Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

Accelerating efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world.

On this page:

• About the Program
• Types of Assistance
• How This Program Helps Build Resilience
• Connections to Other EPA, Federal, or Non-Governmental Efforts

About the Program

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is a non-regulatory program to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. The EPA leads a group of 16 federal agencies in the GLRI Interagency Task Force pdf) and Regional Working Group, strategically targeting the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem. GLRI Action Plan III was developed with input from states, tribes, local governments, universities, business, and others. It outlines priorities and goals for the GLRI for fiscal years 2020–2024, working to accelerate environmental progress in five focus areas:

• Toxic substances and areas of concern
• Invasive species
• NPS pollution impacts on nearshore health
• Habitats and species
• Foundations for future restoration actions

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $1 billion to the GLRI in addition to regular appropriations; this funding will help to increase climate resilience in the Great Lakes basin.

Types of Assistance

The GLRI provides a variety of assistance to states, tribes, local governments, universities, and non-governmental organizations. This assistance could help to implement projects to build climate resilience.

Financial Assistance

The EPA provides GLRI funding to other federal government agencies. EPA and other federal agencies use that money to fund restoration projects. Many past and current GLRI projects have a climate resilience focus to address issues ranging from enhancing shoreline and riparian forests for climate resilience to adapting vegetation to ecosystem stressors.

Federal agencies announce their own GLRI funding opportunities, but the EPA also shares GLRI funding opportunities when they are available. These opportunities include:

• Targeted grants and cooperative agreements from the EPA that support states, tribes, and local government capacity to develop and implement Lakewide Action and Management Plans and Remedial Action Plans in Areas of Concern (AOCs).
• Competitive grants through:
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training Program
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—Coastal Program; Implementing the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act; National Fish Passage Program and National Fish Habitat Partnership; Sustain Our Great Lakes; Chi-Cal Rivers Fund; and Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund
  • Great Lakes Fishery Commission—Great Lakes restoration of native fish species (via the Fishery Research Program)
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service—Great Lakes Sediment and Nutrient Reduction Program
  • U.S. Forest Service—Cooperative Weed Management Areas and tree planting and forest health improvement in the Great Lakes Basin
  • EPA—GLRI grant offerings

How This Program Helps Build Resilience

The GLRI federal agencies encourage project plans and designs that are resilient to the effects of multiple stressors, including a changing climate, ecological change, invasive species, population pressures, and other variables. GLRI federal agencies encourage project stewardship to promote the sustainability and long-term benefits of projects and include climate resilience criteria in applicable planning and implementation.

Connections to Other EPA, Federal, or Non-Governmental Efforts

• The GLRI federal agencies collaborate closely with the eight Great Lakes states and 35 Great Lakes tribes. The GLRI federal agencies also collaborate with local governments, academia, private partners, and non-governmental organizations.
• The Great Lakes Advisory Board (a Federal Advisory Committee) was recently re-established to provide advice and recommendations to the EPA on the GLRI and Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement matters.