Bipartisan Group Slams Proposed Great Lakes Restoration Cuts

AVON LAKE, OH — A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives are lobbying against proposed deep cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which has been working to clean up the largest collection of fresh water bodies in the world. The budget would cut the group's funding from $300 million to $30 million, a 90 percent cut.

“The bipartisan Great Lakes delegation is united in its support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative which has made so much progress in cleaning up the largest surface freshwater system in the world,” said the Co-Chairs.

The GLRI group's has two major concerns moving forward, and cites them as reasons for funding.

“Much work remains, however, to deal with both the legacy pollutants as well as the new threats of harmful algal blooms and invasive species like Asian carp. Therefore, we were all very disappointed to see that the President’s budget once again fails to recognize the value of GLRI and the importance of the Lakes to our region. We look forward to working together, once again, to provide necessary funding for the health and safety of our Great Lakes,” said the GLRI chairs.

Ohio ranks in the top five states with the most toxic waste releases per year, according to EPA data. Still, the state is making strides to reduce its toxic waste output. There was 102 million pounds of toxic waste disposed of in the Buckeye State in 2016, the lowest total since at least 2003.

The majority of the chemicals being released into the water in Cuyahoga County are nitrate compounds. Cornell University said that excess nitrates in drinking water can lead to "blue baby" syndrome, though they won't have the same impact on older children and adults. Water is regularly tested for its nitrate levels.

Meanwhile, on June 23, 2017, an Asian carp was found nine miles from Lake Michigan. The creature had somehow managed to get past the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) river-based electric barrier and approach the Great Lake. That discovery terrified Great Lakes-based businesses throughout the region, including companies in Ohio.

The GLRI group is made up of representatives from impacted states. Congresspeople Marcy Kaptur, Ohio Democrat, Bill Huizenga, Republican from Michigan, Sean Duffy, Republican from Wisconsin, and Louise Slaughter, Democrat from New York, and David P. Joyce, Republican from Ohio, and Rick Nolan, Democrat from Minnesota, make up the GLRI representation.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch