Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

November 3, 2009. President Obama signed legislation that authorizes $475 million for Fiscal Year 2010 on October 30. Governor Strickland today thanked President Obama for this significant step toward the restoration and protection of Lake Erie.

These funds respond to a plan of action prepared by the Great Lakes States and its citizens in cooperation with 16 federal agencies known as the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy. This Strategy achieved Great Lakes wide agreement on what needs to be done to restore the Great Lakes and President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative provides funding to implement these plans.

Funding is available for the most significant problems in the Great Lakes, including invasive aquatic species, habitat restoration, non-point source pollution, contaminated sediment clean up, water quality, and beach monitoring/clean up.

Lake Erie and Ohio has been affected by all of these problems. Projects and plans have previously been developed by Ohio and cooperating organizations. The Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Plan, Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP), the Remedial Action Plans for the Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Black and Lower Maumee Rivers as well as other watershed and Basinwide Plans have provided a list of programs and projects that reflect the needs of Lake Erie as developed with significant citizen input. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative can provide significant funding to implement these plans.

Ohio is preparing to move quickly to utilize these funds. A Fact Sheet and Draft List of possible projects, which includes programs and projects of state government and partners in Lake Erie restoration and protection, is accessible at the Commission’s website for Ohio GLRI projects. The list reflects many projects for which funding may be requested of USEPA and other federal agencies. This list of projects is a draft, subject to change and requires further input and review before submission. The projects vary in their length of time from one-to-three years. The final project list will be developed after the Request for Proposals are issued.

A website for the Fact Sheet and Ohio GLRI projects has been opened at lakeerie.ohio.gov/GLRI/ASPX. Any comments can be conveyed to the Ohio Lake Erie Commission or to the Agency contacts identified on this webpage. The Fact Sheet and Project List and additional details will be posted to this website to provide an opportunity to keep the materials current and up-to-date.