Nothing beats a road trip after a long hiatus from travel. Covering ground by car gives me an opportunity to reconnect with places around the Great Lakes that I have not been to in years. At the end of September, I drove from Chicago to Niagara Falls, Ontario, for the triennial Great Lakes Public Forum – more on that in a moment.  

In three days, I saw and sometimes touched two Great Lakes (Michigan and Ontario), one really excellent lake (St. Clair), three mighty rivers (St. Clair, Detroit, and Niagara), and of course, the majestic Niagara Falls. 500 miles from end to end, and every drop of the water is shared. I missed Lake Erie only because I ran out of time for another detour.  

Seeing all this connected water in just a few days reminded me how urgent it is for us all to expand the vision of what it means to restore our Great Lakes. While we are making great strides in cleaning up the sins of the past, the lakes are changing before our eyes. Many communities still won’t enjoy the benefits of living so close to such immense fresh water even if we achieve current restoration goals. 

The trip would be worthwhile even with no destination, but I was bound to and from the Great Lakes Public Forum. The Forum happens every three years as a follow-up to the triennial “State of the Great Lakes” report issued by the United States and Canada. The report and the Forum are requirements under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the two countries. This year the Agreement celebrated its 50^th anniversary. Many of the attendees are government officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada, and the state and provincial levels. The idea is that the governments review and discuss the findings with advocates, scientists, and, more generally, the people of the Great Lakes. I want to share a bit of what I saw and heard because it tells part of the story of what’s needed for a restored and protected Great Lakes in the future. 

Credit where it’s due. We are making admirable progress toward cleaning up the Great Lakes “Areas of Concern,” which are highly contaminated waters designated in 1987. In the U.S, much of the pollution in these “AOCs” lingered until the creation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Congress appropriated an additional $1 billion in 2021 to fast-track cleanup of most of these sites by 2030. Advocates in Canada continue to seek a larger federal investment in Great Lakes restoration. Beach health continues to improve with reductions in chronic sewage overflows and increases in cleaning up stormwater with natural solutions and better infrastructure design, operations, and management. 

Not all the news is good. Invasive species already in the Great Lakes continue to devastate the ecology and economy of the region, requiring ongoing vigilance and spending. Nutrient pollution hotspots, largely fed by agriculture, plague large watersheds like Green Bay, Saginaw Bay, and Lake Erie. Algal blooms are showing up in cold Lake Superior. Our waters and lands are showing the impacts of a changing climate. While some fish consumption advisories are improving, emerging pollutants like PFAS and plastics are less “emerging” and more “present.”  

Disconnects abound. Sometimes government agencies are having one conversation while advocates are demanding another. Take drinking water.  The report gives Great Lakes drinking water a “good” or “green” score because the lakes can serve as a reliable source of drinking water when treated. But for someone who gets their water from Lake Erie, where the intakes have alert systems to detect the presence of toxic algae, that doesn’t feel right. And hundreds of communities that rely on lake water but distribute it through lead pipes don’t see their drinking water as “good.”  

Algal blooms and nutrient pollution is another searing hot example. While most of the presentations focused on understanding blooms and the investment being made in voluntary cleanups, questions from the audience were much more pointed. Are you going to regulate farms and animal feedlots to reduce pollution? Why are people bearing the cost and health burden of this pollution when we know what the problem is and what would solve it? Are people in those communities going to have a say in deciding how cleanup happens? And over and over – why is this taking so long? 

Many people, myself included, want answers from our elected officials who have the power to change policy and get more forceful in cleaning up farms and ensuring safe drinking water. It was clear those answers were not in that room. There were not many U.S. advocates in the room either, and I think that’s partially because people know the Forum is not where critical water decisions are made. 

