Peters, Stabenow Announce over $1.5 Million in Great Lakes Funding for Grand Traverse Bay

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced $1,589,664 in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding for three projects in Grand Traverse Bay to protect against invasive species and improve water quality. GLRI is critical to cleaning up our Great Lakes, beaches, and waterways for swimming, boating, and fishing; fighting invasive species like Asian carp; and protecting our Michigan way of life.

The Nature Conservancy will receive a $550,070 grant to remove invasive species that harm native fish populations like Lake Trout, Cisco, and Whitefish across the Great Lakes Basin, including Grand Traverse Bay. The Grand Traverse Conservation District will receive a $539,605 grant to improve water quality by preventing the spread of invasive plant species in northwest Michigan, including the Lake Michigan Dunes, Misty Acres Preserve, Trapp Farm, Timbers Recreation Area, and Reffitt Nature Preserve. The Watershed Center of Grand Traverse Bay will receive a $499,989 grant to improve water quality in nearby Kids Creek which flows to Lake Michigan. The project is expected to capture and treat approximately 177 million gallons of stormwater per year.

 “This is an important investment that will help community partners protect and preserve the quality of Grand Traverse Bay, which supports tourism, fishing and shipping industries in Northwest Michigan, said Senator Peters, member of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force. “The Great Lakes are part of our way of life in Michigan, and continued federal funding for our state’s many waterways is critical to the health of our environment and economy.”

“One in five Michigan jobs are tied to water,” said Senator Stabenow, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force. “Nowhere is this more evident than the Grand Traverse region. This investment is a reminder of the importance of federal funding to protect our Great Lakes and grow our state’s economy.”

According to the University Research Corridor, more than 700,000 Michigan jobs, one in five in the state, are tied to water. Michigan projects have received more than $600 million in funding from the GLRI since its establishment. Michigan has an estimated 2,850 miles of coastal water trails as well as an estimated 1,280 miles of inland water trails.