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Federal budget includes funding for Great Lakes, chemical contamination

Keith Cooper
/
https://flic.kr/p/rUZR7Q

Funding to address chemical contamination in water is in the proposed 2018 budget, according to Federal lawmakers.

PFA’s - a chemical contaminant linked to cancer and thyroid problems - have been found around several current and former military bases in Michigan, including Camp Grayling and the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda.

Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee said the 2018 budget includes ten million dollars for a health study on the health impacts of PFAs.

“We’re able to get increased funding to investigate and clean up contamination of these decommissioned bases that have exposure and then we increased the size of emergency water grants for communities facing these problems - particularly rural communities.”

Kildee said he would also like to see a lowering of the federal action limit for contamination.  Residents in Oscoda have raised concerns that the federal action limit is too high and has kept some residents from accessing aid.

The budget also includes funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The 300 million dollar appropriation for water infrastructure and restoration projects was slated to be cut under President Trump’s proposed budget for the second year running.

Kildee said lawmakers on both sides of the aisle came together to make sure the funding stayed.

“Unfortunately I think we’re going to fight this battle every year. This is the second year in a row that President Trump tried to eliminate the program. We’ll see next year if he gets the message that this is something we’re going to continue to fight for and leaves it in.”

The budget bill passed the House Thursday morning with the Senate expected to pass it before the weekend.