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Ohio witnesses urge state support for reauthorizing Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Summary
Advocates from agriculture, business and conservation groups testified in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 14, which urges Congress to reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; witnesses highlighted on‑farm conservation projects, wetland restoration, and proposed federal funding.
Chair Schafer convened a second hearing on House Concurrent Resolution 14 urging the U.S. Congress to pass the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024, and multiple proponent witnesses told the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee the resolution merits support.
Whitney Bowers, director of state policy and grassroots engagement at the Ohio Farm Bureau, told the committee the GLRI funds on‑the‑ground projects that develop agricultural best‑management practices and help farmers reduce nutrient runoff. "The funding provided by GLRI is an essential piece of the puzzle when working to make sure Ohio continues to be a leader in water management," Bowers said, citing demonstration farms that showcase conservation practices.
Matt McLaren, director of travel and tourism policy for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said the Great Lakes are vital to Ohio’s economy. McLaren listed regional employment and wage figures and said continued GLRI work has helped with delisting areas of concern and restoring coastal wetlands. He thanked the resolution sponsors and urged committee consideration.
Melanie Houston, managing director of water policy at the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, described the federal GLRI Act of 2024 as bipartisan reauthorization that "will invest up to $500,000,000 annually to restore and protect the Great Lakes, as well as the streams, rivers, and wetlands that feed them." Houston said the bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate and House and was awaiting committee action in the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Christian Kam of The Nature Conservancy in Ohio framed the resolution as a statement of stewardship, stressing Lake Erie’s ecological productivity and its role as a freshwater source for Midwestern communities. The committee recorded and accepted several additional written proponent statements from local governments, water alliances and conservation organizations.
No committee vote on HCR 14 took place during the hearing; Chair Schafer closed the proponent testimony and listed the written submissions. The hearing was recorded as the resolution’s second hearing before the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
