Dec 22, 2020
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) A program that has pumped $2.7 billion into healing long-term injuries to the Great Lakes environment has received authorization from Congress to continue another five years.
The U.S. Senate voted unanimously Sunday to extend the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, as the House did earlier this year. The bill, which requires President Donald Trump’s signature to take effect, calls for gradually boosting the program’s annual funding from $300 million to $475 million by 2026.
The measure doesn’t guarantee the money, which lawmakers will need to provide in annual spending bills. But authorizing the program for multiple years is an important step.
Congress OKs 5-year extension of Great Lakes cleanup program - News - Sault Ste Marie Evening News - Sault Ste Marie, MI sooeveningnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sooeveningnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Money for cleaning up and restoring polluted areas of the Great Lakes has been approved by the U.S. Senate. The House already approved the bill. Now, it goes to President Donald Trump. Because of the bipartisan support for the legislation, the President is expected to sign it.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative started ten years ago at a funding level of $475 million a year, but it was reduced to $300 million after the first year.
Laura Rubin is Director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. (file photo)
Credit Lester Graham / Michigan Radio
“And we ve been at 300 million for the last nine years, so to get a five year reauthorization that takes us back up to $475 million over the next five years is a huge victory for the Great Lakes,” said Laura Rubin, Director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.
Congress OKs 5-year extension of Great Lakes cleanup program - News - Ionia Sentinel - Standard-Ionia, MI sentinel-standard.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sentinel-standard.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Dec 22, 2020
TRAVERSE CITY (AP) A program that has pumped $2.7 billion into healing long-term injuries to the Great Lakes environment has received authorization from Congress to continue another five years.
The U.S. Senate voted unanimously Sunday to extend the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, as the House did earlier this year. The bill, which requires President Donald Trump’s signature to take effect, calls for gradually boosting the program’s annual funding from $300 million to $475 million by 2026.
The measure doesn’t guarantee the money, which lawmakers will need to provide in annual spending bills. But authorizing the program for multiple years is an important step.