The Great Lakes serve as a vital source of drinking water and recreation for millions of Americans. For us in Michigan, the Great Lakes are a way of life. As Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force, I have worked to build a bipartisan coalition in Congress to make the Great Lakes a national priority. Last week, this work took another step forward when I joined the bipartisan introduction of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2024.
The GLRI is the leading federal program designed to clean up legacy pollution, restore habitats, and combat invasive species across the Great Lakes Basin. This important program has helped revitalize communities leading to a resurgence of economic activity in once heavily polluted areas while also revitalizing ecological habitats.
Along the shores of Lake Michigan, the GLRI has positively impacted communities from Holland to Benton Harbor in the 4th Congressional District as well as communities throughout Michigan and across the entire Great Lakes region.
Studies from both Grand Valley State University and the University of Michigan demonstrate how the economic health of the Great Lakes is directly tied to their ecological health. In fact, the study from the University of Michigan found that every dollar invested by the GLRI generated $3.35 in economic activity.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 would increase the annual federal funding authorization for the GLRI from $475 million to $500 million starting in FY 2026 and continuing through FY 2031. Properly funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is something that I have battled both Republican and Democrat Administrations over because it is so vital to our communities here in Southwest Michigan. I am proud to lead this latest bipartisan effort to strengthen the Great Lakes economy and protect these precious resources for future generations.
If you need assistance navigating a federal agency, please contact my office in Holland at (616) 251-6741 or in Portage at (269) 569-8595 and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter, the Huizenga Huddle at Huizenga.House.Gov.