnicki, Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Agriculture and Restoration Policy Director.

“Our department has recognized the need for improved water quality monitoring in WLEB. We know that more holistic farm management focusing on soil health and regenerative agriculture principles can be expected to improve nutrient losses. Through the State of Michigan’s Domestic Action Plan adaptive management approach of continuous assessment and improvement, the scientific outcomes of this work improve our ability to make meaningful progress toward water quality improvements,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring.

The project will run from 2024 to 2029 and cover five of Michigan’s priority sub watersheds – Lime Creek, Stony Creek (South Branch River Raisin), Headwaters of the Saline River, Nile Ditch, and the S.S. LaPointe Drain. Area hydrology, sediment transport, and phosphorus transport in the sub watersheds will be tracked by the program. Data collected will be publicly available.

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Contact: Don Carr, Media Director, dcarr@greatlakes.org

More about Nutrient Pollution

Read more about agricultural runoff and harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.

Read More

The post New MDARD Partnership Will Improve Water Quality Monitoring appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/04/new-mdard-partnership-will-improve-water-quality-monitoring/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes
2024 Federal Policy Priorities

Significant progress continues to be made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, but much more needs to be done. Although increased federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment Act these last two years has allowed states and the federal government to address some key issues, including water infrastructure and the cleanup of toxic legacy pollution, we still have too many Great Lakers experiencing polluted water. Invasive species continue to threaten the lakes, nutrient runoff continues to negatively affect our water quality, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water. 

In our 2024 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified the top five opportunities for Congress and federal agencies to address these challenges. Many of these priorities are familiar and are carried over from last year when Congress made little progress on substantive legislation. For the upcoming year, Congress and the administration must address key issues. These include passing an annual federal budget to provide states with sufficient federal resources to fix our ailing water infrastructure; enacting a Farm Bill that will reduce the flow of nutrient pollution into the lakes; maintaining progress on key federal projects intended to stop invasive species; and providing funding and reauthorization for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to continue support for on-the-ground restoration projects.

Equity and justice are embedded throughout these policy priorities and must be considered at every step of the federal decision-making process to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, affordable water. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustices isn’t a one-off action and federal decision-makers must prioritize disadvantaged communities where the burden of pollution and the lack of essential services often hit the hardest. Congress and the administration must ensure that community voices are at the table – and listened to – from the beginning of all decision-making.

Read on for full details of our 2024 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Water infrastructure.

Increase water infrastructure funding, prioritize funding for communities most in need  

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding will jump-start efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows.

However, the funding is only a start. EPA’s 7th national Drinking Water Needs Information Survey and Assessment, completed just last year, estimates that the Great Lakes region will need at least $225.2 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. This is an increase from the last national survey and indicates that federal funding is not keeping up with needs. Currently, the infrastructure bill will provide Great Lakes states with an additional $1.8 billion per year for the next five years. It is clearly not enough. We need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs. Additionally, funding programs must be structured to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest need, such as those with many lead pipes.

In 2024, we urge Congress to: 

  • Increase annual funding to at least $9.3 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds
  • Increase by $1 billion annual funding levels for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants
  • Set aside at least 20 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund as grants for green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, permeable pavement, and additional green spaces
  • Pass a federal ban on residential water shutoffs 
  • Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills 

In 2024 we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to: 

  • Require that states accepting federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 are increasing funding and technical assistance for disadvantaged communities so that they are equipped to advance through the SRF selection process 
  • Issue a final Lead and Copper Rule requiring cities to meet ambitious timelines for lead service line replacement

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Agriculture.

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water 

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water, threatens wildlife, harms the regional economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes. 

Every five years, Congress develops a “Farm Bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. Congress passed a one-year extension of the Farm Bill in 2023, so in 2024 Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.    

In 2024, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that: 

  • Increases funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs  
  • Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands
  • Reduces funding for concentrated animal feeding operations 

Download the agriculture fact sheet.

Plastic pollution.

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution  

Researchers estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes each year. Plastic pollution isn’t just an unsightly problem in our waterways. It’s estimated that humans ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week, with unknown long-term consequences for our health. 

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on the end-user, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.  

In 2024, we urge Congress to pass legislation that: 

  • Makes plastic waste producers responsible for its reduction 
  • Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics, including polystyrene foam 
  • Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Invasive species.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species  

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars since the late 1980s. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. The battle against invasive species is focused on two fronts – stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes and cleaning up ship ballast tanks.  

Established populations of invasive carp are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed constructing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project. 

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened the Great Lakes to direct ocean-going shipping. Unfortunately, ships brought invasive species along for the ride in their ballast tanks. Although regulations to clean up ship ballast tanks have reduced introductions, loopholes remain for “lakers,” ships operating solely in the Great Lakes. The U.S. EPA can close that loophole. 

In 2024, we urge Congress to: 

  • Include language in the next Water Resources Development Act to authorize 100 percent federal funding for the annual operations and maintenance of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which is being implemented to stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes 

In 2024, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions: 

  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should execute a Project Partnership Agreement with the State of Illinois for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project so that the project may proceed to phase 1 construction this fall and continue public participation for the project’s implementation
  • The U.S. EPA should issue final rules requiring all vessels operating on the Great Lakes, including lakers, to clean up their ballast tanks

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Great Lakes restoration.

Fund, update, and reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots. In addition to environmental benefits, GLRI funding garners an additional 3-to-1 return in economic benefits.  

While we need continued investment in Great Lakes restoration, the strategy guiding the GLRI was developed almost 20 years ago and needs an update. Federal agencies should revise the Great Lakes restoration strategy to address the next generation of threats to the lakes, including climate change and long-standing environmental injustices. In addition, the program’s authorization will expire in 2026, so action will be needed by Congress in the near future to reauthorize and extend the GLRI program. 

In 2024, we urge Congress to: 

  • Fund the GLRI with at least $450 million in FY 2024
  • Reauthorize the GLRI program at $500 million per year for five years from FY 2027-2031

In 2024, we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take the following action: 

  • U.S. EPA should issue the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan IV to address environmental injustice, climate resilience, and the next generation of risks to the Great Lakes

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

Tell Congress: Protect the Great Lakes in 2024

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it’s lead-tainted tap water or algal blooms fouling waterways. Invasive species threaten our lakes. Plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.

Take Action

The post Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2024 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/02/top-5-great-lakes-federal-policy-priorities-for-2024/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, great lakes restoration, invasive species

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 6, 2024) – Today, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Representative David Joyce (R-OH) sponsored the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2024, a bill intended to reauthorize the GLRI program for a five-year period at $500 million per year.

GLRI funding assists states, tribes and local communities in implementing crucial on-the-ground projects, including habitat restoration, helping farmers do more to combat non-point source agrichemical run-off, cleaning up legacy pollution and toxic sediments, and preventing the establishment or spread of destructive invasive species. It is a well-established program that helps protect 22% of the world’s source of freshwater.

“The Alliance would like to thank Senators Stabenow and Vance, and Representatives Dingell and Joyce for sponsoring bipartisan legislation to continue this important program that directly benefits the tens of millions of Americans living in the Great Lakes region,” said Don Jodrey, Alliance for the Great Lakes Director of Federal Government Relations.

“As members of the Great Lakes Task Forces, many champions from both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have tirelessly advocated for the GLRI and the Alliance thanks them for their support,” said Jodrey.

“The creation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is one of the most important actions of my legislative career.  Since I authored the program in 2010, it has been a proven success story,” said Senator Stabenow, Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. “This bill will ensure the stability and future of the program as we address new emerging threats to our Great Lakes and waters.”

“The Great Lakes provide more than 1.5 million jobs, supply 90 percent of our nation’s fresh surface water, and generate $62 billion in wages every year,” said Congressman Joyce, Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force. “The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supports efforts that confront direct threats facing the lakes like harmful algal blooms, water pollution, invasive species, and coastal erosion. I am proud to be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reintroduce this critical legislation to protect and preserve the national treasure that is the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

To date, the GLRI program has funded more than 7,563 individual projects totaling $3.7 billion, greatly improving the quality of life throughout the region. The GLRI also provides major economic benefits, as it is estimated that for every dollar spent, an additional three dollars of value is added to the regional economy.

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Contact: Don Carr, Media Director, dcarr@greatlakes.org

More about Great Lakes Restoration

Read more about Great Lakes restoration and the GLRI.

Learn More

The post Health of the Lakes and Strength of Local Economies Relies on Reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/02/health-of-the-lakes-and-strength-of-local-economies-relies-on-reauthorization-of-the-great-lakes-restoration-initiative/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes
Donald Jodrey headshot.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

This blog is part of a series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

At the beginning of 2023, we announced an ambitious Great Lakes federal policy agenda. We noted that it was the start of a new Congress and an era of divided government. We predicted that there were likely to be major policy disagreements between the Republican House, the Democratic Senate, and the Biden administration that might result in a stalemate or lack of progress on some issues, particularly where legislation is required.

We were correct in anticipating major policy disagreements, but we did not envision how dysfunctional the year would be in this Congress where a very small group of conservative House members have managed to delay action on some of Congress’ most basic tasks, including preventing the Congress from passing an annual budget for the federal government.

