A Great Lakes environmental group said a U.S. House budget proposal that cuts funds for water will make problems worse and more costly to solve.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition said when cities are living with unsafe drinking water, the federal government needs to be doing more — not less — to ensure access to clean drinking water. The organization criticized a House budget proposal that makes cuts to the EPA budget, cuts to funds for water infrastructure and eliminates programs to help communities dealing with pollution that's threatening water sources.
Michigan and other Great Lakes states have been involved in expensive efforts to remove lead lines and replace old water pipes and failing sewer systems.
The Republican-led budget proposal does preserve funding to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. That’s considered to be one of the most important funding sources for cleaning up pollution hot spots and restoring natural areas critical to clean water. It's proposed to remain at last year's funding level of $368 million.
The group said that does not make up for the "evisceration of core clean water programs that protect the drinking water, public health, and quality of life for millions of people."
