Significant progress has been made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. But much more needs to be done. Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water, whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Invasive species threaten the lakes, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.  

In our 2023 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified the top five opportunities for Congress and federal agencies to address these challenges. Many of these priorities are familiar. Congress and the administration must keep up the momentum generated over the past few years to fix our water infrastructure, stop invasive species, and support on-the-ground restoration projects.  

Equity and justice are embedded throughout these policy priorities. Equity and justice must be considered at every step of the federal decision-making process to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, affordable water. Federal water programs must prioritize low-income communities and communities of color, where the burden of pollution often hits hardest. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustices isn’t a one-off action. Instead, Congress and the administration must ensure that community voices are at the table, and listened to, from the beginning of all decision-making.  

This year, we have two new priority areas focused on opportunities we’ve identified for the federal government to push forward new approaches to long-standing problems. First is the Farm Bill, which only happens every five years and sets national agriculture and food policy. We see an opportunity to improve federal agriculture subsidy programs to make sure farmers produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops. Second, concern about plastic pollution continues to grow, and Congress can act to limit plastic pollution by reducing it at the source and not once it is a problem on our beaches and in our communities.  

Read on for full details of our 2023 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Increase water infrastructure funding, prioritize funding for communities most in need 

The infrastructure bill passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding will jump-start efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows.  

However, the funding is only a start. It’s estimated that the Great Lakes region will need at least $188 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. Currently, the infrastructure bill will provide Great Lakes states with an additional $1.8 billion per year for the next five years. It is clearly not enough. We need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs. Additionally, funding programs must be structured to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest need, such as those with many lead pipes. 

In 2023, we urge Congress to: 

• Increase annual funding to at least $8 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds  
• Increase by $1 billion annual funding levels for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants  
• Pass a federal ban on water shutoffs 
• Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills 

In 2023 we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to: 

• Work with states to ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure funding and provide technical assistance to disadvantaged and underserved communities  
• Complete the Drinking Water Needs Assessment in early 2023 to increase the amount of lead service line funding to Great Lakes states which have the highest number of lead pipes in the country

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water 

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water, threatens wildlife, harms the regional economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes. 

Every five years, Congress develops a “farm bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. In 2023, Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.  

In 2023, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that: 

• Increases funding for US Department of Agriculture conservation programs  
• Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands
• Reduces funding for concentrated animal feeding operations 

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution  

Researchers estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes each year. Plastic pollution isn’t just an unsightly problem in our waterways. It’s estimated that humans ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week, with unknown long-term consequences for our health. 

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on the end-user, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.  

In 2023, we urge Congress to pass legislation that: 

• Makes plastic waste producers responsible for its reduction 
• Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics 
• Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species  

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars since the late 1980s. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. The battle against invasive species is focused on two fronts – stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes and cleaning up ship ballast tanks.  

Established populations of invasive carp 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 constructing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project.  

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened the Great Lakes to direct ocean-going shipping. Unfortunately, ships brought invasive species along for the ride in their ballast tanks. Although regulations to clean up ship ballast tanks have reduced introductions, loopholes remain for “lakers,” ships operating solely in the Great Lakes. The US EPA can close that loophole. 

In 2023, we urge Congress to: 

• Fund the next phases of construction of the Brandon Road project to stop invasive carp 

In 2023, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions: 

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should continue implementing the Brandon Road project with public participation and work with the state of Illinois to finalize the project partnership agreement. 
• The U.S. EPA should issue rules requiring all vessels operating on the Great Lakes, including lakers, to clean up their ballast tanks.

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Update and fund Great Lakes restoration programs 

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) 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 an additional 3-to-1 return in economic benefits.  

While we need continued investment in Great Lakes restoration, the strategy guiding the GLRI was developed almost 20 years ago and needs an update. Federal agencies should revise the Great Lakes restoration strategy to address the next generation of threats to the lakes, including climate change and long-standing environmental injustices.  

In 2023, we urge Congress to: 

• Fund the GLRI with at least $425 million in FY24 

In 2023, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions: 

• The White House and U.S. EPA should update the Great Lakes action plan to address environmental injustice, climate resilience, and the next generation of risks to the Great Lakes.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should include large-scale natural infrastructure in the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study to address extreme water level changes caused by climate change. 

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

The post Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2023 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

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.

Prevention measures in design

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun designing a critical project to stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. The Corps is designing new carp prevention measures to install at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois, a chokepoint in waterways leading to Lake Michigan.

