Great Lakes programs to get billions in federal funding

Lake Erie is shown in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Congress's $1.7 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 includes billions of dollars for Great Lakes programs that will benefit Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes, including local ports and ecological initiatives.

The bill funds the general government through the end of 2023. It includes $2.3 billion to operate and maintain the maritime navigation system through the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes that brings salties, lake freighters and other ships to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor and the Port of Chicago.

It also includes $212 million for port infrastructure projects, $2.76 billion for water infrastructure through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, $368 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and $3 million to continue the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study.

The Great Lakes Commission also got $3 million to improve regional collaboration between the states and the federal government. It's the first time the federal government has given a direct appropriation to the Great Lakes Commission, which advocates for Great Lakes ecosystems, economies and communities.

“Congress is investing in important programs to advance our goals of a healthy and thriving Great Lakes region,” said Erika Jensen, executive director of GLC. “The GLC appreciates the Great Lakes congressional delegation for funding these important programs. We look forward to utilizing the new funding for the GLC to expand state-federal collaboration, enhance regional coordination, and accelerate progress on priorities related to restoration, navigation, and resiliency.”

Founded in 1955, the Great Lakes Commission seeks to protect the Great Lakes and countenance policies that would benefit the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes.

For more information, visit glc.org.