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Rep. Kelly Announces Grant for Great Lakes Clean-up

July 26, 2017

Congressman is longtime fighter for federal support

for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) issued the following statement today to announce that the Pennsylvania State University has been awarded a $50,000 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant by the Great Lakes Commission. The Pennsylvania State University’s project will stabilize a section of streambank and allow water flows to return to the center of the channel.

Statement by Rep. Kelly:

“I congratulate the Pennsylvania State University on this significant recognition of their important work to protect the health of our waterways and communities. This grant also highlights the need to continue funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in order to continue protecting the Great Lakes, which are a vital economic engine for our entire district, region, and country.”

Statement by Tim Eder, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Commission:

“I’d like to congratulate the Pennsylvania State University for being awarded this grant in support of their work protecting the health and sustainability of our Great Lakes. This project demonstrates the power of the GLRI to generate critical economic and environmental improvements for communities throughout the region. Thank you to Rep. Kelly for his continued support of this important initiative.”

BACKGROUND:

Every year, tons of polluting phosphorus and sediments enter the Great Lakes Basin, causing massive economic and environmental losses and damages and contributing to the formation of Harmful Algal Blooms and dead zones. The Great Lakes Commission manages the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program which strategically addresses this problem with a unique, targeted grassroots approach which awards grants to nonfederal agencies and nonprofit organizations in priority watersheds throughout the region.

This year, 18 projects totaling more than $1.6 million were funded by the Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program to install on-the-land practices to reduce phosphorus runoff and sedimentation into the Great Lakes.

Funding for this program is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative under a cooperative agreement between the Great Lakes Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

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