The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds projects that protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. Can it be saved?
When toxins from a harmful algal bloom caused Toledo to issue a “Do Not Drink Advisory” to 400,000 people, Ohio Sea Grant was a first responder. But now the program, which manages over 50 different projects focused on the blooms, is on the Trump administration's chopping block.
Plastic bags are a persistent litter problem in the Great Lakes. And all over the country they are seen as a nuisance. Some cities--like New York--have tried to ban bags or charge a fee for them. But it's hard to make these bans stick.
With its vast water resources, the Great Lakes region could be poised to draw businesses—big and small—from other parts of the country. But even here, water quality is a big issue.
Under the complex laws governing Great Lakes water, Pennsylvania will have veto power over whether a Wisconsin city can pull its drinking water from Lake Michigan.