In the bill just passed, Congress increased the federal cost-share – which is how much the federal government will chip in for this critical project – to 90%. This commitment shows that Congress and the Administration recognize that the invasive carp moving toward Lake Michigan threaten the entire Great Lakes region.

By increasing the federal cost-share to 90%, Congress will help accelerate the project from design to construction.

Next steps for Illinois

The state of Illinois must take 2 important steps to keep this critical project moving forward:

• Illinois must sign an agreement with the Corps by the end of the year to keep the project on schedule.
• It’s time for Illinois to step up and work collaboratively with other Great Lakes states to fund the local portion of the construction phase of the project and keep invasive carp out of the lakes.

“Thank you to all the Great Lake advocates and members of Congress who are working to keep invasive carp out of our lakes,” says Molly Flanagan, Chief Operating Officer, Alliance for the Great Lakes. “We look forward to working with Illinois and other Great Lakes states to ensure the local share is funded.”

The post Congress Builds Momentum to Stop Invasive Carp 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.

“While we appreciate Illinois’ marketing efforts to address the growing threat of invasive carp, more carp (or “Copi”) making its way to consumers’ plates will not fix the problem. The state must keep its eye on the long game and focus on building protections at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam that are essential to keeping invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

We have been pleased to see that fortifying Brandon Road is a priority for Congress and the Biden administration: We saw a historic federal investment earlier this year to fully fund the initial phase of the project (preconstruction, engineering and design, and the first year of construction). But we can’t rest on our laurels — we need to ensure momentum continues in order to get the Brandon Road project built. If the state is serious about addressing the threat of invasive carp, Illinois must step up and work collaboratively with other Great Lakes states to fund the local portion of the construction phase of the project and keep invasive carp out of the lakes. Illinois must also sign an agreement with the Corps by the end of the year to keep the project on schedule. We look forward to working with Illinois and other Great Lakes states to ensure the local share is funded.”

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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post Statement on Effort to Rename & Increase Marketing of Invasive Carp: “It will not fix the problem.” appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

“The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released its version of the Water Resource and Development Act (WRDA) today. The bill adjusts the federal cost share for construction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Brandon Road Lock and Dam project in Joliet, Illinois to 90 percent. This change reflects the importance of the Brandon Road project to ensure invasive carp stay out of Lake Michigan. The Corps—in partnership with Illinois, Michigan and the other Great Lakes states—has already made significant progress in designing innovative technological measures at Brandon Road, which is the choke point for invasive carp traveling from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes.

However, more still needs to be done. We urge Great Lakes Members of Congress to change the federal cost share to 100 percent in order to ensure the project proceeds to construction without delay. The Alliance for the Great Lakes looks forward to working with our partners in Congress so that the entire country benefits from the new technologies the Corps is implementing as part of this project.”

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Media Contact: Jennifer Caddick, jcaddick@greatlakes.org

The post Alliance Urges Congress to Fully Fund Project to Stop Invasive Carp 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.

Molly Flanagan joined the Alliance for the Great Lakes staff in April 2015 as Vice President for Policy after seven years as senior program officer at the Joyce Foundation. Molly is responsible for leading all aspects of the Alliance’s strategic policy, advocacy, and reform efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes.

Resources from today’s podcast:  Ballast Water

The post Molly Flanagan Invasive Species 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.

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.

“Today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers included nearly $226 million for the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Project, meant to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, in its Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 2022 Construction Work Plan. This represents the full amount of federal funds needed to complete preconstruction, engineering and design (PED) for the project in Joliet, IL (about 50 miles downstream of Chicago). The Corps also included initial federal funds needed to begin construction at the completion of PED.

This is an historic step forward for this critically needed project to add a chain of smart technologies to the waterway that will stop invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes applauds President Biden and his administration, Senators Durbin and Stabenow, Representatives Kaptur and Joyce, and the Great Lakes Congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to adjust the cost share for construction at Brandon Road to 100% of federal funds in the upcoming Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The eight Great Lakes governors sent a letter to the Environment and Public Works Committee supporting this cost-share adjustment. This change would allow the project to move immediately to construction at the conclusion of the design phase and ensure that we continue moving with urgency to protect our states’ greatest natural resource, the Great Lakes, from the threat of invasive carp.”

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Media contact: Please connect with our media team at TeamGreatLakes@mrss.com.

The post Statement: Historic Step Forward to Stop Invasive Carp appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.