Major funding disagreements for water infrastructure

As we approach the year mark after we released our federal priorities last year, we note that Congress has enacted another short-term continuing resolution until early March for the fiscal year which started last October. And although the House and Senate leadership have agreed upon a top-line number for domestic spending, it is unclear when final spending levels will be resolved between the House and Senate among the 12 bills that fund the government. There are major disagreements between the House and Senate over the level of funding for water infrastructure with the House proposing more than $1.7 billion in cuts from levels supported by the Senate. This would reduce the funding available to communities to address drinking water and wastewater issues.

Farm Bill discussions continue

Another legislative casualty this year was the Farm Bill. The House and Senate were unable to advance a new five-year Farm Bill. Instead, they agreed to a one-year extension of the current program. We continue to encourage Great Lakes members to support increased funding for conservation programs, as well as provisions to ensure accountability for conservation programs that address harmful agricultural runoff pollution, particularly in Lake Erie. We are pleased that Representatives Marcy Kaptur from Ohio and Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin have introduced the Healthy Farms Healthy Watersheds Act to reduce nutrient runoff and thereby reduce harmful algal blooms. The legislation would help farmers reduce phosphorus pollution by better targeting farm bill conservation dollars where they would have the most impact.

Plastics legislation is introduced

Discussions continue in Congress on efforts to control plastic pollution. Several key pieces of legislation have been introduced in the House and Senate. First, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin reintroduced “The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act” to address the problems posed by plastic pellets in our waters, including the Great Lakes. The bill would prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastics into the Great Lakes and waterways across the country. Plastic pellets, like other microplastics, pose a danger to human health, fish, wildlife, and ecosystems. In addition, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has reintroduced the “Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act” which provides a comprehensive approach to plastic pollution reduction by creating a national policy and requirements for extended producer responsibility which would require corporations to take responsibility for post-consumer management of plastic products and packaging. Other legislative efforts include bills that would impose an excise tax on the production of virgin plastic, as well as legislation that would ban the use of polystyrene foam. It is unlikely that any of these efforts will become law in this Congress, but we will continue to support them and educate members on the harmful environmental impacts caused by plastic pollution.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative continues to receive strong bipartisan support

One program that continues to have robust bipartisan support is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The House proposes to fund this program at the current funding level and the Senate proposes a $5 million increase. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s goals are: fish that are safe to eat, water that is safe for recreation, a safe source of drinking water, clean up Areas of Concern, eliminate harmful algal blooms, prevent the introduction of new invasive species and control existing invasive species, and protect and restore habitat to sustain native species.

States step up to fund invasive carp protections

Following up on last year’s Congressional authorization to change the Brandon Road project’s construction cost share to 90 percent federal and 10 percent state, the Brandon Road project received funding boosts this year from the States of Illinois and Michigan. The combined $115 million will cover the entire state share of the estimated construction costs for the project. The next step is for the State of Illinois and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to sign a project partnership agreement so that construction can begin in 2024. This project is critical to keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.

Environmental Protection Agency takes action

This past year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took several actions that affect the Great Lakes. First, the agency issued its 7th national Drinking Water Needs Assessment survey that assesses the health of the nation’s drinking water infrastructure. For the first time, the assessment included information on the number of lead service lines in each state. Unfortunately, Great Lakes states water infrastructure needs have increased since the last national drinking water needs assessment was completed. Collectively, EPA estimates that the Great Lakes region needs at least $225.3 billion over the next twenty years to fix failing water infrastructure.

EPA also proposed a supplemental rule to regulate ballast water in the Great Lakes. This is necessary to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species. Although EPA proposes to exempt existing Lakers (ships that do not leave the Great Lakes) from installing ballast water treatment systems, EPA does propose requiring that new Lakers, or those constructed after 2026, install ballast water treatment. We provided extensive comments to EPA recommending that all Lakers be required to install ballast water treatment systems. The agency’s final rule is expected later this year.

Lastly, EPA is updating the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Strategy by developing its next action plan, which will cover the next five years of funding for this program. We have recommended that EPA address environmental justice and climate change along with its environmental restoration priorities. A draft plan will be released for public comment later this year.

Looking ahead, your voice matters

Although not all our priorities advanced this past year, your voice makes a difference. Contact federal decision-makers about the Great Lakes issues that you care about. Great Lakes members of Congress need to hear from you about prioritizing funding to ensure every community has safe drinking water. They need to hear what federal legislation or existing programs would help address environmental concerns in your community, like harmful algal blooms or reducing plastic pollution. Let your members of Congress and other federal decision-makers know how important clean and healthy Great Lakes are to you.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

Take Action

The post DC Update: Are Great Lakes Priorities Advancing After a Year of Divided Government? appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/01/dc-update-are-great-lakes-priorities-advancing-after-a-year-of-divided-government/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Note: This blog was co-written by President & CEO Joel Brammeier and Vice President of Policy and Strategic Engagement Crystal M.C. Davis.

