Congresspersons Ask Army Corps To Protect Great Lakes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, a coalition of 41 Congressional leaders penned a letter urging the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize protecting the Great Lakes region. The coalition was led by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat whose district stretches from Toledo to Lakewood.

The letter was addressed to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Rickey "R.D." James. The letter asks James to prioritize batting back an invasion of Asian carp and finishing a Great Lakes restoration study.

"This letter represents a strong bipartisan and regionally diverse consensus held among Democratic and Republican Members of Congress from across the Great Lakes region that the Great Lakes deserve robust investment and attention by the Army Corps of Engineers in FY 2020," said Rep. Kaptur.

The letter suggests the Corps ask for $19.3 million for electric dispersal barriers and $315,000 for the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study program. The Congresspersons also want the Corps to spend $1.2 million studying the resiliency of the Great Lakes coast, particularly in regards to erosion.

The Corps is also asked to prioritize the Soo Locks project and the Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem restoration.

"Together, we call on the Army Corps of Engineers to allocate sufficient workplan funding to combat Asian Carp, make necessary improvements to the Soo Locks, and successfully carry out both the Great Lakes Resiliency Study and the Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration program," Kaptur said. "The FY 2020 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill provided robust funding for the Corps. This letter makes clear our priorities for how that Corp funding is allocated. Every dollar spent on these projects will have a profoundly positive impact on our region."

The letter was cosigned by the following representatives: Kaptur, Bill Huizenga, Debbie Dingell, David Joyce, Bill Foster, Joseph Morelle, Peter Visclosky, Fred Upton, Haley Stevens, Gwen Moore, Anthony Gonzalez (OH), Brenda Lawrence, Paul Mitchell, Mike Quigley, Pete Stauber, Mike Kelly (PA), Jack Bergman, Daniel Kildee, John Katko, Bradly Schneider, Anthony Brindisi, John Moolenaar, Bryan Steil, Robert Latta, Bob Gibbs, Marcia Fudge, Mike Gallagher, Jackie Walorski, Jan Schakowsky, Bobby Rush, Elissa Slotkin, Elise Stefanik, Robin Kelly (IL), Danny Davis, Andy Levin, Rashida Tlaib, Michael Turner, Glenn Grothman, Tim Ryan, Brian Higgins and Jesus Garcia (IL).