Senator Gary Peters is pushing for the reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Peters spoke during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing featuring testimony from EPA Administrator Michael Regan this week. He said the GLRI has made a big difference for the Great Lakes since the program was approved in 2009.
“As Michiganders, I can say that the Great Lakes are not only in our DNA, they’re a critical resource for drinking water, for economic growth, and for job creation,” Peters said. “And since 2010, GLRI resources have been used to fund thousands of projects to improve water quality, to protect and restore native habitat and species, to prevent and control invasive quality, to prevent and control invasive species, and to address other Great Lakes environmental problems.”
Since 2010, the GLRI has provided more than $1.4 billion to fund more than 3,000 projects across Michigan.
During the hearing, Peters also raised the issue of PFAS contamination and applauded the EPA’s recent action to establish the first-ever national standard for PFAS chemicals in drinking water.
