EPA Leaders Highlight How Great Lakes Restoration Efforts Revitalize Cleveland, Lake Erie Shoreline Communities
CHICAGO – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, alongside Region 2 Administrator Lisa Garcia and Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz, joined Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and other partners to highlight the important role Great Lakes restoration plays in community revitalization along the shoreline of Lake Erie.
“After decades of industrial and economic growth, Cleveland's waterways –like many in the Great Lakes Region -- struggled to overcome the legacy pollution left behind,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Thanks to an all-of-government approach and the unprecedented federal funding from the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, Cleveland and many other Midwest communities are working to retire the ‘rust-belt’ label once and for all.”
“A clean and thriving waterfront is the key to unlocking our city’s full potential – it creates recreational opportunities for residents, provides tourists a reason to come visit (and spend money) during the warm months ahead, and instills a desire for businesses to develop. The hype is real so I’m encouraging everyone to come visit and see how great the North Coast truly is here in Cleveland!” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “We’re thankful for the millions of dollars the Biden Administration and EPA have provided amongst Great Lakes cities, which will go a long way to ensuring environmental justice equity across our communities.”
EPA, state and local partners have worked together for decades to clean up the Cuyahoga River and to restore Lake Erie. Thanks to these partnerships there are now thriving fish populations and vibrant neighborhoods have sprung up where there was once only abandoned industrial properties.
EPA recently announced that several organizations including the Ohio Lake Erie Commission will receive Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grants, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to restore and safeguard our nation’s largest fresh surface water resources. Ohio Lake Erie Commission and its partner, the Black Environmental Leaders Network, will use a $5.8 million grant to develop and implement an Environmental Justice Grant Program for underserved communities in Ohio’s Lake Erie watershed.
“Because Lake Erie is one of Ohio’s greatest resources, providing drinking water to over 2.8 million people in Ohio and generating over $17 billion in travel and tourism for the state, Governor DeWine and the General Assembly invested in the H2Ohio initiative to ensure clean and safe water for Ohio. The Commission appreciates the support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and U.S. EPA that will allow us to partner with organizations like Black Environmental Leaders and Rural Action to deepen our impact and ensure that underserved communities across Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline will be able to implement restoration and improve water quality,” said Ohio Lake Erie Commission Director Joy Mulinex.
“We are grateful and excited to be a key partner alongside the Ohio Lake Erie Commission and Rural Action for the Great Lakes Environmental Justice Grant Program,” said Black Environmental Leaders Network Board President Jocelyn Travis. “This initiative aligns perfectly with BEL’s commitment to addressing systemic environmental injustices. The opportunity to develop subawards that not only promote equity but also combat the disproportionate impacts of environmental issues on disadvantaged communities is crucial. It enables us to leverage our strengths and ensure that these communities have direct access to the resources needed to protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem. We are honored to play a pivotal role in this transformative effort, which promises to make significant strides towards true environmental justice.”
Cleveland was the first stop on a multiday tour as EPA officials visit communities along the Lake Erie shoreline to see how they are tackling redevelopment challenges. Later in Ashtabula, city manager Jim Timonere showcased how the Ashtabula River cleanup is jumpstarting the creation of a vibrant, new entertainment district at its historic harbor. Later this week, the regional administrators will travel to Erie, Pennsylvania, and then Buffalo, New York.
Additional Background
Since 2010, EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has funded more than 7,500 restoration and protection projects totaling more than $3.7 billion.
Read more about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
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