The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative joins the Great Lakes Commission and other partners in Washington, DC, for Great Lakes Day 2023

In more than a dozen meetings on Capitol Hill, the Cities Initiative's delegation encouraged Members of the U.S. Congress to provide $425 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), fully fund the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, and continue to fund and advance the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study in Fiscal Year 2024.

"I was delighted to be in Washington with my colleagues to advocate for continued investment in ecosystem restoration through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative," said Mayor Billy McKinney of Zion, Illinois, the Chair of the Cities Initiative. "Just as GLRI has helped communities address the unfortunate legacy of environmental degradation across the Great Lakes, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, especially the $15 billion for lead service line replacement, will be crucial in combating the legacy of underinvestment in our drinking water infrastructure."

"It was a tremendously productive visit to Washington," said Mayor Gino Moretti of Saint-Anicet, Quebec, the Vice Chair of the Cities Initiative. "I was particularly impressed by the U.S. commitment to the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study, which has the potential to shape our understanding of the best solutions to coastal vulnerabilities across the basin, including in Canada. The key will be ensuring municipal perspectives are represented in the study."

The delegation included mayors from across the United States and Canada and representatives of the Cities Initiative. They met with various Members of the U.S. Congress and staff; the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and the Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The joint priorities were endorsed by several organizations, including the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

Founded in 2003, the Cities Initiative is a growing coalition of more than 180 mayors across the eight Great Lakes States, Ontario and Quebec working collaboratively to advance the environmental, social and economic health of communities across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. The Cities Initiative is the largest municipally driven organization focused on issues impacting the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and their tributaries.

SOURCE The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative