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Last year, Vice President JD Vance, who was then a member of Ohio, was part of a The alliance of the two parties Call to increase financing Great Lakes Restore InitiativeOr GLRI – Among the country’s largest investments aimed at protecting and restoring the great lakes.
“The Great Lakes Recovery Initiative provides the tools that we need to fight gas, algae flowers, pollution, and other threats to the ecosystem,” said Vans, who was a co -chairman of the mission division in the Great Lakes in the Senate when the re -delay bill was announced. . Voice to extend and Increase financing For the project until 2031.
“This is a logical effort, from both parties, I encourage all my colleagues to support,” Vans said.
Defenders hope he did not change his opinion.
The five major lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario – are the largest environment for freshwater in the world and a source of drinking water for about 10 percent of the country’s population. Since 2010, the huge GLri spending package has helped funding everything from fine plastic research to cancel the algae to Coast with a related climate. Only this week, Democratic Senator Gary Peters from Michigan and Republican Senator Todd Young in Indiana Submit This would re -authorize funding at $ 500 million annually for the next five years. Politicians often refer to the initiative as evidence that they can agree on environmental and environmental issues.
But his future may be in danger. The last time Trump was in office, she tried to manage and failed to cut or even eliminate GLRi financing several times. Now, Trump aims at environmental spending, including financing programs related to environmental justice and climate change. Vans has A changed path On environmental issues as he has It rises through Political ranks, such as his support for coal, electric cars, and even what he said about him It caused a person Climate change. He also invested and sat on blackboard Subordinate AppharVEST catastrophic internal agriculture process. Procuratorates hope to save Glri, despite an enemy political environment.
Scott Olson / Getti Imas
Indeed, the Trump administration has frozen billions of dollars from two main initiatives that were approved during the era of former President Joe Biden: the law to reduce inflation and the law of the two -party infrastructure. Amid the escalation of uncertainty about federal support, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stopped the construction in a proactive way earlier this week on the Megaproject project The spread of gas fish In the great lakes. But Trump’s blocking of federal funds for climate initiatives and DEI can put him unlikely with the support of the two parties for a long time to the Great Lakes – including VANCE.
“We know [Vance] “The Federal Federal Policy of the Federal Policy of the Federal Federal Policy of Federal Policy,” said Laura Robin, director of the Lake Water Alliance for Lakes Water Alliance, a federal policy of federal policy of federal policy of federal policy. “He was his hero, and we hope to translate into his role as a vice president.”
The Vice President’s office did not respond to GRIS requests for comment.
Glri started as a response from the two parties to the increasing environmental problems in the early first decade of the twentieth century: Brevishing Industrial and agricultural pollution, Decrease Fish stocks and increased threats of gas species.
Retired Senator in Michigan Deby Stapno recently in launching the initiative 15 years ago, during the Obama administration. She said at a political conference in January.
Glri previously by a 2004 Executive Order From former President George W. Bush to create a regional workplace – an attempt to improve coordination between federal agencies, states and tribes to treat freshwater ecosystems.
Since it started, Glri has funded more than 8,000 projects, as the federal government spends about $ 5 billion over the past 14 years, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
“Who – which [funding] “He goes to clean some of the most contaminated characteristics in our ports and cities,” Robin said. “It goes to improving habitats and removing gas species. It goes to reduce phosphorus and run the nutritional prizes, and go to education and communication.”
Many legislators support its economic benefits, such as increasing tourism, creating job opportunities, and commercial development. Economic analysis of 2018 From the Great Lakes Committee and the Great Lakes Industries Council, it was found that every federal dollar spent through the teacher program led to about 3 dollars of additional advantages.
Bill Hozenga, a Republican representative from Michigan, participated in sponsoring the latest batch of the re -mandate GLRI. He is recently Publish a video From the regional environmental summit, urges a plan for how to “formulate relations with JD Vance and people who know” GLri “and explain what this investment means environmentally and economically. Huizenga did not respond to the suspension requests.
Jerry Holt / Star Tribune via Getti Ims
But funding cannot protect the Great Lakes if no one is to direct.
The Trump administration, as part of a broader campaign, has started an aggressive batch of intestinal federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees GLRI. Last week, Environmental Protection Agency workers were notified that more than 1,000 jobs that were occupied during the previous year could be terminated at any time. It was not long before, a total of 168 employees working on environmental justice projects were placed on paid administrative leave.
Both deal in a major blow to the Environmental Protection Agency office that organizes many strange and major lakes, according to Nicole Cantilo, the president of the Federation, who represents the workers of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency. It was estimated that the Trump administration discounts may cost the office about 200 employees – five of the entire workforce.
Cantilus said this bad news for offices like the National Programs Office of the Environmental Protection Agency, which leads the implementation of GLRI. “I don’t know how strong this program is after all this round of resignations and separation.” She said.
The program – which relied on financing from the two -party infrastructure law to clean some of the most environmentally affected areas in the Great Lakes region – has a much lower percentage of committed funds compared to many other regions. This means that it can be at greater risk of dogs; Less than half an amount of $ 597 million allocated has been forced from January 6, according to EPA report.
Last year, when the Republican House of Representatives reduced the total levels of spending, Glri did not touch, according to Don Jodry, Director of Federal Relations of the Non -Performing Alliance of Great Lakes.
Judiri said it was fair that the new departments have reviewed federal funding and agency employees. He said: “But some of these programs are really important, they are very important, and they should not really be a discussion about whether or not they need to be funded.”
