Marcy Kaptur

WASHINGTON - Great Lakes legislators including South Russell Republican Dave Joyce and Toledo Democrat Marcy Kaptur introduced legislation on Monday aimed at ensuring the Great Lakes Commission gets its fair share of research and conservation money from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Their Regional Great Lakes Partnership Act, introduced with a bipartisan group of Michigan legislators, would designate the Great Lakes Commission as the official Regional Great Lakes Partnership within NOAA’s Regional Ocean Partnerships Program.

The bill’s sponsors said it is aimed at ensuring the Great Lakes Commission can tap that source of NOAA funding for its longstanding work to coordinate Great Lakes research and conservation efforts.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Avon Republican, introduced companion legislation in the Senate with Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved the bill earlier this month.

A statement from Kaptur said the legislation aims to close a gap in a national program that currently benefits only coastal ocean states.

“The bill continues our work together to ensure the Federal Government levels the playing field to commit equivalent, well‑deserved resources to our Great Lakes region,” Kaptur’s statement continued.

“Enabling the Great Lakes Commission to participate in this NOAA program will strengthen data sharing, enhance information access, and improve management of our coastal and ecosystem resources,” Kaptur’s statement said.

“The Great Lakes are a critical resource for the economies and communities that surround them,” Joyce added in a statement. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of this bipartisan legislation, which will strengthen federal partnerships and expand funding opportunities to advance the research, coordination, and conservation efforts needed to protect the Great Lakes — ensuring they remain a resource our communities can rely on for generations to come.”

The Great Lakes Commission brings together eight states and two Canadian provinces. The states are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Michigan Republican Tim Walberg introduced the bill. The other Michigan sponsors are Republican Reps. Bill Huizenga and Tom Barrett and Democratic Reps. Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens and Hillary Scholten.