Coalition and Others to House Appropriators Regarding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

To: The Honorable Michael Simpson
Chairperson
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
House Committee on Appropriations
B-308 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable James P. Moran
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies
House Committee on Appropriations
1016 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

From: The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
And the undersigned environmental non-governmental organizations

Dear Chairperson Simpson and Ranking Member Moran:

We, the members of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, ask that you provide $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in Fiscal Year 2013. The GLRI – and you – have provided the Great Lakes region with much-needed support, and we are seeing on-the-ground results in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. However, while pressures on Congress to balance the U.S. budget will not diminish, neither will the urgent problems facing the Great Lakes. If we cut restoration funds, these serious problems will only get worse and the price we pay will be much higher…