For four days in Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie last week, many of the Great Lakes region’s leading advocates and decision-makers gathered for discussions on the future of our waters. We were privileged to be part of those gatherings at the Healing Our Waters (HOW) – Great Lakes Coalition’s annual conference, followed by the biennial Summit of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers. 

Building a Path to Protect the Great Lakes 

Forums like these occasionally yield big breakthroughs. The 2015 Summit was where Ohio, Michigan and Ontario agreed to reduce nutrient pollution to Lake Erie by 40%. More often, they are a place for people like us to build consensus with our colleagues on the next major phases of our long-term work to protect the Great Lakes.  

With the HOW Conference and the Governors and Premiers Summit held back-to-back in one place, there were great opportunities to confab among the hundreds of elected officials, senior agency staff, philanthropists, and private sector and nonprofit leaders from across the region.

Crystal and other community leaders engaged in a powerful roundtable discussion hosted by the Cleveland NAACP, joined by Governor Whitmer.

Crystal was honored to join in a small roundtable discussion with Governor Whitmer led by the Cleveland NAACP, bringing her voice to elevate the Alliance’s water policy priorities. Additionally, we had the opportunity to speak directly with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine about his state’s H2Ohio water funding program, the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, and other pressing water policy matters. 

Three Key Takeaways

Three things stood out to us among the countless speeches, panels, and meetings.  

First, attendees learned that to be successful at protecting the Great Lakes, we must pay attention to how they intersect with so many other needs in our communities.  

Field trip to Rid-All-Farm

The HOW coalition asked Crystal to organize the opening plenary for the conference. The audience applauded a diverse panel from the financial, health, environmental and economic development sectors that outlined the complex relationship between water policy and needs for economic, racial, and educational justice in Cleveland and communities across our region. The Alliance also organized the ‘Green N Tha Ghetto’ field trip to the renowned Rid-All Farm in Cleveland. This trip highlighted a black-owned urban farm’s groundbreaking aquaponics and thriving crops, and a farm that stands as a testament to the rich intersection of Great Lakes water, cultivation of community, and economic development. 

Second, the composition of some of the rooms is changing to better reflect all the voices of the region. Truly inclusive representation of Great Lakes communities is critical for these high-level gatherings to be worth their weight. We saw and heard many younger faces and voices that were new to us – always a positive sign. And the Great Lakes movement is catching up to the fact that leaders from Black, Indigenous, Latino and more communities of color have been pivotal in advocating for our water for many years. When organizations like HOW and the Alliance truly value and practice authentic engagement, this fosters long-lasting and sustainable relationships, paving the way for more Great Lakes success. 

Joel at Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Summit

Finally, we saw attention not just to what needs to happen but how the work gets done. The governors and premiers summit was the launch pad for a new commitment to planting 250 million trees across the Great Lakes region over the next decade. A laudable goal for sure, and one that can play a part in meeting our climate and clean water challenges. What we found most illuminating about the launch were the reflections from leaders from the Cleveland Trees Coalition and National Indian Carbon Coalition. Trees can help heal urban heat islands in Cleveland or support wild rice habitat on tribal lands in Minnesota. Tree planting is good, but it can become great when it starts with and is sustained by community leadership to address community-identified needs. 

The Power of Great Lakes Gathering

Joel chatting with other Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Summit attendees.

The power of these gatherings hit home for Joel on Saturday at the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers luncheon. A video testimonial from the two surviving founders of the organization, former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard and former Ohio Governor Dick Celeste, described the economic conditions of the Great Lakes region in the early 1980s – severe recession, high unemployment, and deep uncertainty facing residents and leaders across the lakes. The governors chose this moment to convene for the first time to build on one asset that was recession-proof: our shared freshwater foundations. Their choice to come together in a time of uncertainty so many decades ago reminds us that protecting the Great Lakes takes time and that choices we make today can have incredible staying power.  

We are proud to be part of bringing a greater diversity of voices to these critical Great Lakes conversations than ever before, ensuring the next generation of Great Lakes protection meets the needs of everyone who relies on the lakes every day.  

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

Take Action

The post Charting the Future of the Great Lakes: Insights from the HOW Conference and Governors’ Summit  appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2023/11/charting-the-future-of-the-great-lakes-insights-from-the-how-conference-and-governors-summit/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Lake Erie algal bloom
Donald Jodrey headshot.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

At the beginning of the year, we announced an ambitious Great Lakes federal policy agenda. We also noted that it was the start of a new Congress and an era of divided government. We predicted that there were likely to be major policy disagreements between the Republican House, the Democratic Senate, and the Biden administration that might result in a stalemate or lack of progress on some issues.

