Winter Weather Advisory issued January 24 at 8:47AM CST until January 24 at 12:00PM CST by NWS (Page 1,772)

Watching the presidential inauguration yesterday, I was most struck by this gem from National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, that ours is “a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.” Despite the tribulations of the last year, there is a foundation on which to build. There is much work left to do, and we need everyone pulling together to get the work done.

That’s the spirit in which I’m leading the Alliance for the Great Lakes on our federal Great Lakes work this year. Thanks to your support, we can advocate for federal policies that protect the Great Lakes and the people who live here. We need to make sure the new administration and Congress follow through on the commitments they have made to clean water. And we will work to make sure every person who depends on Great Lakes water has a voice in protecting this irreplaceable resource.

So much remains unfinished in our Great Lakes.

Read our Top Five Great Lakes Priorities for the Biden Administration
and Top Five Great Lakes Priorities for Congress.

We must start with the basics and make sure everyone who lives in the Great Lakes region has access to safe, clean and affordable drinking water. We live next to 20% of the world’s fresh surface water. We all should demand that the Biden administration use executive action along with the laws and rules on the books to stop the pollution that fouls our drinking water supply, whether from the end of a pipe or a farm field. Congress needs to make sure federal agencies have the resources to do the job. Just getting back to basics will feel like a step forward.

Data shows that drinking water stresses like pollution, unaffordable rates, and shutoffs fall disproportionately on minority and low-income communities – both urban and rural. We see the same for the impacts of polluted floodwater that rages down streets, sends sewage into homes and the lakes, and destroys property. The Biden administration can follow through on its commitments to address environmental justice and systemic racism in part by relieving the water stress that weighs heavily on Black, brown, and less wealthy communities in the Great Lakes.

Doors remain open to threats like Asian carp and other aquatic invaders. The noxious critters already in the lakes cost the Great Lakes region more than $200 million every year. Thanks to hard work by the Alliance and our many partners over the last decade, those doors are closing. We need the administration and Congress to prioritize and fund the projects already on the books to shut the door permanently on aquatic invasive species.

Anyone standing on a Great Lakes shoreline in 2020 could see climate change bearing down in the form of record-breaking high water. But it’s not just about lake levels. Climate change makes agricultural pollution, invasive species, and polluted flooding worse and more costly to fix. This administration and Congress need to make sure Great Lakes programs and dollars are giving our communities the tools we need to adapt.

Finally, of course all of this requires investment. The Great Lakes region has a great track record of maximizing return on spending, with more than $3 billion in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding going to clean up toxic contamination, restore habitat, and stop invasive species over the last decade. Just keeping that work going won’t be enough. This should be a down payment on the dollars needed to restore healthy water for everyone across the Great Lakes, water that can right environmental injustices, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and ready us for a changing climate.

We are ready for the work, and we will work with the Biden administration and Congress to make sure they are as well.

You can read about our 2021 federal priorities in detail with our Top Five Great Lakes Priorities for the Biden Administration and our Top Five Great Lakes Priorities for Congress.

As the nation faces unprecedented challenges, clean water is more important than ever. The deepening COVID-19 crisis reminds us daily of the deep connection between clean water and public health. Investments in clean water programs support getting people back to work and protect public health, a win for everyone.

The Great Lakes and our communities face serious challenges, from crumbling water infrastructure to the threat of invasive Asian Carp. Thanks to strong, bipartisan efforts over the past decade, we have made significant progress toward our collective vision of safe, healthy Great Lakes accessible to all.

But much more remains to be done. We need to address places where systemic racism is undermining the protection of safe and clean water for all. Our vision of a healthy, safe Great Lakes for everyone includes addressing environmental injustices. It also means recognizing that a changing climate will make existing Great Lakes problems worse for the foreseeable future. There is no time to waste.

We have identified our top five priorities for President Biden’s administration for their first year in office. We look forward to working with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the members of their administration to move forward protection of one of our nation’s most precious resources, the Great Lakes.

1. Prioritize Environmental Justice

Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by pollution. Environmental justice seeks to address this unfair distribution of pollution and repair the harm that it causes. It requires the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of color and low-income communities in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The Great Lakes region has the opportunity to lead the way, to show how environmental justice can be achieved. There are specific actions the administration can take to address environmental justice in the Great Lakes region right now.

President Biden should ensure that environmental justice is centered in the work of all federal agencies and administrative decisions that impact the Great Lakes and the communities and residents that are dependent on them for drinking water, jobs, and recreational opportunities. To start, the administration should:

• Repeal Executive Order 13950 that bans racial sensitivity and diversity and inclusion training for federal agencies and contractors;
• Revitalize and promote the work of the Environmental Justice Interagency Working Group, expanding its membership and participation;
• Reconvene the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration to update the “Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes” and set new goals for policies, programs, and funding with a focus on specific actions that can be taken across federal agencies to combat environmental injustice in the Great Lakes region;
• Propose the funding necessary to support staffing and implementation of environmental justice work across federal agencies;
• Establish an Environmental Justice Director or team in U.S. EPA’s Region 5 (and other regional offices) to coordinate with U.S. EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and provide capacity, expertise, and accountability across programmatic efforts;
• Provide grants through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to communities of color, Indigenous communities, and low-income communities to address disproportionate impacts of environmental harm.

2. Increase Drinking Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Funding & Stop Water Shutoffs

Clean water is a basic need. No one should be without clean, safe, affordable water in their home. No one should have to worry about sewage backing up into their basement or community flooding that damages property. Yet, communities across the Great Lakes region continue to grapple with crumbling, antiquated drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The longer we wait, the harder and more expensive these problems will be to solve.

The eight Great Lakes states need $188 billion over the next 20 years for improvements, upgrades, and repairs to this infrastructure. Paying for water infrastructure projects is expensive. Yet the costs to fix them are often not shared equitably, which underscores the importance of financial support from the federal government.

Clean water and water infrastructure are ever more critical in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Investing in clean water infrastructure is a win-win, creating jobs and protecting public health.

President Biden should propose dramatically increased funding in FY2022 and other federal support to fix our failing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems.

Additionally, President Biden should include the following in his infrastructure proposals:

• Enact a federal ban on residential water shutoffs due to nonpayment and require reconnection of water service;
• Make permanent and clarify the implementation of federal assistance programs for low-income communities and ratepayers passed by Congress in 2020;
• Increase funds available as grants to utilities, with a particular emphasis on construction funding for lower-income communities, and flexible support to state and local governments in supporting affordability and assistance programs;
• Allocate a percentage of infrastructure funding for resilient nature-based infrastructure solutions.

3. Fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Restore & Strengthen Clean Water Protections

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots, throughout the Great Lakes region. In addition to improving the Great Lakes ecosystem, the GLRI results in more than 3-to-1 in additional economic benefits across the region.

To build on the past success of the GLRI:

• President Biden should include at least $375 million for the GLRI in the FY2022 budget request to Congress, consistent with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Authorization Act;
• U.S. EPA should ensure that GLRI funding is used to address issues of environmental justice across the region;
• U.S. EPA should consider climate change impacts when making funding decisions about projects to ensure projects remain relevant in a changing climate and to fund projects that improve climate resiliency across the region.

President Biden should also restore and strengthen the clean water protections eliminated by the last administration and remove harmful regulations or Executive Orders proposed by the last administration to ensure that our environment and public health are protected, including:

• Set a policy goal for the administration to restore basic water enforcement and monitoring practices for the Great Lakes to be at least as strong as what was in place in 2016;
• Revoke U.S. EPA’s October 2020 proposed ballast water rules that leave the Great Lakes less protected than they are now;
• Propose increased funding for federal agencies that work to protect public health and the environment in the President’s FY2022 budget. In particular, U.S. EPA needs increased staffing for basic day-to-day monitoring and enforcement of clean water, drinking water, and other critical environmental laws.

