On October 22, EPA unveiled a new plan to help accelerate restoration of the Great Lakes. The third Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), first launched in 2010, outlines a five-year plan to protect and restore the Great Lakes and will guide federal agencies and their partner organizations which, according to EPA, will “[fuel] local and regional economies and community revitalization efforts across the basin.” The initiative focuses on five key areas: toxic substances and areas of concern; invasive species; nonpoint source pollution impacts on nearshore health; habitats and species; and foundations for future restoration actions.
In the same press release, EPA announced the recipients of five different grants, totaling nearly $11 million dollars, for projects related to Great Lakes restoration work in Michigan.