Reflecting the people of the Great Lakes. Indigenous voices and advocates had a strong presence at the event. Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare gave opening comments on day two, describing the personal and tragic impacts on families that lack of access to clean water is having on Ontario First Nations communities. It echoed stories I have listened to from residents in American Great Lakes cities. After Chief Hare’s remarks, he sat with U.S. EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore and Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault for an armchair conversation. Having seats at the table for more voices at high government decision-making levels is vital for sovereign Indigenous nations and all people and communities directly impacted by pollution. The U.S. has a long way to go to demonstrate that our governments are listening and taking the advice and direction of communities on the front lines of Great Lakes challenges. 

What’s next? Water is water, and we need it to be safe and plentiful in all its forms for all forms of life. But it’s clear that current policies and practices rooted in decades of history are not keeping up with our changing climate or addressing the reality that many lower-income communities and communities of color still do not enjoy the benefits of a safe and clean Great Lakes. We need a “whole system” approach to restoring and protecting the Great Lakes. One that is rooted in the science of the lakes as they are today and will be in the future. An approach that shows how decisions are made with the people impacted by those decisions fully at the table. One that makes sure the lakes and their waters are there for all life, when and how we need them.  

The Great Lakes should not leave anyone behind. That’s why the Alliance and I are building these ideas and principles into the critical programs that make a change on the ground. It’s a long road, and I’m glad you are on it with me.  

The post The Great Lakes Should Not Leave Anyone Behind appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

At the beginning of the year we announced an ambitious federal policy agenda. We’re now just past the halfway mark of the year. So we’re asking: are we making progress, or is there more we can do to advocate for the Great Lakes?

As a quick refresher, our policy agenda for 2022 included:

• Increasing funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative;
• Increasing funding for water infrastructure; and
• Securing a cost share change for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project so that the project would be fully funded by the federal government.

House Makes Progress on Funding Great Lakes Priorities

On the funding side, the U.S. House of Representatives responded to our priorities and just voted on an appropriations bill that includes increased funds for the Great Lakes. Included in the “minibus” legislation (approximately six appropriations bills all bundled together) are:

• $2.9 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which is approximately level with last year and will provide funding to states to address water infrastructure needs like replacing lead pipes;

• $368 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is an increase of $20 million over last year’s funding and represents critical funding to address regional priorities such as cleaning up toxic hot spots, habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and managing invasive species;

• $47.8 million for the first phase of construction of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, to keep invasive carp out of the lakes; and

• $3 million for the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study, an increase of $2.5 million over the President’s Budget, that will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to start this important effort to address climate change and the needs of coastal communities in the face of fluctuating lake levels.

While the Senate has yet to move any funding bills for a vote, the House actions are encouraging. They demonstrate that Congress recognizes the importance of these programs to a healthy Great Lakes.

Bipartisan Action to Stop Invasive Carp

In addition to funding, the House and Senate – on a bipartisan vote – are moving legislation that continues strong momentum to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. 

Invasive carp pose a serious threat to the Great Lakes. Silver and bighead carp have already wreaked havoc on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, out-competing native fish for food and injuring people who recreate on the rivers. The invasive fish are steadily spreading upstream toward Lake Michigan. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun designing a critical project to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan by installing prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois, a chokepoint in waterways leading to Lake Michigan.

The House passed its version of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 that will increase the federal cost-share – which is how much the federal government will chip in for this critical project – to 90%. The Senate has moved its version of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 out of committee and is expected to pass the bill later this summer. The Senate committee bill also includes the same cost-share provision as the House bill. This is good news and shows that Congress and the Administration recognize that the invasive carp moving toward Lake Michigan threaten the entire Great Lakes region.

Looking Ahead, Your Voice Makes a Difference

The legislative process will continue for the next several months and hopefully conclude before the start of the new federal fiscal year in October. We are encouraged by the progress thus far and will continue to press for increased funding and authority for programs that support and maintain the Great Lakes.

But it’s not too late for you to weigh in and encourage your members of congress to support clean water and a healthy Great Lakes.

