Senator Schenck warns federal cuts threaten Great Lakes research and parks, urges action

Senator Schenck delivered an extended floor statement urging state action to protect the Great Lakes, national lakeshores and public lands from what he described as recent federal funding cuts that threaten research, invasive-species control and park staffing.

"Michigan is defined by its waters and wild spaces," Senator Schenck said. He told colleagues the Great Lakes hold 20% of the world's fresh surface water and cited Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore's annual visitation and economic impact as reasons to preserve funding and staffing for conservation and parks.

Schenck warned that federal staffing reductions are already driving local harms, including fewer workers monitoring fish populations and controlling invasive species like sea lamprey and Asian carp. "Without experts working to control invasive species, our fisheries, a cornerstone of Michigan economy, faced collapse," he said.

The senator tied the issue to jobs and local economies, asserting that national park service staffing supports hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide and contributes billions to the economy. He urged colleagues to fight for federal and state funding for conservation, research and infrastructure to protect fisheries, drinking water and outdoor recreation.

The remarks were presented as a statement for the journal and the transcript records no legislative motion tied directly to the floor statement. Senator Schenck asked colleagues to support policies prioritizing conservation and research to sustain jobs and protect natural resources for future generations.