The US House voted this week to approve a reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and to include additional funding.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is a federal program designed to support environmental projects around the region.
The reauthorization is required before funding for the program can be appropriated.
Michigan US Congressman Dan Kildee said the overwhelming support for the reauthorization is a good sign.
“I think we helped make the case that the Great Lakes are an important region, the health of the lakes is important to the region, and a healthy region is good for the country.”
The reauthorization will allow congress to appropriate funding to the initiative of up to $475-million in fiscal year 2026.
Currently, the GLRI receives some $300-million annually.
“There were policies in place that degraded the lakes,” Kildee said. “We have to have policies in place and resources to fix the problem we were a part in making.”
The next step is to see how much money President Trump sets aside for the program in his budget.
“And this vote is a pretty strong signal that congress is going to support funding, strong funding, for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.”
Congressman Justin Amash, an independent, was the only Michigan representative to vote against the legislation.
A spokesperson for Amash released the following statement: "Rep. Amash supports the federal government’s continued efforts on invasive species and other interstate matters, but the relevant committee could not provide a substantive justification for a 58 percent increase in this program’s funding, especially at a time when the country is $23 trillion in debt. This unsustainable debt will have a devastating impact on our environment and well-being over the long run."