The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition welcomes the newly proposed Biden Administration budget that, taken in tandem with the American Jobs Plan, presents a historic opportunity to secure sizeable federal investments to accelerate progress to restore the Great Lakes, protect the health of communities, and reverse environmental justices that have harmed vulnerable communities.

On behalf of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition and our more than 170 member organizations, I write to offer our support for the proposed substitute amendment to H.R. 1915, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021.

New investment is sorely needed. The Great Lakes states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin face more than $188 billion in water infrastructure repairs and upgrades over 20 years to meet clean water objectives and to protect the health of local communities, according to the U.S. EPA.

The U.S. Senate passed legislation to boost the nation’s investment in water infrastructure to get at the vexing and ongoing problems of toxic lead in people’s drinking water, sewage contamination, and unaffordable water bills that are impacting millions of people in the Great Lakes region and across the country

Letter of support for robust funding for Great Lakes restoration in the Fiscal Year 2022 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

Letter of support for robust funding for Great Lakes restoration in the Fiscal Year 2022 Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

Letter of support for robust funding for Great Lakes restoration in the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

Letter of support robust funding for Great Lakes restoration in the Fiscal Year 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill.