Great Lakes Coalition Responds to Federal Water Programs Funding Proposal
Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
Contact: Lindsey Bacigal, BacigalL@nwf.org, 734-887-7113
Great Lakes Coalition Responds to Federal Water Programs Funding Proposal
Welcomes Bipartisan Support for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Raises Alarm Over Proposed Cuts to Water Infrastructure Programs
ANN ARBOR, MICH. (June 3, 2026)—The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition responded to the House Appropriations Committee release of its Fiscal Year 2027 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, expressing deep concern over the continued erosion of federal investments in water infrastructure while acknowledging continued bipartisan support for Great Lakes restoration programs.
The bill proposes flat funding at $369 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). This will sustain the program’s critical restoration work that has made massive improvements across the region, from cleaning up toxic hotspots and restoring wetlands to combating invasive species and reducing harmful algal blooms.
However, the Coalition is disappointed to see the bill’s proposed cuts to the EPA’s core water infrastructure programs, including a $446.6 million (27%) reduction to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and a $215.3 million (19%) reduction to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). These programs are incredibly important to the Great Lakes region, which needs more than $290 billion to improve, upgrade, and repair drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems across the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“Cuts of this magnitude to our water infrastructure programs will only place communities at greater risk,” said Laura Rubin, director, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Everyone needs clean water and without continued federal investment, infrastructure problems will only worsen, threatening the health of communities and placing the burden of upgrades on communities least able to afford them.”
The broader picture is equally concerning. The House bill proposes a $1.8 billion (20%) reduction to the EPA's overall budget, an $82.4 million (5%) cut to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a $52.5 million (3.7%) reduction to the U.S. Geological Survey. These agencies are essential to Great Lakes science, invasive species management, and water quality monitoring.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition looks forward to continuing to work with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle as the appropriations process moves forward and strongly encourages that the final bill provide robust funding for Great Lakes restoration and clean water priorities, for both the region and the nation.
Since 2004, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition has been harnessing the collective power of more than 200 groups representing millions of people, whose common goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Learn more at HealthyLakes.org or follow us on social media @HealthyLakes