We’re now past the halfway mark of the year, and Congress is on its August recess. So we’re asking: Are Great Lakes priorities making progress? And what else can we do to advocate for the Great Lakes?

Budget battles: Funding holds for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, but disagreements threaten water infrastructure & environmental justice

After several months of protracted negotiations to deal with the debt ceiling, which resulted in legislation to keep nondefense spending flat in FY 2024 and provide a small 1% increase in FY 2025, both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have marked up the bills that contain funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The House committee provided $368 million, which is the same as last year’s enacted level, while the Senate committee provided a $5 million increase for a total of $373 million. These funding levels are well short of the program’s authorized level of $425 million. However, given the major funding reductions proposed by the House elsewhere in the bill and in the debt ceiling agreement, holding the GLRI program at the same level as last year demonstrates the strong bipartisan support for this program throughout the Great Lakes delegation.

Unfortunately, water infrastructure programs did not fare well in the House bill markup. The House Appropriations Committee proposed steep cuts – more than $1.7 billion – to water infrastructure funding that supports state clean water and drinking water programs. House Republicans rationalized these reductions by noting that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 provided major increases for water infrastructure for the next several years. However, the House’s proposed reduction is alarming. These cuts are not consistent with the debt ceiling agreement both parties agreed to earlier this year and backtrack on much-needed federal support for essential drinking water, sewer, and stormwater projects. 

The House also proposes eliminating environmental justice funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and rescinding more than $1.4 billion in funding for environmental and climate justice programs provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. 

In contrast, the Senate Appropriations Committee proposes to maintain water infrastructure and environmental justice funding consistent with last year’s level and with the Inflation Reduction Act.

Given these major policy disagreements over federal funding, it is highly unlikely that the House and Senate will be able to come to agreement on the individual spending bills this year. The potential for a government shutdown is high and a continuing resolution is a certainty. The debt ceiling deal requires Congress to pass all 12 annual spending bills by January 1, and if they are not passed or a short-term funding extension is in place, then an automatic funding reduction of 1% will occur.

Plastics legislation is introduced in the Senate

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has held several hearings on the topic of plastic pollution this year. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has introduced “The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act” to begin the effort to address the problems posed by plastic pellets in our waters, including the Great Lakes. The bill would require the Environmental Protection Agency, using its Clean Water Act regulatory authorities, to prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastics into waterways from facilities and sources that make, use, package, or transport plastic pellets. Plastic pellets, like other microplastics, pose a danger to human health, as well as to fish, wildlife, and ecosystems. It is estimated that more than 250,000 tons of plastic pellets are in our waterways, and more than 42 of 66 beaches in the Great Lakes have been found to have serious pollution issues associated with plastic pellets. Although a companion House bill has not yet been introduced and other plastic pollution reduction measures are likely to be introduced in the Senate in the coming months, this is likely to be an area that Congress will debate for some time. 

On the Administrative side, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released for public comment its draft national strategy to address plastic pollution. We at the Alliance, along with some of our partners, strongly advocated that EPA utilize its existing authorities under the Clean Water Act to regulate and reduce microplastic pollution in our water.

Stay tuned for the Farm Bill

Both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have held hearings and significant outreach on the 2023 Farm Bill and have introduced “marker bills” (bills that will not be passed but that are placeholders) for this must-pass piece of legislation. It is likely that legislative text will emerge in September. But the disagreements in funding between the House and the Senate for some Farm Bill programs indicate that this traditionally bipartisan piece of legislation may face some tough challenges this year. We have encouraged Great Lakes members to support increased funding for conservation programs, as well as provisions to ensure accountability for conservation programs that address agricultural runoff pollution.

Engineering and design continues for invasive carp protections

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is continuing its pre-construction, engineering, and design work for invasive carp protections at Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois. This important project is intended to stop the spread of invasive carp into the Great Lakes. The project received much-needed funding boosts from the States of Illinois and Michigan, which included funds in their state budgets to cover the state share of the construction costs for the project. The next step is for the State of Illinois and the Corps to sign a project partnership agreement so that the first phase of construction may commence in mid-2024.

