Baldwin opposes Trump’s proposed Great Lakes funding budget cut

Senator Tammy Baldwin has expressed opposition to President Donald Trump’s proposed 90 percent budget cut to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The proposed cut would greatly reduce the program’s funding from $300 million to $30 million in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was launched in 2010 in order to expedite efforts to maintain and restore the Great Lakes. Efforts include cleaning up Great Lakes Areas of Concern, preventing and controlling invasive species, reducing nutrient runoff that contributes to harmful algal blooms and restoring habitat to protect native species.

Senator Baldwin, who is a member of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force, U.S., wrote to the Trump Administration last October calling for full funding of the $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to be included in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request.

“Investments in the Great Lakes are an investment in the future of Wisconsin’s economy,” Baldwin said in a statement. “Rather than supporting the progress towns and cities across Wisconsin are making, President Trump’s budget would stall this effort.”

GLRI has invested $331 million for 416 projects in Wisconsin, helping to rid the Great Lakes of invasive species and prevent them from disrupting the food chain and destroying ports, pipes and water infrastructures.  It has also helped to clean up polluted sites and to restore water quality in Wisconsin.

Last November, Senator Baldwin secured $300 million for GLRI  in the FY 2018 Interior and Environmental funding bill.

“I will continue to do my part and fight for this program, so we can continue our progress investing in the Great Lakes economy,” Senator Baldwin said.