Great Lakes Clean-up Plan Likely will not Receive Desired Funding

An ambitious, $20 billion Great Lakes clean-up plan announced in July by the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC) appears to be in jeopardy after Friday’s release of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report that questions the funding request. The EPA report notes that while the draft plan calls for contributions of $3 billion annually by the federal government, the GLRC has not submitted any plans to improve existing programs. Instead of requesting additional resources, the EPA “believes that this strategy should focus on what can be accomplished within current budget projections,” and will not endorse the plan at this time.

Environmental groups have criticized the Bush administration for “turning its back on the Great Lakes” and cited nine studies over the past four years that have shown that substantial resources are needed to clean-up the Great Lakes. A final version of the GLRC recommendations will be released in December.

Related posts:

1. EPA Hearing on the Great Lakes in Grand Rapids
2. Draft Plan for Great Lakes Cleanup Announced
3. Public Turns out for Hearing on the Great Lakes in Downtown GR
4. New Potentially Toxic Chemical Found in the Great Lakes
5. New Report Warns Congress of Global Warming Impact on the Great Lakes