Looking ahead, your voice matters

The legislative process will continue for the rest of the year – and, as noted earlier, there are major disagreements between the House and Senate over funding. Your voice can make a difference. Contact Congress about the issues that are of concern to you, particularly in areas where major reductions to clean and safe drinking water programs are proposed, or if federal legislation would be helpful to address a particular need like reducing plastic pollution or addressing harmful nutrient runoff. Let your members of Congress know how important clean and healthy Great Lakes are to you.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

Take Action

The post DC Update: Are Great Lakes Priorities Advancing in an Era of Divided Government? appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2023/08/dc-update-are-great-lakes-priorities-advancing-in-an-era-of-divided-government/

Judy Freed

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Lake Erie algal bloom

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

Donald Jodrey headshot.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

Early this year, we published our list of federal priorities for 2023, and chief among them was the need to increase funding for water infrastructure. We believe that clean water is a basic need.  No one should be without clean, safe, affordable drinking water or worried about sewage back-ups in their homes or community flooding that damages property. With communities across the Great Lakes grappling with antiquated drinking water and sewer systems, we have called on Congress to more than double current annual levels of funding for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds from $2.5 billion to $8.7 billion, which is the authorized level of funding for those programs that Congress established in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. 

New data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) shows the urgent need for water infrastructure funding. The agency just released its 7th Drinking Water Information Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA), which estimates that there is a $625 billion backlog in drinking water systems nationwide. Based upon more than 3,500 individual survey responses from public drinking water systems around the country, the 7th DWINSA represents drinking water infrastructure projects that are necessary over the next 20 years for public water systems to be able to provide safe drinking water to the public. For the first time, information on lead service line needs is included, and it is worth noting that the backlog represents a 32% increase since the last survey was completed about five years ago.

Given that water infrastructure needs are growing, it is gratifying to see that some Members of Congress are taking up the charge. One of our newest Great Lakes members, first-term Representative Emilia Sykes from Ohio’s 13th congressional district, is leading the way.  Representative Sykes, along with Representative Grace Napolitano from California’s 31st congressional district, both recently submitted a letter to the House Appropriations Committee signed by 31 other members of Congress calling for increased funding for water infrastructure.  Representatives Sykes and Napolitano, both members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, noted the importance that access to clean water has for both public health and economic benefits and requested increased funding for both the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Municipal Grant Program, the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, and numerous other smaller programs that support water infrastructure workforce development and environmental justice.  We appreciate their leadership and know that increasing federal appropriations for water infrastructure will be a tough sell this year in Congress, but given the unrelenting need, it is an issue that deserves our continued attention.  

 

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

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The post DC Update: House water champions emerge amidst rising national backlog of water infrastructure projects appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2023/04/dc-update-house-water-champions-emerge-amidst-rising-national-backlog-of-water-infrastructure-projects/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Lake Erie algal bloom

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

Donald Jodrey headshot.
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

The first week of March was a busy time in Washington, DC, as Great Lakes advocates from around the region, including the Alliance, gathered for the annual “Great Lakes Days” to lobby Congress for funding and laws to protect and restore the Great Lakes. The event, organized by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes coalition, brought hundreds of Great Lakes advocates to Washington, DC, to meet with Members of Congress.

The Alliance was tapped to lead the Illinois delegation and brought together allies from several Illinois-based organizations, including Friends of the Chicago River, the Illinois Environmental Council, and Stantec. Our group met with over 10 Illinois congressional offices on March 9 to discuss Great Lakes policy priorities.  Overall, we believe we had a productive and frank dialogue, especially noting the difficulty of achieving some of our funding and legislative priorities this year with a divided Congress.

We couldn’t have timed our advocacy better as the White House released the FY 2024 President’s Budget the same day of our congressional visits.  While we did not see the increases we had hoped for in all of the programs targeting the Great Lakes, the budget does have some good news. We appreciate that the Administration proposed a $1.9 billion (19%) increase for US EPA’s budget, with the majority of these funds targeting programs supporting water infrastructure improvements for rural and underserved communities. In addition, US EPA’s budget includes increases for programs that reduce lead in schools and support actions to address PFAS, including EPA’s first-ever draft rule to regulate PFAS in drinking water.

The budget debate now moves to Congress, and it is going to be contentious as House Republicans are determined to reduce federal spending. Overall, House Republicans have vowed to cut federal non-defense programs back to FY 2022 levels or lower. With the Senate in Democratic hands, it is unclear how top-line spending policy will ultimately be worked out, but we will continue to advocate for programs that protect our water resources.

In addition to the release of the President’s Budget, the House considered and passed a Congressional Review Act resolution to disapprove the Biden Administration’s recently released “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) Clean Water Act rule that sets forth protections for the nation’s lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. We supported the development of the “Waters of the United States” rule and opposed the congressional resolution to disapprove the rule as the rule provides important Clean Water Act protections to the region’s water resources. The Senate is anticipated to take up the resolution soon, although the final vote is unclear, and the Biden Administration is expected to veto the resolution if it passes. 

