Funding Made Possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 27, 2023 – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the Department of Commerce has awarded $7,700,000 for two projects in Ohio to protect waterways. These investments are made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Brown helped to write and pass.
“We must do all we can to keep Lake Erie healthy for the Ohioans, businesses, families, boaters, and anglers that rely on the lake,” said Brown. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, these investments will ensure that Lake Erie and its watershed are protected and maintained for today and for the next generation.”
Funding from the Department of Commerce includes:
- $6,000,000 to The Nature Conservancy for the Sandusky Bay Initiative: Pickerel Creek East Nature-Based Shoreline Project that will address water quality issues by restoring the shoreline and marsh habitat along Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay. Additionally, a barge access ramp and road will be constructed that will improve public and emergency access and increase recreational opportunities and public safety.
- $1,700,000 to The Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the Chagrin River Floodplain Land Conservation Project that will conserve a critical habitat and increase public access and recreation along the river.
Brown has long been a leader in protecting Lake Erie and Ohio waterways. In the 2018 Farm Bill, Brown secured provisions from his Give Our Resources the Opportunity to Work (GROW) Act, which will better utilize existing federal conservation programs to protect waterways and expand access to quality farmland. In the 2014 Farm Bill, Brown helped to establish the Regional Conservation Partnership Program which created voluntary partnerships between agricultural and conservation groups aimed at helping farmers improve soil health, protect water quality, and restore wildlife habitats. This program has resulted in numerous innovative conservation practices that are reducing runoff into Lake Erie.