The post Mid-Year Update: Alliance’s 2022 Federal Priorities appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Resources

Southeast Environmental Task Force
Calumet Connect DataBook

The post Oscar Sanchez, Community Planning Manager at Southeast Environmental Task Force appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

Last year Congress and the Biden Administration delivered on historic investments in water programs which brought significant funding to the Great Lakes region. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) included nearly $50 billion in water infrastructure funding, $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and $226 million for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project to halt the spread of invasive carp.

Last year’s achievements are a tough act to follow. The FY 2023 President’s Budget, the first step in the federal government budget process, was released earlier this week by the White House. While it supports increased funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency overall and specifically increases funding for the agency’s environmental justice efforts, the budget falls short in some respects.

Although the FY 2023 President’s Budget proposes some modest additional investments in water infrastructure, it fails to take up the invitation extended by the IIJA which provided for significantly increased authorization levels for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The higher authorization – which is a top threshold for program funding – was necessary to address the significant backlog of water infrastructure needs nationwide. Instead, the budget proposes maintaining the SRFs at $3.7 billion, which is the same level that Congress appropriated last year. It proposes modest increases of $22 million for the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Program ($182 million total) and $46 million for community grants for environmental injustice ($140 million total). Both are important programs but we know that much more is needed to fix failing and outdated sewer and water infrastructure.

For the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the budget proposes $340 million, which is an $8 million decrease from the FY 2022 enacted level and well short of the program’s authorized level of $400 million.

The FY 2023 President’s Budget is a starting point as we turn our attention to working with Congress to secure funds that will protect the Great Lakes.

The post DC Update: Biden’s FY23 Budget Proposal & the Great Lakes appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Crystal M.C. Davis joined the Alliance for the Great Lakes as Policy Director in 2016. Based in Cleveland, Crystal leads the Alliance’s policy and advocacy efforts related to Lake Erie and manages the organization’s Ohio office. She has played an integral role in the Alliance’s emerging work around drinking water and developing a people-centered model for protecting the Great Lakes. 

Resources

The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality – The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality a book by Anna-Lisa Cox (bookshop.org)

The post Crystal M.C. Davis, Legacy of Black Farmers and Water Stewardship appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

The annual priorities outline our federal policy agenda and identify the next steps Congress should take in this session to protect the lakes. Today we’ll discuss our top Great Lakes priorities for lawmakers in Washington, DC, and dig into the opportunities and challenges facing our agenda in the year ahead.

Speakers include Alliance for the Great Lakes policy experts:
Joel Brammeier, President & CEO
Molly Flanagan, COO & Vice President for Programs
Crystal M.C. Davis, Vice President for Policy and Strategic Engagement
Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Relations
Jennifer Caddick, Vice President, Communications & Engagement (Moderator)

Resources

Please read our blog for a summary of the Great Lakes Federal Policy Agenda. You can also view our previously recorded webinar to hear our priorities laid out in detail. Let’s keep the momentum going in 2022! Tell Congress: do 3 big things this year to protect the Great Lakes and the people who depend on them.

The post Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities 2022 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Read on for reactions from environmental and community organizations:

“We have turned a new page in the City of Chicago – we will celebrate the denial of General Iron’s permit today but tomorrow we will continue to work on our vision for a sustainable future for all the communities on the Calumet River. Thank you to all the community members for their hard work and commitment to justice and to all the ally’s that lifted up the demands of the residents of the Southeast Side of Chicago.” – Olga Bautista, Southeast Environmental Task Force Executive Director

“The Alliance for the Great Lakes applauds the City of Chicago’s decision to deny this permit. Previous research has clearly detailed the stark environmental injustices facing those who live and work along the Calumet Industrial Corridor. This denial is an important step in addressing and reversing that harm. We look forward to supporting the City and community leaders on land use and zoning reform and stricter regulations that protect the health of residents and our waters. We are encouraged that the City has shown leadership by listening to impacted community members as part of its decision-making.” – Joel Brammeier, Alliance for the Great Lakes President & CEO

