Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) said on Thursday that legislation she introduced would implement a proactive program to remove toxic algae blooms from the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act, which Miller introduced last year, would establish a proactive program administered by Great Lakes states to help farms voluntarily prevent or reduce the risk of agricultural pollution.
“Michigan farmers have been leading the way to protect our Great Lakes from damage caused by algae blooms, which create harmful dead zones in our lakes,” Miller said. “Through voluntary environmental assurance programs, Michigan has successfully assisted agriculture producers statewide to adopt better conservation practices. However, that has not been the case across the Great Lakes region as was demonstrated by the recent toxic algae bloom on Lake Erie that forced officials to cut off drinking water to nearby communities.”
Under the measure, states that elect to administer a voluntary assurance program would be eligible for grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Producers who participate would receive priority consideration for federally funded cost-share applications for conservation projects.
“In order to preserve the health of our agricultural and maritime resources, more must be done,” Miller said. “That is why I introduced legislation last year that would build off the success of these voluntary assurance programs in Michigan and provide the federal government with an opportunity to promote these types of state programs regionally. It would also provide resources to producers who voluntarily participate.”