GLLC Members Send Letter to GLTF Advocating for GLRI Reauthorization

Members of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus (GLLC) sent a letter to members of the Great Lakes Task Force today, expressing their support for the reauthorization of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The GLLC is a binational, nonpartisan organization of state and provincial legislators working to support the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. Their mission is to strengthen the role of those legislators in the policymaking process by facilitating the exchange of ideas around the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

“The GLRI has efficiently coordinated funds for restoration and protection work throughout the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin since 2010, investing over $4 billion in this vital economic and environmental resource,” the legislators write.

Identical bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to reauthorize the GLRI from fiscal years 2027-2031 at $500 million per year, a $25 million increase over the FY26 authorized level. The program would face a lapse in authorization in FY27 otherwise. Every federal dollar invested in the GLRI generates additional economic value of $3.35. Under the GLRI, seven Great Lakes Areas of Concern have been delisted, compared to just one in the 23 years before the program began, and management actions have been completed at an additional eight sites.

NEMWI To Host Event on

Great Lakes Marine Sanctuaries

The Northeast-Midwest Institute and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will co-host a Congressional briefing on Great Lakes marine sanctuaries on Wednesday, December 17th, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Rayburn 2168. The briefing is a session of NEMWI’s Great Lakes Primer and Orientation Program, sponsored by the Erb Family Foundation.

Join us for a deep dive into the chilling mysteries of the Great Lakes with virtual reality headsets, 3-D shipwreck models, and *Erie* storytelling!

Covering about 10,000 miles of coastline, America’s Great Lakes serve as gateways for trade and tourism, centers for biodiversity and science innovation, and underwater museums for national maritime heritage. Only about 15% of these lakebeds are mapped to modern standards, leaving huge gaps in the data needed to create updated nautical charts, discover untold stories and shipwrecks, and manage the region’s extraordinary natural and cultural resources. The recent designations of national marine sanctuaries in the Great Lakes have led to intensive mapping efforts and new discoveries by NOAA and its commercial, academic, and federal partners.

The answers to many maritime mysteries lie in the depths of these largely unexplored waters, preserving evidence and glimpses into the past, for those who dare to discover. The briefing will focus on the network of America’s premier marine places in the Great Lakes and the new discoveries, innovative technologies, and immersive experiences benefiting their communities.



Light refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP to Diane Dotson at ddotson@marinesanctuary.org.

Northeast-Midwest Institute to Mark Giving Tuesday

The Northeast-Midwest Institute, as a non-profit, bi-partisan policy education organization, will celebrate Giving Tuesday 2025 tomorrow, Tuesday, December 2, 2025.

Constituents of NEMWI will be asked to consider making a voluntary tax-deductible contribution to support the policy education work that is NEMWI's hallmark. A Giving Tuesday solicitation will celebrate NEMWI's contributions to sound, evidence-based policy regionally and nationally, and NEMWI's plans for continued policy education contributions during the year ahead.

NEMWI's Giving Tuesday request for support is attached here.

Connect With the Northeast-Midwest Institute

on Social Media

The Northeast-Midwest Institute is on social media with new updates and information on its regional research and policy education program and with announcements for upcoming briefings and events. NEMWI is posting our research reports on current regional issues and ongoing policy education on the page to make keeping up with our policy work easier than ever. The Institute also is updating the page with announcements of upcoming policy briefings and webinars. NEMWI is excited for the opportunity to connect with as many people as possible. 

Please check out our LinkedIn here, our Twitter/X here, our Facebook here, and our Bluesky here. Be sure to like and follow us to keep up to date with NEMWI!

On Bluesky, also check out our Great Lakes feed at "NEMW Great Lakes Feed" and if you are a Great Lakes organization on Bluesky, contact Great Lakes Program Manager Alex Eastman at aeastman@nemw.org so that we can add your posts to the feed!