Senators from Michigan, along with other lawmakers, have asked the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to give them at least $30 million for the dredging and other projects involved in the restoration of the Great Lakes.
The letter, signed by Democrat senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, urges the ACE to set aside a small portion from their $200 million fund for navigation projects. The fund was allotted to the agency as stated by the appropriation bill which was passed by the Congress. The Corps of Engineers was also tasked to dole out the $200 million to specific projects performed across the country.
Funds for the dredging and navigation project for the Great Lakes are also going to be used to address some backlogs in the restoration of the lakes. "The system ... has not been adequately maintained and faces a backlog of critical dredging needs," said a quote from the letter.
Other senators who also signed the letters were from Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. According to the letter, the funds will be used to start projects which include dredging of the harbors and channels, revamping the lock system to ensure that they work effectively, and maintaining the breakwaters. All of these efforts are done to restore the Great Lakes' function as a transportation gateway.
N.Y Senator Chuck Schumer said that the funds for restoring Great Lakes will not only produce environmental benefits for the ecosystems depending on the lakes, it will also benefit the small business owners who use the lakes as a means of transporting their products.
"The Great Lakes, throughout history, have been an arterial navigation route for our manufacturers and businesses, and we must ensure these critical resources are well-maintained," Schumer said to Eye of NY. He also added that the Great Lakes have been instrumental in the growth of business in New York, particularly those which are on ports such as Buffalo, Dunkirk, Oswego, Rochester and Ogdensburg.
The president approved a budget worth $95 million for the Great Lakes' restoration project, an increase from the $83 million which was allocated last year.
