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Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, today announced that the University of Michigan has been awarded $990,817 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support farmers with nutrient management strategies aimed at improving water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

This funding is part of a larger $3.7 million investment by the EPA to help reduce nutrient runoff, which is a leading cause of harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, by supporting farmers in Michigan and Ohio. The grant is funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a vital program dedicated to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes ecosystem. In the January 2025, Congresswoman Dingell introduced the bipartisan Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025, a bill to reauthorize funding for GLRI.

“The Great Lakes are not only an important natural resource but a critical economic driver that supports communities, jobs, commerce, agriculture, transportation, and tourism for millions of people across the country,” said Dingell.  “Harmful algal blooms threaten the health of Lake Erie and the communities who rely on it. These dollars will help farmers implement sustainable practices that both increase productivity and protect one of our most critical natural resources. I will always fight to protect our Great Lakes.”

With this funding, the University of Michigan will receive technical resources, professional development, and web-based tools to help track nutrient management plans, aiming to significantly expand the number of managed acres in Michigan’s portion of the basin by 2028.