Trump again seeks to wipe out Lake Erie programs

SANDUSKY — The new federal budget may spark a new "Battle of Lake Erie" between the Trump administration and lawmakers in Congress.President Donald Trump's new budget proposes to wipe out popular bipartisan programs that benefit the environment and Lake Erie in Erie County, Ottawa County and other northern Ohio counties.The president's budget proposal proposal for the 2017-2018 federal fiscal year that begins Oct.1 proposes ending funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, an Obama administration effort to clean up the Great Lakes that enjoys wide bipartisan support.The budget proposal also suggests ending funding for the Sea Grant program, which provides much of the funding for Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island near Put-in-Bay, and also suggests ending funding for the Estuarine Research System, which includes the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve, three miles east of Huron along U.S. 6 in Erie County.The budget is decided by Congress, and it's not clear yet how far Congress will go to fulfill the president's wishes. Many of the president's new proposals echo his budget proposal for the current fiscal year.Congress rejected many of the proposals and kept funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at $300 million, the same funding as last year. Some Republicans in Congress, however, have vowed to make a stronger effort this time to cut domestic spending.Here's a look at some of the Trump proposals that could affect the Sandusky area. Information is drawn from "Major Savings and Reforms," a 171-page document put out Thursday from the Office of Management and Budget that's available on the Internet.• The budget proposes to end all funding for programs in specific watersheds, such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and also programs in places such as Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound.The "Justification" in Trump's budget proposal says the EPA should focus on "core national work" and that local programs should be handled by local and state governments.The ongoing problem with harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie has persuaded both Democrats and Republicans from Ohio to support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, including lawmakers such as U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.Wednesday evening, an EPA spokeswoman sent the Register a statement from EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, pledging to find ways for the U.S. EPA to assist in the cleanup of the Great Lakes."I recognize that the Great Lakes are an important part of the United States fresh water supply, and I am committed to improving environmental conditions and human health for Americans that live and work in the Great Lakes Region. As I lead this agency, I will continue to engage in meaningful discussions about how shared environmental goals related to this region can best be achieved," Pruitt said.• Trump wants to eliminate a number of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration programs, including ending funding for Sea Grant and for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System.The "Justification" section of the budget says, "These grant and education programs generally support State, local, and/or industry interests, and these entities may choose to continue some of this work with their own funding. In addition, these grants often are not optimally targeted, in many instances favoring certain species or geographic areas over others or distributing funds by formula rather than directing them to programs and projects with the greatest need or potential benefit."The budget also proposes largely eliminating the Legal Services Corporation, ending funding for LIHEAP (the Low Income Energy Assistance Program) and ending funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.