“The Metropolitan Planning Council appreciates that the Department of Public Health denied this permit. This decision demonstrates that it is possible for the City to use health and environmental justice data and community input to reassess development decisions. This is a critical first step in evaluating cumulative impacts in overburdened communities. MPC will continue to support the City’s forward momentum toward improving permitting, land use, and zoning processes to center community voices and create resilient, equitable, and healthy neighborhoods.” – Darlene Hightower, President & CEO, Metropolitan Planning Council

“The Center for Neighborhood Technology commends the Department of Public Health for denying the permit for General Iron’s Southside Recycling project. We celebrate alongside the thousands of residents on Chicago’s SE side, and pledge our continued support to the community leaders who have been fighting for a healthier, more sustainable and equitable future. CNT is ready to continue to hold the city accountable to its commitment to improving health outcomes for Chicago’s most vulnerable residents.” – Bob Dean, CEO, Center for Neighborhood Technology

###

Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post City of Chicago denies permit for General Iron’s recycling plant appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Last January, we set an ambitious agenda for the incoming Biden administration and new Congress. And by the end of the year, we saw exciting progress for the Great Lakes. Historic bipartisan infrastructure legislation included funding to speed up efforts to remove dangerous lead drinking water pipes, stop invasive carp, implement on-the-ground Great Lakes restoration projects, and more. And through a mix of legislation and executive orders, the administration and Congress have begun the important work of addressing long-standing environmental injustices and slowing climate change.

Yet the list of needs to protect the Great Lakes and the people who depend on them is long. Our policy team has identified our top three federal Great Lakes priorities for the coming year. In 2022, the Alliance urges the Biden administration and Congress to:

• Increase water infrastructure funding and prioritize fixing environmental injustices
• Fund Great Lakes restoration at $400 million
• Fully fund invasive carp protections

Last year our top federal policy priority urged the Biden administration and Congress to prioritize environmental justice. While they have taken initial steps, federal water programs must continue to shift to prioritize low-income communities and communities of color, where the burden of pollution often hits hardest. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustice issues can’t be a one-time step. Instead, it must be incorporated into every federal program and measured publicly to show progress. And protecting our communities from the impacts of a changing climate means building resilience into federal Great Lakes programs as well. Environmental justice and climate change are embedded in each of our 2022 policy priorities.

Read on for more details of our federal policy agenda.

Increase water infrastructure funding and prioritize fixing environmental injustices

Last year Congress passed historic bipartisan legislation – the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 – to address the nation’s backlog of infrastructure projects. The bill included about $50 billion over the next five years to fix failing and outdated drinking and wastewater infrastructure nationally. It was a critical down payment to help communities remove lead drinking water pipes, stop sewer overflows into rivers and lakes, and prevent community flooding.

But it’s not enough. Great Lakes states alone need an estimated $188 billion over the next 20 years for their water infrastructure needs.

We call on Congress and the administration to build on the bipartisan infrastructure bill and:

• Increase funding to $8.3 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, the main pathway to distribute water infrastructure funding to states
• Ensure that infrastructure dollars prioritize disadvantaged communities for funding as grants
• Support nature-based infrastructure solutions like rain gardens and permeable pavement
• Enact a ban on residential water shutoffs due to nonpayment and require reconnection of water service
• Establish a permanent low-income water assistance program

For full details of our water infrastructure policy asks, download our fact sheet.

Fund Great Lakes restoration at $400 million

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), established over 15 years ago, is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots. In addition to environmental benefits, GLRI funding garners a 3-to-1 return in additional economic benefits across the region.

While we need continued investment in the program, the strategy guiding the GLRI needs an update to ensure that funds are reaching communities most in need and to address climate change.

We call on Congress and the administration to:

• Allocate at least $400 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative this year
• Increase funding for cleaning up toxic hotspots around the lakes using additional GLRI funds included in the bipartisan infrastructure bill
• Update the strategy guiding the GLRI with a focus on combating environmental injustices and climate change

For full details of our Great Lakes restoration policy asks, download our fact sheet.

