Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in support of my bill, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019.

First, I thank Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and the 48 other Members from both sides of the aisle who cosponsored this important legislation. These Members come from each of the eight Great Lakes States, and they have been instrumental in advancing this bill to the House floor.

I also thank my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee who unanimously supported the GLRI Act of 2019 during its markup back in September.

I cherish my memories growing up on the shores of Lake Erie, fishing and swimming with my family and friends. Everyone in this Chamber knows that I am not shy about my commitment to protect and restore the Great Lakes, for both current and future generations of Americans.

The Great Lakes are a key economic driver for our Nation. More than 1.5 million jobs are directly connected to the lakes, generating $62 billion in wages annually. That is not to mention the fact that the Great Lakes Basin is home to more than 30 million people and that the lakes hold roughly 21 percent of the entire world's freshwater supply.

That is why I was proud to introduce this bill to authorize this critically important Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for an additional 5 years and increase the program's annual authorized funding level, ensuring communities across the Great Lakes region, including those in my own district of northeast Ohio, can continue to address their on-the-ground needs.

Through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, also known as GLRI, EPA coordinates its efforts with other Federal partners like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as State agencies, local communities, and nonprofit organizations.

GLRI projects have led to significant environmental benefits in the Great Lakes region since the program was created, helping restore more than 50,000 acres of coastal wetlands and reduce nutrient runoff that leads to harmful algal blooms like the one that shut down Toledo's water system in 2014, impacting hundreds of thousands of Ohioans.

The program also provides for a wide range of economic benefits, like protecting the $7 billion Great Lakes fishery from invasive species like the Asian carp.

In fact, a recent study showed that every dollar spent on GLRI projects through 2016 produces more than $3 in additional economic activity in the region. This means jobs and economic development in waterfront communities like Mentor, Ashtabula, and Conneaut, Ohio.

Simply put, without the GLRI, critical environmental restoration activities and strong economic growth would never have happened. The bill is a great example of the progress we can make when we work together to address the issues facing our communities.

While we have made progress in our efforts to address nearshore health, invasive species, toxic substances, and wildlife habitat, much more work remains to be done to protect the Great Lakes. That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4031, working across party lines to protect the invaluable natural resource and economic powerhouse that is the Great Lakes system.

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