Two current projects recently funded through the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will not be affected by the proposed cuts in the 2012 federal budget released by the White House earlier this week.The proposed White House budget includes $350 million for restoring the Great Lakes. The 2011 budget request was $300 million, but has yet to be approved; the House of Representatives has proposed cutting it to $225 million. The restoration program received $475 million in 2010.

The two projects, both lead by Michigan Sea Grantí¢â‚¬”one a three-year, approximately $500,000 effort to develop uniform certification standards to protect water quality throughout the region, the other a two-year, $1 million construction and monitoring of an underwater reef in the St. Clair River designed to supported native fish speciesí¢â‚¬”were supported by the 2010 federal budget and are already underway. However, research and outreach that was being planned by Sea Grant and collaborators as a continuation of these efforts is jeopardized by the proposed cuts.

"Restoration efforts are key to keeping Michigan and the Great Lakes region environmentally and economically viable," said Jim Diana, SNRE professor and director of Michigan Sea Grant. "Budget cuts will not only reduce research and conservation efforts, but ultimately jobs."

Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michiganí¢â‚¬â„¢s coastal, Great Lakes resources through research, education and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of university-based programs.

www.miseagrant.umich.edu