Tell Congress to Pass Critical Funding for Lakes and Rivers
Last week the United States Senate passed the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2024, and it’s now urgent that the U.S. House acts quickly to pass the bill before the end of the 118th Congress this month.
“We need to keep the pressure on,” said Margaret Frisbie, Friends’ executive director. “We are asking everyone to please contact your Representative ASAP and urge them to pass this vital legislation.”
The GLRI Act of 2024 provides a critical increase in investment up to $475 million annually in GLRI funding; in comparison, Congress has invested $368 million in the current year for restoration actions. Since it was established in 2010, GRLI has provided more than $3.7 billion in funding for more than 7,500 projects that restore habitat, reduce runoff pollutions, reduce invasive plants and their impacts, and clean up polluted sites.
Since 2020, Friends has received nearly $400,000 in grant funding authorized through the GLRI and the river has been benefitted by many more. Right now, Friends is restoring over 110 acres of Forest Preserves of Cook County sites along the Thorn Creek tributary of the Little Calumet River. This restoration is not only allowing native plant species to replace invasives, but also allows for the infiltration of an additional 1.79 million gallons of stormwater during every one-inch-per-one hour rain event. Habitat, resiliency, water quality, and natural aesthetics all benefit from this GLRI-funded work.
The GLRI has had widespread bipartisan support throughout its history, and the GLRI Act of 2024 has been no exception.
Federal Great Lakes restoration investments are producing ecological and economic results. But serious threats remain. The House must continue supporting our communities by passing the Senate-passed GLRI Act of 2024 to protect our drinking water, public health, jobs, and quality of life. Cuts will only make problems worse and more expensive to solve.
Take action now to support passage of the critical funding.
