The Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) and the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) co-hosted the annual Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast Reception last Wednesday in conjunction with Great Lakes Washington Day. The breakfast was held virtually again this year due to the ongoing Covid pandemic.
Ms. Erika Jensen, Executive Director of the GLC, kicked off the program, highlighting the importance of the Great Lakes and the achievements that are being made at the federal level. Dr. Michael Goff, President and CEO of NEMWI, then expressed his excitement to learn more about the upcoming Congressional agenda directly from members of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force.
The program, which was moderated by Eric Brown, Sr. Advisor for External Relations at the GLC, included live and recorded remarks by 11 bipartisan and bicameral members of Congress. Participants included Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Representatives Jack Bergman (R-MI), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Chris Jacobs (R-NY), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Lisa McClain (R-MI), Joesph Morelle (D-NY), Brad Schnider (D-IL), and Fred Upton (R-MI).
President Biden Highlights Great Lakes and Infrastructure During Visit to Wisconsin
President Joe Biden visited Superior, Wisconsin last Wednesday to discuss the new infrastructure bill that was passed by Congress last fall. The speech in Wisconsin came a day after his State of the Union, highlighting the importance of the Great Lakes region and its infrastructure.
President Biden highlighted a new $1 billion investment by the infrastructure law in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) over the next five years, stating "one study found that for every dollar we spend cleaning up the Great Lakes, we generate three to four dollars in economic benefit. It's a good investment. There's more fresh water in these lakes than in any other single place in the whole world.”
Additionally, the President also focused on key infrastructure in the region, saying “it's not only the investments we're making in the Great Lakes, on the opposite end of Lake Superior from where we stand the Soo Locks connect this lake to the other Great Lakes. Those locks are a gateway connecting the things we make here in this country to the rest of the world. Seven thousand vessels and ninety-percent of America's Iron Ore move through those locks every year. In January I announced nearly $500 millon to upgrade
the Soo Locks.”
President Biden’s full remarks can be viewed here.
Coast Guard Authorization Act
Advances Through Committee
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last week approved H.R. 6865, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022. The bill authorizes the majority of U.S. Coast Guard activities across the country and has been drafted in largely a bipartisan manner.
Among the many provisions in the bill is the authorization of funds to construct a new icebreaker in the Great Lakes. Language authored by Rep. Mike Gallegher (R-WI) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in the previous legislation was included in the bill, which would clarify the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) responsibility for icebreaking on the Great Lakes. The bill now awaits consideration by the full House, however, no indication has been made as to when that might occur.
To keep tabs on this and other bills related to water and Great Lakes policy, check out our updated Great Lakes Legislative Tracker here.
EPA Announces $20 Million “Reduction in
Lead Exposure Via Drinking Water” Grant Opportunity
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted a news release announcing $20 million in funding made available to reduce lead in drinking water. The Reduction in Lead Exposure Via Drinking Water grant makes available $10 million “for projects to conduct lead service line replacements or implement corrosion control improvements,” and an additional “$10 million for projects that remove sources of lead in drinking water (e.g., fixtures, fountains, outlets and plumbing materials) in schools or childcare facilities.”
This grant program, created under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, has been supplemented by funds made available under the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The deadline for applications to be submitted is Apr 19, 2022, and applications must be submitted via the Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) posted on grants.gov.
The grant program encourages applications from low-income and other historically underserved communities which are at an increased risk for lead exposure due to outdated water infrastructure systems. This aspect of the program falls in line with the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative. This commitment aims to ensure that 40 percent of the benefits of certain federal investments are directed to underserved communities.
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