Fully fund invasive carp protections

Invasive carp pose a clear threat to the Great Lakes. Established populations of these harmful 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 carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, located near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dedicated funding received in the bipartisan infrastructure bill to wrap up project design and get started on construction. But more needs to be done.

We call on Congress and the Biden administration to:

• Adjust the cost-share for the Brandon Road project to 100 percent federal funding in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 due to the project’s national scope
• Ensure ongoing updates and regular input from the public on the Brandon Road project

For full details of our invasive carp policy asks, download our fact sheet.

Want to learn more? Watch the webinar.

The post 2022 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Note: This blog is part of a periodic series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

We laid out an ambitious federal policy agenda back in January 2021 as President Biden took office and as the 117th Congress convened. Our major federal policy priorities for 2021 were:

• prioritize environmental justice,
• increase drinking water & wastewater infrastructure funding & stop water shutoffs,
• fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative & restore and strengthen clean water protections,
• fund efforts to stop invasive carp,
• address agricultural pollution that drives harmful algal blooms.

So, as this year draws to a close, how did the Biden administration and Congress do? Are we making progress on our priorities? Overall, 2021 was a very good year. The administration has embraced our priorities, and we achieved some major legislative victories. All of this sets a strong course for continued progress on efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes for the next several years.

Several positive themes emerged over the year, including a major focus on racial and social justice, investing in core public benefits like water infrastructure, enhancing restoration opportunities, and addressing climate change.

A Major Focus on Racial and Social Justice

First, the Biden administration has made racial equity, including environmental justice, one of its top priorities. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an Executive Order that repealed a ban on racial sensitivity and diversity and inclusion training. We specifically called for this action in our priorities and applaud this step. Ensuring that federal agencies have the training to provide policies and services equitably to all Americans is critical.

The President also appointed Michael Regan as Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and has made other high-profile cabinet and sub-cabinet level appointments that reflect the diversity of the American people.

Back in January, we called on President Biden to “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.” We see this in action in the administration’s Justice 40 initiative and the establishment of a White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Justice 40 is a government-wide effort to ensure that federal agencies work with state and local governments and communities to deliver at least 40 percent of overall benefits from federal investment in environmental and clean energy to disadvantaged communities. The White House has issued interim guidance to agencies to guide this work, and although there is much more to do, we are pleased that this effort is well underway.

Significant Progress on Funding Repairs to Outdated Water and Sewer Infrastructure

Second, significant progress is being made to address the nation’s outdated infrastructure, including drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, through the enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Increasing funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and the replacement of lead service lines was a key item on our list of priorities for the Biden administration and Congress this year.

After months of negotiations, Congress delivered, and the President signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. The legislation makes a solid down payment on our water infrastructure needs, including funding to begin the long-overdue replacement of lead service lines. It also includes an additional $50 billion in supplemental funding for nationwide investments in water infrastructure over the next five years, including:

• an additional $11.7 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund,
• $11.7 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund,
• $15 billion to replace harmful lead service lines, and,
• $10 billion to address PFAS (or forever chemicals) contamination.

Congress listened to advocates from around the Great Lakes region who wrote letters and called their representatives in Washington, DC. Advocates spoke out about the critical need for funding to fix our region’s antiquated water infrastructure, which will protect our Great Lakes and provide significant environmental, human health, and economic benefits for our communities.

Big Investments in Great Lakes Restoration

Third, we also have seen significant progress in securing additional funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes an additional $1 billion for GLRI over the next five years. This funding will allow agencies to support on-the-ground projects around the lakes to clean up toxic pollutants, restore habitat, reduce pollution from nutrient runoff, and combat invasive species.

Continued Progress on Stopping Invasive Carp

Fourth, we are seeing progress in funding efforts to stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. The FY 2022 President’s Budget included funds for project engineering and design for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project, a critical Army Corps of Engineers project to stop invasive carp from moving from the Illinois River into the Great Lakes. And, although Congress has not fully approved the final FY 2022 appropriations bill, both the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction on this issue agreed with the President’s request and have included funding for the Brandon Road project engineering and design, which will take about four years to complete.

