Portman's Great Lakes bill advances in the Senate

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced that his Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act has unanimously passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Portman’s bill, which he authored with U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), authorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a results-driven program to address some of the most serious issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of the entire Great Lakes basin. Portman serves as vice-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force.   
 
“This initiative has been an incredibly successful tool for our Lake Erie protection and restoration efforts,” Portman stated. “We must protect our Great Lakes not only for their environmental well-being, but also for Ohio’s economy and I will continue to work for passage of this bill.”
 

[[In-content Ad]]Last year, the GLRI received $300 million in the Omnibus Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017 to combat some of the biggest challenges the Lakes are facing today, such as the threat of invasive species, pollution and toxic contamination. Among its many achievements, the environmental restoration work conducted through this program led to the delisting of three formerly contaminated sites along the Great Lakes, known as Areas of Concerns. Yet, despite this progress, 27 toxic Areas of Concern remain across the Great Lakes Basin. Portman’s bill authorizes $300 million for the GLRI annually to ensure that continued federal resources are made available to accelerate the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes.