Great Lakes Restoration
In 2002 and then reauthorized in 2008, Congress approved the Great Lakes Legacy Act which continues to facilitate the efficient cleanup toxic hotspots known as Areas of Concerns.
One of the region’s top priorities for cleanup has always been restoring the Ottawa River and removing toxic materials from the riverbed.
After many years of analysis, local partners teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Fish & Wildlife Service to announce a $43 million project to remove these toxic sediments.
This project was made possible by this legislation which provided significant federal resources for this project.
As a senior member of the appropriations committee, I have supported the creation and funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a multiyear multibillion effort to restore the environmental integrity of our region.
With tens of millions of people relying on the water resource of the Great Lakes and a $5 – 7 billion recreational fishing industry in the region, the economic benefits of restoring the integrity of the lakes are unending.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur: Great Lakes Restoration 8/22/13
Marcy Kaptur, 9th U.S. District Congresswoman, talks about the importance of the Great Lakes and why we must continue investing to keep them clean.