Continued Focus on Reducing Harmful Agricultural Pollution

And, finally, we were pleased that the President’s budget proposed additional funding for agriculture conservation programs that reduce nutrient pollution – a leading cause of harmful algal blooms – from flowing into waterways. While Congress has not yet adopted a final budget for the fiscal year, it appears that both the House and Senate have, to some degree, supported this request. Looking ahead, we have begun work with conservation partners to develop priorities for the next federal Farm Bill, anticipated in 2023.

We also worked with the state of Ohio to begin the development of a TMDL (total maximum daily load) for western Lake Erie, which would set limits for agricultural pollution flowing into waterways. We anticipate the TMDL process will continue until the fall of 2022.

As 2021 draws to a close, we are grateful that we are making significant progress in securing major boosts in federal funding for key programs that protect and restore the Great Lakes.

The post Year-End Federal Policy Update: Strong Progress Made on Alliance’s Priorities appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

The Ohio Environmental Justice Policy Forum

Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by environmental challenges. In urban communities, people of color are disproportionately impacted by environmental injustice. These communities have a higher likelihood of having unsafe and/or unaffordable drinking water, clean air, and viable and safe land resources, as well as inadequate and/or unaffordable sources of energy.

Social, racial, and economic justice are inseparable from environmental justice. We cannot achieve our vision of a Great Lakes enjoyed by all when systemic racism is allowed to permeate our society unchecked.

As we turn toward rebuilding and supporting an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the year ahead creates a renewed opportunity to build upon the long-term environmental justice work that has been building across the state and to add to its momentum. 

These policy recommendations are the product of a virtual environmental justice policy forum held in November 2020. This forum, funded by the Cleveland and Gund Foundations, was designed to provide black and brown leaders working in environmentally focused careers with opportunities to network while developing a state-level policy agenda and a vision for an environmentally just Ohio.

The Forum’s Policy Recommendations

Water

• Ban residential water shutoffs due to nonpayment.
• Increase funding for lead service line replacement and grants for homeowners seeking to remove sources of lead from their home water systems.
• Ban partial lead service line replacement.
• Ensure all water utilities and local governments implement 20-year lead service line replacement plans.
• Create a racially and geographically diverse citizens advisory board to weigh in on H2Ohio implementation and other water issues.

Land

• Amend the Clean Ohio Fund to allow municipalities and conservation funds to receive state funds for land acquisition and active park creation.
• Fund the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund: Dedicating the revenue Ohio receives in liquor profits each year would provide over $40 million per year in funding that is flexible, sustainable, and complementary to existing environmental remediation programs.
• Increase state funding for growing a clean and efficient manufacturing sector, including for the purposes of industrial efficiency, repurposing industrial areas into eco-industrial parks, and growing the local supply chain for the environmentally and socially responsible products of the future.

Air

• Invest in and incentivize low- and zero- emission cars, buses, and trucks.
• Impose progressively stringent penalties and fines on industrial businesses responsible for air pollution violations.
• Improve indoor air quality, reduce energy bills, and increase the comfort of homes through reintroduction of state energy efficiency standards, with a special focus on historically redlined, dense, and low-income communities that tend to endure higher energy burdens.

Energy

• Create net metering policies that encourage homeowners and business owners to invest in localized electric generation and/or storage capacity.
• Reinstate the renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) and energy efficiency resource standard.
• Though home rule inhibits state authority over implementation of local hiring provisions, we encourage state lawmakers to support policies that increase training and set-asides for disadvantaged business enterprises.
• Repeal HB 6 and introduce statewide comprehensive energy policies that provide incentives and allow for the production and development of clean energy and jobs.

Learn More

• Download the fact sheet
• Download the complete report

The post Ohio Environmental Justice Policy Recommendations appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.