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The failure of a dam in a northern Michigan river led to an innovative solution that restored fish passage in an important Lake Huron tributary and saved a popular community festival in the process.
Replacing the Chesaning Dam with a series of rock weirs gave fish in Lake Huron access to 37 miles of the Shiawassee River. The new structure also maintained water levels upstream that were sufficient to preserve the popular Chesaning Showboat Festival. Read more here.
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (April 15, 2013) – Following the release of the Obama Administration’s 2014 budget, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is urging the U.S. Congress to maintain support for Great Lakes programs that are protecting drinking water, safeguarding public health, creating jobs and upholding the quality of life for millions of people in the region.
“President Obama’s budget keeps Great Lakes restoration on track,” said Chad Lord, policy director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “The budget acknowledges that restoration projects are producing results, but there is more work to do. We look forward to working with the Obama Administration and U.S. Congress to ensure the nation continues to invest in the economic and ecological health of the Great Lakes.”
Great Lakes Funding Maintained
The Obama Administration’s fiscal year 2014 budget request of $300 million matches the $300 million appropriated in the fiscal year 2012 budget. Over the last four years, President Obama and the U.S. Congress have invested more than $1.36 billion through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to clean up toxic pollution to protect the health of people and wildlife; restore fish and wildlife habitat to support the region’s outdoor recreation industry; fight invasive species like the Asian carp to protect the region’s $7 billion sport and commercial fisheries; and prevent farm and urban runoff to protect human health and keep beaches open.
Sewage Funding Cut
The Obama Administration slashes funding to the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, a federal program that provides low-interest loans to urban and rural communities to modernize and fix their waste water infrastructure. The Obama Administration’s fiscal year 2014 budget request of $1.095 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund represents a cut of more than 25 percent from the $1.468 billion appropriated in the fiscal year 2012 budget. More >
In a strong show of bipartisan support for Great Lakes restoration efforts, 38 Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed on to a letter urging colleagues to support $300 million in funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in the fiscal year 2014 budget.
U.S. Reps. John Dingell (D-MI), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Sander Levin (D-MI) and David Joyce (R-OH) authored the letter, which will be sent to House appropriators.
The letter has also been signed by U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Gary Peters (D-MI), More >
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to get $300 million in 2014 budget
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (April 10, 2013) – President Barack Obama released his 2014 budget today, which maintains support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $300 million. The program has invested more than $1 billion over the last three years to clean up toxic pollution, confront invasive species, restore habitat and prevent runoff from cities and farms.
The budget also contains over $1 billion for the national Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund – over $400 million of which will help communities in the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York fix old sewers to prevent sewage overflows.
Commenting on the Obama Administration’s budget, Chad Lord, policy director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, said:
“This budget keeps Great Lakes restoration on track. More >
More than 30 Republicans and Democrats have signed on to a letter asking federal appropriators to maintain Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding at $300 million in the 2014 budget. Recent signatories include Tim Walz (D-MN), Danny Davis (D-IL), Rick Nolan (D-MN), Bill Owens (D-NY).
The letter closes on Friday April 12. More >
