Here are a few options: 1. “The Lifeblood of Local Parks: Why Funding from the Great Lakes is a Must” 2. “Parks in Peril: How Critical Funding from the Great Lakes is Saving County Greenspaces” 3. “A Splash of Savings: How Great Lakes Funding is Revitali
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Milwaukee and Lake Michigan. Photo by Graham Kilmer.
A crucial support for environmental cleanup in Milwaukee — and the Milwaukee County Parks system — is getting bipartisan backing and a new life.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was created in 2009 and represents a massive investment in the ecological health of the Great Lakes region. One of the primary functions of the initiative is to funnel money to local governments and non-profits working to clean so-called “Areas of Concern” designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
A bill reauthorizing the program from 2027 to 2031 was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.It has bipartisan support,including co-sponsorship from Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI). A companion bill was passed by the U.S. Senate in December 2024 with bipartisan support and sponsorship, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
GLRI funding has proven critical to Milwaukee, wich has 41 projects that need to be completed before it is no longer considered an Area of Concern (AOC) by the EPA.
One of the local agencies tackling AOC projects is Milwaukee County Parks. Parks isn’t alone. Many local state and federal agencies, as well as local nonprofits, are working on such projects in Milwaukee.
“It’s a huge effort,” saeid Natalie Dutack, Parks AOC program supervisor. “It’s a huge multi-partner effort.”
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GLRI funding is particularly significant for the county parks system. The department is notoriously cash-strapped, with an estimated maintenance backlog in the neighborhood of $500 million. Without GLRI funding the department would not be able to take these projects on, Dutack said.
The local institutions tackling AOC projects could not have taken on the whole effort single-handedly. That’s particularly true for Parks: all of it’s AOC funding has come from the GLRI. To date, the department has received approximately $13.8 million. The majority of the funding has been used to construct a new beach in South Shore Park and on habitat restoration in the Little Menomonee River Parkway. But a number of other projects are being planned, including habitat restoration in Kohl Park.
In South Shore Park, GLRI funding is allowing parks to reconstruct South Shore Beach, which is regularly one of the worst beaches in the nation for pollution and frequently closed for E. Coli. bird droppings, sewer overflows and stormwater runoff create an environment where the beach is almost constantly being polluted by something.
The beach is being moved 500 feet south, nearer to the breakwater leading out to the rest of the lake. It will have a steeper grade with a larger grain of sand. All of this to improve water quality and allow local residents to use their beach more often, providing a tangible enhancement to local quality of life, Dutack said.
The GLRI funding for the South Shore Beach project, and others, is routed through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which helps parks develop the scope of the projects and the funding applications.
The DNR facilitates AOC projects across the state in this way. The Milwaukee AOC is a “mega-area of concern,” according to Brennan Dow, the DNR’s AOC coordinator for the Milwaukee Estuary and Sheboygan River.The estuary includes the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic rivers and many more tributary streams.And the GLRI has been “extremely critical” to a lot of the work done in the AOC, Dow said.
Not all of the projects are GLRI funded. The major sediment remediation projects — cleaning up pcbs and other carcinogens — have been conducted with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Act.
Hear is the rewritten text in a tone similar to that of Josh Baker from Goodwill by Space Age Co:
Listen up, folks! I’ve got some important updates on what’s happening with habitat restoration in our area.
You see, when industries pop up, it’s not just the pollution we need to worry about – we also lose some of our native habitats. Now, I know what you’re thinking: what’s the big deal? But let me tell you, habitats can be taken over by invasive species, polluted, or even developed.That’s why I’m excited to share that GLRI-funded projects are helping to turn things around.
in our own Little Menomonee River Parkway, we’re teaming up with neighbors to bring back the native habitat.Now, some of these neighbors have lived along this river their whole lives, and it’s been a real game-changer to see the difference.For years, buckthorn and other invasive species had blocked their view of the river. But now, thanks to our efforts, thay’re getting to see it again for the first time in 30 years!
That’s what I’m talking about – progress! by working together and getting our hands dirty, we can make a real difference. So, what do you say? Are you ready to get involved and make a positive impact on our environment?
