The U.S. Senate has approved a bipartisan funding bill that includes federal investments in water resources and infrastructure for Michigan, including $369 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).
The legislation, part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, now heads to the White House for the president’s signature.
The bill allocates $369 million to the GLRI, a long-running federal program designed to protect and restore the Great Lakes’ ecosystem and water quality. Since its inception in 2010, the initiative has funded thousands of projects addressing key environmental threats such as invasive species, harmful algal blooms, and habitat degradation.
Funding in the legislation also supports efforts to combat aquatic invasive species, including measures aimed at detecting and responding to threats like invasive carp that jeopardize the lakes’ ecological balance. Additional support will go toward the Great Lakes Science Center, which conducts research to improve understanding of the region’s complex aquatic systems.
Investments in Michigan’s water infrastructure
In addition to Great Lakes restoration, the bill provides targeted funding to strengthen Michigan’s water infrastructure and expand access to clean drinking water. It restores federal support for both the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds, which offer financing for wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water systems that serve communities throughout the state.
The package also includes funding for lead abatement and testing programs to reduce public health risks associated with aging pipes, as well as resources to address contamination from per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of toxic chemicals found at several sites in Michigan.