With all of these events occurring during Great Lakes Days, it gave us a great opportunity to talk about our federal priorities to our congressional representatives and to build a foundation upon which to continue the dialogue as we move forward in the legislative process.  We will keep you informed of how developments in Washington, DC, this year and appreciate your support for programs that protect and restore the Great Lakes.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

Take Action

The post DC Update: Great Lakes Advocates Head to Washington, President’s Budget Released appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2023/03/dc-update-great-lakes-advocates-head-to-washington-presidents-budget-released/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Agricultural runoff

Harmful algal blooms plague western Lake Erie each summer, threatening drinking water supplies, recreation, and the regional economy. Nutrient pollution, specifically phosphorous, flowing off agricultural lands is the largest unchecked source of pollution driving these massive algal blooms.

In 2015, the Governors of Ohio and Michigan and the Premier of Ontario committed to reducing phosphorus inputs to Lake Erie by 40% by 2025. Interim targets set for 2020 were not met. Data consistently shows that it is unlikely the 2025 goal will be met.

On February 14, 2023, the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Ohio Environmental Council released a new study – The Cost to Meet Water Quality Goals in the Western Basin of Lake Erie .

Project partners examined the additional agricultural conservation practices needed and associated costs for Michigan and Ohio to implement them in the Western Basin of Lake Erie to meet water quality goals.

The study found:

  • Current investments in Ohio and Michigan aimed at reducing phosphorous runoff from agricultural lands are woefully inadequate.
  • If funding and conservation practice adoption continue as they currently are, the study found that there is no pathway for Michigan and Ohio to meet the 40% nonpoint source phosphorus reduction goal.
  • Meeting the 40% phosphorus reduction goal is possible. But it will require significant, sustained additional funding, by several orders of magnitude annually, along with major increases in conservation practice adoption, also by orders of magnitude annually, and in some cases shifting the types of conservation practices.

Bold action is needed to meaningfully reduce western Lake Erie’s harmful algal bloom problem that threatens our drinking water, recreation, and regional economy.

If Ohio, Michigan, and the federal government are truly committed to protecting the health of our communities and the lake, elected leaders and agency officials must recognize the scale of the problem and what it will take to solve it.

The study highlights shortcomings in current practices and funding and provides insights into what is needed in Michigan and Ohio to reduce phosphorus inputs to Lake Erie by 40%.

Major shifts needed in the types of conservation practices utilized

Annual, in-field conservation practices are not sufficient to meet water quality objectives – even when implemented on 100% of agricultural acres in the western Lake Erie basin. The study suggests that annual in-field practices, such as cover crops, no-till, and crop rotation, cannot be scaled sufficiently to meet the water quality goals of the western basin.

Changes are needed in the types of conservation practices funded as part of this effort. State and federal agencies must invest sustainably in edge-of-field structural practices like constructed wetlands and two-stage ditches to meet water quality goals in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. These practices deliver more consistent phosphorus reductions year-over-year and are not easily abandoned like annual in-field practices.

The study finds that Michigan and Ohio will need to increase the number of acres using annual in-field and edge-of-field structural conservation practices to meet water quality goals. In-field practices like cover crops and crop rotation will need to be increased by up to 8 times. Edge-of-field structural practices, such as wetlands and two-stage ditches, will need to be increased by up to as much as 25 times current levels.

Significant, sustained new investments needed

The study found that state and federal agencies currently are underinvesting by several orders of magnitude. Michigan will need to increase funding by $40-65 million over current spending, a more than six-fold annual increase from current levels. Ohio will need to roughly double current annual funding levels by $170-250 million over current spending.

Funding should be prioritized for practices that make quantifiable, meaningful reductions in phosphorus flowing off agricultural lands. For instance, the H2Ohio program, initiated by Governor DeWine in 2019, has significantly invested in solutions to phosphorus nutrient pollution. H2Ohio dollars have funded wetland construction and incentivized in-field practices. But to truly implement these practices at the scale needed to make meaningful phosphorus reductions, programs like H2Ohio will need to be funded at much higher levels and, over the long term, beyond the biennial budget cycle.

Elected leaders and agency officials must acknowledge the scale of the problem, appropriate adequate funding, and develop strong plans for meeting nonpoint source phosphorus reductions.

For more information, download the full report and fact sheet.

The study, led by Alliance for the Great Lakes and the Ohio Environmental Council, with technical support from LimnoTech and Delta Institute, used readily available, peer-reviewed information, data, and literature to create modeling scenarios.

The project team designed a process to estimate needed agricultural conservation practices in the western basin of Lake Erie and the associated costs for both Michigan and Ohio to implement these needed practices.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

Take Action

The post Bold Action Needed to Meaningfully Reduce Algal Blooms in Western Lake Erie appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2023/02/bold-action-needed-to-meaningfully-reduce-algal-blooms-in-western-lake-erie/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes
2023 federal policy priorities.

Significant progress has been made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. But much more needs to be done. Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water, whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Invasive species threaten the lakes, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.  

In our 2023 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified the top five opportunities for Congress and federal agencies to address these challenges. Many of these priorities are familiar. Congress and the administration must keep up the momentum generated over the past few years to fix our water infrastructure, stop invasive species, and support on-the-ground restoration projects.  

Equity and justice are embedded throughout these policy priorities. Equity and justice must be considered at every step of the federal decision-making process to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, affordable water. Federal water programs must prioritize low-income communities and communities of color, where the burden of pollution often hits hardest. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustices isn’t a one-off action. Instead, Congress and the administration must ensure that community voices are at the table, and listened to, from the beginning of all decision-making.  

This year, we have two new priority areas focused on opportunities we’ve identified for the federal government to push forward new approaches to long-standing problems. First is the Farm Bill, which only happens every five years and sets national agriculture and food policy. We see an opportunity to improve federal agriculture subsidy programs to make sure farmers produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops. Second, concern about plastic pollution continues to grow, and Congress can act to limit plastic pollution by reducing it at the source and not once it is a problem on our beaches and in our communities.  

Read on for full details of our 2023 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Water infrastructure.

Increase water infrastructure funding, prioritize funding for communities most in need 

The infrastructure bill passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding will jump-start efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows.  

However, the funding is only a start. It’s estimated that the Great Lakes region will need at least $188 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. Currently, the infrastructure bill will provide Great Lakes states with an additional $1.8 billion per year for the next five years. It is clearly not enough. We need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs. Additionally, funding programs must be structured to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest need, such as those with many lead pipes. 

In 2023, we urge Congress to: 

  • Increase annual funding to at least $8 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds  
  • Increase by $1 billion annual funding levels for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants  
  • Pass a federal ban on water shutoffs 
  • Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills 

In 2023 we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to: 

  • Work with states to ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure funding and provide technical assistance to disadvantaged and underserved communities  
  • Complete the Drinking Water Needs Assessment in early 2023 to increase the amount of lead service line funding to Great Lakes states which have the highest number of lead pipes in the country

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Agriculture.

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water 

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water, threatens wildlife, harms the regional economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes. 

Every five years, Congress develops a “farm bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. In 2023, Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.  

In 2023, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that: 

  • Increases funding for US Department of Agriculture conservation programs  
  • Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands
  • Reduces funding for concentrated animal feeding operations 
Plastic pollution.

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution  

Researchers estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes each year. Plastic pollution isn’t just an unsightly problem in our waterways. It’s estimated that humans ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week, with unknown long-term consequences for our health. 

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on the end-user, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.  

In 2023, we urge Congress to pass legislation that: 

  • Makes plastic waste producers responsible for its reduction 
  • Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics 
  • Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Invasive species.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species  

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars since the late 1980s. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. The battle against invasive species is focused on two fronts – stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes and cleaning up ship ballast tanks.  

Established populations of invasive carp are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed constructing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project.  

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened the Great Lakes to direct ocean-going shipping. Unfortunately, ships brought invasive species along for the ride in their ballast tanks. Although regulations to clean up ship ballast tanks have reduced introductions, loopholes remain for “lakers,” ships operating solely in the Great Lakes. The US EPA can close that loophole. 

In 2023, we urge Congress to: 

  • Fund the next phases of construction of the Brandon Road project to stop invasive carp 

In 2023, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions: 

  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should continue implementing the Brandon Road project with public participation and work with the state of Illinois to finalize the project partnership agreement. 
  • The U.S. EPA should issue rules requiring all vessels operating on the Great Lakes, including lakers, to clean up their ballast tanks.

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Great Lakes restoration.

Update and fund Great Lakes restoration programs 

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots. In addition to environmental benefits, GLRI funding garners an additional 3-to-1 return in economic benefits.  

While we need continued investment in Great Lakes restoration, the strategy guiding the GLRI was developed almost 20 years ago and needs an update. Federal agencies should revise the Great Lakes restoration strategy to address the next generation of threats to the lakes, including climate change and long-standing environmental injustices.  

In 2023, we urge Congress to: 

  • Fund the GLRI with at least $425 million in FY24 

In 2023, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions: 

  • The White House and U.S. EPA should update the Great Lakes action plan to address environmental injustice, climate resilience, and the next generation of risks to the Great Lakes.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should include large-scale natural infrastructure in the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study to address extreme water level changes caused by climate change. 

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

Tell Congress: Protect the Great Lakes & Clean Water

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Invasive species threaten the lakes, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.

Take Action

The post Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2023 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2023/01/top-5-great-lakes-federal-policy-priorities-for-2023/

Judy Freed