Gallagher Announces GLRI Grant for Outagamie County Land Conservation
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September 16, 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. —Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today announced that Outagamie County Land Conservation was awarded a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant of $199,268 to increase water storage capacity in the Lower Fox River Basin. The Lower Fox River Basin project comes after a study indicated increased water storage can benefit water quality and reduce flooding events.
"Building storage capacity is a proven way to reduce sediment overflow and lower the risk harmful algal blooms in our waters,"said Rep. Gallagher. "This grant will go a long way in preserving our Great Lakes and waterways, and serves as a shining example of how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative positively impacts on our community."
"Bringing together national, state, and local partners is key to protecting the Great Lakes and the ecosystems and economies they support,"said Todd Ambs, vice chair of the Great Lakes Commission and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Assistant Deputy Secretary. "The Great Lake Commission is proud to provide these grants to help organizations improve water quality in their communities."
With these funds, the Outagamie Land Conservation will install Agricultural Runoff Treatment Systems (ARTS) to construct three million gallons of additional storage capacity in the Plum Creek watershed. The unique ARTS use state technical standards to create an installation that traps sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen while reducing erosive peak flows to pre-settlement conditions.
Background:
Rep. Gallagher is committed to protecting water resources. Through his Save the Bay initiative, he brings together leaders in agriculture, academia, industry, government and nonprofit leaders to identify, share, and promote conservation practices to reduce phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment flowing into the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan. He is also a member of the Great Lakes Task Force and has consistently supported funding for the GLRI since coming to Congress. He introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Act of 2019, a bill that would gradually increase funding for the GLRI from $375 million in FY2022 to $475 million in FY2026.
Last month, he joined EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler for a historic announcement of the completion of the Fox River Superfund Site, a project supported by GLRI funding.
Issues:Save the BayEnvironment