VIDEO: Peters Advocates for Efforts to Protect the Great Lakes, Secures Commitments from Secretaries of Interior & Homeland Security

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) advocated for efforts to protect the Great Lakes and secured commitments to do so from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. Peters, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and is Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, highlighted the importance of continued federal support for the Great Lakes, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), Great Lakes icebreaker fleet and the U.S. Coast Guard Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response that Peters established. The hearings are part of the Senator’s work as the Appropriations Committee begins crafting a budget for the coming year and Peters continued his efforts to secure necessary resources for the Great Lakes.

During a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee – Peters underscored the critical role of the GLRI in improving water quality and restoring Great Lakes habitats and waterways. Peters asked U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland how GLRI funds can help accelerate Great Lakes protection and restoration.

“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was established in 2009 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore one of the largest systems of fresh water on the surface in the entire world, and that is the Great Lakes,” said Senator Peters during the Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing. “As Michiganders, the Great Lakes are not only in our DNA, but are a critical resource for drinking water. In fact, over 40 million people drink water out of the Great Lakes… economic growth, as well as job creation.”

In her response, Secretary Haaland said, “it’s an important program for us and we’re grateful that we can partner up on those things.”

To watch video of Senator Peters question about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, click here or on the image below.

During a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee – Peters highlighted the work of the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Center of Expertise, which examines the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments and helps develop effective responses to protect the Great Lakes against a potential oil spill. Peters asked DHS Secretary Mayorkas to commit to supporting the U.S. Coast Guard’s work in freshwater research and help protect the Great Lakes.

“I worked with the Coast Guard and the Department in 2018 to establish the Great Lakes Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response, which is in Michigan, and something we are very proud that that’s located in our state,” said Senator Peters during a Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing. “The Center is intentionally located not far from a major oil pipeline which, if ruptured, could affect the drinking water for literally tens of millions of people. I’m grateful to the Coast Guard for establishing the Center and I will keep working to grow its resources and its capacity to serve the Great Lakes.”

In his response, Secretary Mayorkas agreed to work with Peters to support the Center’s ongoing work.

Peters authored and passed legislation into law establishing the Great Lakes Center of Expertise in 2018, and then successfully secured $4.5 million in total to kick-start the initiative the following year. In 2021, Peters announced the Great Lakes Center of Expertise will be headquartered in two Michigan locations: the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor and Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie. He participated in the ribbon-cutting at the Center of Expertise, headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, last August.

To watch video of Senator Peters question about the Great Lakes Center of Expertise, click here or on the image below.

During the same hearing, Peters advocated for funding to acquire a second Great Lakes icebreaker and strengthen the Great Lakes icebreaking fleet, which is critical to the success of Michigan’s economy as well as the national economy.

“Icebreaking in the Great Lakes is not just for Michigan’s economy, incredibly important, but also for the entire country,” said Senator Peters. “Icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes supports more than 90 million tons of cargo annually. Unfortunately, inadequate icebreaking poses a risk to our economic recovery. I was pleased to see in the budget there’s a request for $55 million for… acquisition of a second heavy Great Lakes icebreaker.”

Secretary Mayorkas committed to working with Peters on funding to support the Great Lakes icebreaking fleet, saying, “These icebreakers are so vitally important, not only, of course, in the Great Lakes region, but in the Arctic as well.”

To watch video of Senator Peters advocating for investment in the Great Lakes icebreaker fleet, click here or on the image below.

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