Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman
December 23, 2022 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that two of their bipartisan pieces of legislation to protect and improve waterways of the Great Lakes have been signed into law as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
“I am pleased that these two important bipartisan legislative initiatives to support the Great Lakes and waterways across Ohio have now been signed into law,” said Portman. “Since joining Congress, I have been committed to improving the health of Lake Erie and the rest of the Great Lakes and am proud to have been able to see that mission through to the end of my term.”
“Ohio’s waterways and ports are critical for our local economies,” said Brown. “This bipartisan legislation will ensure that the Great Lakes remain a vital shipping hub while protecting the health of Lake Erie and, addresses growing concerns with invasive aquatic species.”
The first piece of legislation, the Lake Erie Water Quality Protection Act, will direct the Army Corps to prioritize the development of dredge material management plans for Ohio’s eight harbors along Lake Erie that adhere to the State of Ohio’s water quality laws.
The second, the Aquatic Invasive Species Control Act, will expand the Aquatic Plant Control Program to include the Lake Erie Basin and the Ohio River Basin, and directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize hydrilla projects.
Both bills passed the Senate in July of this year as part of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), bipartisan legislation that authorizes a host of investments in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects and programs, including provisions that support the Great Lakes and the state of Ohio.
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