Rep. Roberts Disagrees With Proposed Cuts to Great Lakes Programs

State Rep. Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores, is calling proposed cuts in the House Republicans' proposed budget to Great Lakes Programs "shortsighted."

Roberts, who is the Democratic vice-chairwoman of the Department of Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee, stated the budget will cut:

• Nearly $500,000from the Office of the Great Lakes. The office which leads policy development, implements programs to protect, restore, and sustain the Great Lakes, as well as facilitates the state's responsibilities with the Great Lakes Compact. 
• $200,000 from the Surface Water Quality Program, which enforces the issuance of permits, compliance of activities concerning water quality, and the testing of surface water after sewage overflows. The cut also puts up up to $500,000 in federal matching grant dollars at risk. 

"Too often we hear the rhetoric of Republicans on how we must protect and preserve the Great Lakes," Roberts said in a release. "Today, they had the opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. Once again they demonstrated a complete lack of commitment to the very things that makes us Pure Michigan: Our water and natural environment."

Roberts unsuccessfully offered amendments that would have restored the cuts.

"Cutting funding from programs to protect our Great Lakes, our water quality and our environment is extremely shortsighted and is completely counter intuitive to promoting Michigan as a place to travel and live," Roberts added.