4. Fund Efforts to Stop Invasive Asian Carp

Invasive Asian Carp pose a clear threat to the Great Lakes. Established populations of these fish 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 the construction of additional invasive Asian Carp measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, located near Joliet, Illinois. After years of study and public debate, this project has been identified as the best step in stopping the fish from entering the Great Lakes and has wide bipartisan support.

To stop invasive Asian Carp, President Biden should:

• Direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to proceed immediately to pre-construction engineering and design (PED) for the Brandon Road project;
• Direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to include funds for the Brandon Road project’s PED in its FY2021 work plan and direct the Office of Management and Budget to approve the use of these funds for PED;
• Include specific funding necessary for PED in the President’s FY2022 budget.

5. Address Agricultural Pollution that Drives Harmful Algal Blooms

Nutrient pollution that fuels harmful algal blooms is a significant threat to the region’s drinking water, quality of life, and economic well-being. Runoff from agricultural lands is a significant contributor to the phosphorus pollution that drives these blooms.

Farm Bill conservation programs are critical to addressing water quality problems caused by agriculture. But these voluntary programs are not enough to prevent this pollution. Farm Bill conservation programs should link funding with accountability to ensure that they are achieving clean water goals. To accomplish this goal, the Biden administration can start with the following:

• President Biden should propose full funding for Farm Bill Conservation Programs as authorized in Title II of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 in his FY2022 budget;
• U.S. EPA should require states to prioritize Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) in Harmful Algal Bloom prone watersheds and step in to fulfill those obligations if states fail to do so. Additionally, the U.S. EPA should work to strengthen the TMDL program by requiring implementation plans and timelines for achieving nutrient reductions;
• U.S. EPA Office of Water should lead and work with Region 5 staff and the Great Lakes National Program Office to oversee the development and coordination of regulatory, management, and restoration activities, including data management and reporting by agencies working to reduce harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie;
• President Biden should direct U.S. EPA to exercise its responsibility under the Clean Water Act to establish numeric water pollution standards for nutrients and other pollutants.

Read our Top 5 Great Lakes Priorities for the United States Congress.

As the nation faces unprecedented challenges, clean water is more important than ever. The deepening COVID-19 crisis reminds us daily of the deep connection between clean water and public health. Investment in clean water programs supports getting people back to work and protects public health, a win for everyone.

The Great Lakes and our communities face serious challenges, from crumbling water infrastructure to the threat of invasive Asian Carp. Thanks to a strong, bipartisan focus on moving forward Great Lakes protections over the past decade, we have made significant progress toward our collective vision of safe, healthy Great Lakes accessible to everyone.

But much more remains to be done. We need to address places where systemic racism is undermining the protection of safe and clean water for all. Our vision of a healthy, safe Great Lakes for everyone includes addressing environmental injustices. It also means recognizing that a changing climate will make existing Great Lakes problems worse for the foreseeable future. There is no time to waste.

We have identified our top five priorities for Congress for 2021. We look forward to working with the 117th Congress to further advance Great Lakes protections.

1. Prioritize Environmental Justice

Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by pollution. Environmental justice seeks to address this unfair distribution of pollution and repair the harm that it causes. It requires the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of color and low-income communities in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The Great Lakes region has an opportunity to help lead the way.

There are specific actions the federal government can take to address environmental justice in the Great Lakes region right now including:

• Congress should reinstate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and fund it at $100 million per year. The office centralizes U.S. EPA’s environmental justice policy and decision making. It also ensures that communities of color and low-income communities have access to U.S. EPA’s expertise and can benefit from agency programs and funding. This office can provide leadership and support to U.S. EPA Region 5 and the Great Lakes National Program Office to ensure environmental justice objectives are set and met throughout programs that affect the Great Lakes.
• Congress should provide the U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office with additional staff and funding to improve its outreach to communities of color and low-income communities. This will provide more opportunities for the public to learn about Great Lakes protection and restoration efforts and provide input and ideas to U.S. EPA about projects that would benefit their communities.

2. Increase Drinking Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Funding & Stop Water Shutoffs

Clean water is a basic need. No one should be without clean, safe, affordable water in their home. No one should have to worry about sewage backing up into their basement or community flooding that damages property. Yet, communities across the Great Lakes region continue to grapple with crumbling, antiquated drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. The longer we wait, the harder and more expensive these problems will be to solve.

The eight Great Lakes states need $188 billion over the next 20 years for improvements, upgrades, and repairs to this infrastructure. Paying for water infrastructure projects is expensive. Yet the costs to fix them are often not shared equitably, which underscores the importance of financial support from the federal government.

Clean water and water infrastructure are ever more critical in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis. Investing in clean water infrastructure is a win-win, creating jobs and protecting public health.

Congress should pass an infrastructure package that invests more than $100 billion over the next five years to address failing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems.

Congress should also protect households and communities by:

• Enacting a federal ban on residential water shutoffs due to nonpayment and requiring reconnection of water service;
• Making permanent and clarifying the implementation of federal assistance programs for low-income communities and ratepayers passed by Congress in 2020;
• Increasing funds available as grants to utilities, with a particular emphasis on construction funding for lower-income communities, and flexible support to state and local governments in supporting affordability and assistance programs;
• Allocating a percentage of infrastructure funding for resilient nature-based infrastructure solutions.

3. Fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative & Increase Federal Agency Support for Clean Water Protections

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots, throughout the Great Lakes region. In addition to improving the Great Lakes ecosystem, the GLRI results in more than 3-to-1 in additional economic benefits across the region.

Congress should invest at least $375 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in FY2022, consistent with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Authorization Act that reauthorized the program through FY2026.

However, the GLRI on its own is not enough to protect and restore the Great Lakes and the communities that depend on them. The Great Lakes also need strong agencies to implement and enforce environmental laws. Congress should increase funding, including increased staffing for monitoring and enforcement of clean water, drinking water, and other critical environmental laws, for the U.S. EPA and other federal agencies that work to protect public health and the environment.

The U.S. EPA plays a critical federal role in safeguarding the Great Lakes, protecting our public health, and keeping our water safe and clean. It is essential that Congress support U.S. EPA to fulfill its mission to ensure that progress in restoring the Great Lakes is not undermined by the weakening of bedrock laws that protect clean water and the Great Lakes.

In recent years, regulatory rollbacks and staff cuts undermined the ability of the federal government, and in turn state governments, to protect the environment and people’s health. Cuts also undermined scientific research in government decisions and reduced U.S. EPA’s capacity to coordinate important regional projects like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement with Canada.

4. Fund Efforts to Stop Invasive Asian Carp

Invasive Asian Carp pose a clear threat to the Great Lakes. Established populations of these fish are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes.

To keep these fish out of the Great Lakes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed the construction of additional invasive Asian Carp measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, located near Joliet, Illinois. After years of study and public debate, this project has been identified as the best step in stopping the fish from entering the Great Lakes and allowing waterborne commerce to continue moving through the lock. The project has wide bipartisan support and is authorized by Congress. To continue efforts to build Asian carp protections at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam:

• Congress should fund pre-construction engineering and design (PED) for the Brandon Road Lock & Dam project, a critical line of defense against the advance of invasive Asian Carp into the Great Lakes;
• Congress should adjust the non-federal cost-share requirement to allow for the construction of the project at full federal expense.

5. Fund Farm Bill Conservation Programs

Nutrient pollution that fuels harmful algal blooms is a significant threat to the region’s drinking water, quality of life, and economic well-being. Runoff from agricultural lands is a significant contributor to the phosphorus pollution that drives these blooms.

Farm Bill conservation programs are critical to addressing water quality problems caused by agriculture. But these voluntary programs are not enough to prevent this pollution. Farm Bill conservation programs should link funding with accountability to ensure that they are achieving clean water goals. To achieve this Congress should:

• Provide full funding for Farm Bill Conservation Programs as authorized in Title II of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018;
• Link federal conservation funding with measurable water-quality improvements and achievement of Clean Water Act Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) goals;
• Fund water quality monitoring and annual reporting on whether existing pollution control targets are being achieved in western Lake Erie and Green Bay.

Read our Top 5 Great Lakes Priorities for the Biden Administration