Sponsors (45)
The bill provides multi-year federal funding to restore the Great Lakes and improve water quality and public health, but it increases federal spending commitments and could redirect or delay other funding depending on appropriations decisions.
Local governments and residents near the Great Lakes will receive $500 million per year (FY2027–FY2031) in federal grants for restoration, cleanup, and water-quality projects.
States and Tribal governments gain predictable five-year federal support to plan and build remediation, habitat restoration, and related infrastructure projects, improving long-term project planning and execution.
Communities around the Great Lakes (urban and rural) are likely to see reduced pollution and improved drinking and recreational water quality, which protects public health.
Taxpayers face higher federal spending commitments and potential upward pressure on deficits if the $500 million annual authorization is not offset.
Some federal, state, or local programs could receive relatively less funding if appropriators prioritize the new $500 million annual authorization, shifting resources away from other priorities.
Communities and utilities expecting immediate funding could face delays because the authorization does not guarantee appropriation; Congress must actually appropriate the authorized amounts.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds a statutory authorization of $500 million annually for the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for FY2027–FY2031.
Adds a statutory authorization of $500,000,000 per year for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for fiscal years 2027–2031. The change amends the existing statutory list of authorized amounts to include this annual funding level but does not itself appropriate money. The amendment inserts the new authorized amount into 33 U.S.C. §1268(c)(7)(J)(i), adjusting punctuation of adjacent subclauses to accommodate the addition; actual expenditures still require separate annual appropriations decisions.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by David Joyce · Last progress January 9, 2025