Great Lakes Funding, One Step Closer

Despite a proposal to eliminate funding to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in the Trump administration’s proposed 2018 budget, the House Appropriations Committee recently voted to continue to fully fund the program through September 2018.

Traditionally, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has received support from both sides of the aisle. The funding goes towards projects that aim to improve water quality, fight harmful algal blooms and combat invasive species.

This affirmative vote by the Appropriations Committee means the bill can now move on to the full House for consideration. The funding — $300 million — is part of an Environmental Protection Agency spending bill. Overall, the EPA bill decreases annual funding for the agency by $528 million. Supporters hope the most recent vote by the Appropriations Committee will help secure funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in the next fiscal year’s federal budget.

[Photo via NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr]