Senator Stabenow Statement on Leaked Reports that President Trump’s Budget Requests 97 Percent Cut to Great Lakes Funding

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, released a statement in response to leaked reports that President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency will request a 97 percent cut in funding for the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: 

“It is outrageous that just days after delaying a critical plan to stop Asian carp, it appears that President Trump’s budget is calling for a 97 percent cut in funding for the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  This initiative has been critical to cleaning up our Great Lakes and waterways, restoring fish and wildlife habitats, and fighting invasive species, like Asian carp.  Our Great Lakes are part of our DNA and an important driver of our economy in Michigan and I call on President Trump to reverse course on these harmful decisions.”

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which Senator Stabenow championed and helped launch in 2010, accelerates efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes by providing grants to clean up contaminated areas, prevent and control invasive species, address harmful algae blooms, and restore habitat to protect native species.