Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Congress approves bill that helps Great Lakes

The GLRI funds habitat restoration like this cattail remediation project in Braddock Bay, New York.
Veronica Volk
/
Great Lakes Today
The GLRI funds habitat restoration like this cattail remediation project in Braddock Bay, New York.

Congress' approval of a spending bill will renew funding for a program that aids Great Lakes waters and surrounding lands.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has funded everything from water treatment upgrades to fish spawning habitats to toxic cleanups.

Since its implementation in 2010 money from the initiative has gone toward over 3,000 projects across the region.

Under new water spending legislation, the initiative will continue to be funded at $300 million a year over the next five years. People who work on environmental projects say this renewal is important for the long-term health of the lakes.

Sponsor Message

"All of these projects are long term," says Jill Jedlicka, executive director of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. "When you deal with river restoration or habitat restoration, it's not just done in a nice, neat 2-year time frame."

The bill also allocates funds to projects addressing lead in Flint, Michigan's water.

Copyright 2016 Great Lakes Today

Veronica Volk is a senior editor and producer for WXXI News.