MADISON, Wis. – This morning, the Biden-Harris administration announced that $1 billion from President Biden’s infrastructure plan will clean up projects across the Great Lakes and fund critical restoration efforts right here in Wisconsin. Across the state, Wisconsin Democrats are applauding President Biden and Democrats in Congress for securing this funding – a historic investment that every Wisconsin Republican voted against.

 

Here’s what state and local leaders are saying about this once-in-a-generation investment in Wisconsin’s lakeside communities:

 

Gov. Tony Evers: “As Chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, I’m proud of our bipartisan efforts to secure historic investments to protect and clean up our Great Lakes. Folks deserve clean water and these investments through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative are a big step forward that will both improve water quality and help strengthen our coastal economies. Because of our hard work and leadership advocating for Wisconsin communities, we can now announce the advancement of these major remediation projects across our state. I look forward to continuing our work with the US EPA and the Biden Administration to ensure every Wisconsinite has access to clean water and to protect our Great Lakes.”

 

Sen. Tammy Baldwin: “Keeping the Great Lakes clean and healthy is important to our economy and way of life in Wisconsin. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I voted for is helping us clean up polluted sites, restore water quality, and combat invasive species, ensuring Wisconsin’s economy is moving forward and our Great Lakes are protected and preserved for generations to come.”

 

Rep. Gwen Moore: “Protecting our Great Lakes, including through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, remains a priority of mine…Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, an additional $1 billion in funding will help speed the cleanup of contaminated sediment that have polluted the major rivers into our harbor for too long, threatening public health and our environment. Doing so will support jobs while allowing Milwaukeeans and others to again take advantage of the opportunities that being located on a Great Lake offers.”

 

Rep. Mark Pocan: “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’ll be able to clean up and preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the Great Lakes for future generations. I look forward to the EPA getting to work restoring these areas of concern.”

 

Rep. Ron Kind: “Once again, Wisconsin is seeing the impacts of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will help us clean up some of the Great Lakes’ most polluted sites and deliver huge environmental and economic benefits for communities across our state. I’m thrilled this funding is headed to the Great Lakes region, and look forward to continuing to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law deliver for Wisconsinites.”

 

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson: “Additional resources from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help remediate Milwaukee’s waterways within just a few years, rather than the decades of work we previously anticipated.”

 

Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson: “For the City of Sheboygan, our partnership with EPA and support from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative have been critical to cleaning up our river…Our fishing industry has grown and recreation on the river has increased dramatically, attracting tourists and residents and boosting local businesses. Sheboygan is the Malibu of the Midwest and water is a key part of our community’s identity. Thanks to EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we continue to build off of that success.”

 

Superior Mayor Jim Paine: “My generation grew up disconnected from the water that surrounds our community. Pollution and degradation prevented us from accessing the natural world around us. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow us to permanently change that. Delisting the St. Louis River Area of Concern will bring a new generation to the water and help us all teach the world how to protect these vital resources. This investment doesn’t just restore what we had – it builds back better.”

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