U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) led a bipartisan congressional letter on Friday that urges Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to avoid closing a regional office that serves the Great Lakes region.
The letter, which was signed by U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI) and other bipartisan members of Michigan’s congressional delegation, voiced opposition to the proposed closure of EPA’s Region 5 office, which serves Michigan and other states in the Great Lakes region.
“The Great Lakes drive our region’s economy,” the letter states. ”Each year, the Great Lakes generate billions in annual economic activity and support 1.5 million good-paying jobs in the tourism, boating and fishing industries. The Great Lakes also provide drinking water to 48 million people. It is in our national interest to protect the Great Lakes from harm.”
The Great Lakes faces real threats, the letter continues, and efforts must be undertaken to combat the invasive Asian carp and restore wetland habitats.
“Having a regional EPA office situated on the Great Lakes and dedicated to our region ensures a concerted effort to protect our environment and promote public health,” the letter states. ”This regional office helps to administer the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which is showing real and measurable results. But more work remains to protect the Great Lakes, and closing the regional office jeopardizes the progress we have made.”
The EPA’s Region 5 office, the lawmakers continued, ensures that residents of Flint, Michigan, and other communities have clean drinking water.
“Currently, the regional office is providing ongoing water testing and technical assistance to Flint as it continues to recover from the city’s lead in water crisis,” the letter states. “In other areas, they are finding ways to prevent toxins from entering our drinking water through events like harmful algal blooms. The Great Lakes region is best served by an office that has experience and expertise with these regional issues.”