Federal Investments are Producing Results in Wisconsin

From 2009 through 2017, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has invested $380 million in 492 projects in Wisconsin to restore habitat, fight invasive species, clean up toxic pollution, and reduce polluted runoff. Cities like Milwaukee are removing steel shorelines and replacing them with riverside parks for kids. Invasive plants are removed from marshes along Lake Michigan, making space for native plants to provide habitat for migratory birds.

But Serious Threats Remain

Lake Superior and Lake Michigan continue to be threatened by polluted runoff from farm fields. Migratory bird habitat has been degraded or destroyed. And to keep drinking water and wastewater safe, Wisconsin needs $13.6 billion over the next 20 years to repair and replace crumbling infrastructure. We need the federal government to continue partnering with Wisconsin to invest in Great Lakes restoration and affordable water infrastructure to protect our lakes.

Contact Your Member of Congress

Let your members of congress know they should take action to protect the Great Lakes! Find out how to contact your senators and representative here. Tell them:

• The Great Lakes are our most important source of fresh water, providing drinking water to 30 million people. We must continue our efforts to clean and restore them.
• Although we have made progress the lakes still face serious threats.
• We can’t afford to stop now. These projects to clean up our lakes will only get harder and more expensive the longer we wait.