GLRI Projects
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative — the product of a long history of bipartisan, multi-sector, community-based support — is showing real results. The GLRI is focused on the most significant ecosystem problems in the Great Lakes, which are identified in the GLRI Action Plan. The Action Plan identifies five major focus areas:
- Focus Area 1: Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern — includes pollution prevention and cleanup of the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes
- Focus Area 2: Invasive Species — includes instituting a "zero tolerance policy" toward new invasions, including preventing the establishment of self-sustaining populations of invasive species such as Asian carp
- Focus Area 3: Nearshore Health and Nonpoint Source Pollution — includes a targeted geographic focus on high-priority watersheds and polluted runoff reductions from urban, suburban and agricultural sources
- Focus Area 4: Habitat and Wildlife Protection and Restoration — includes bringing wetlands and other habitat back to life, and the first comprehensive assessment of the entire 530,000 acres of Great Lakes coastal wetlands to target restoration and protection efforts using the best science
- Focus Area 5: Accountability, Education, Monitoring, Evaluation, Communication and Partnerships — includes the implementation of goal- and results-based accountability measures, learning initiatives, outreach and strategic partnerships
The GLRI is being implemented by a partnership of federal agencies in cooperation with states, tribes, municipalities, universities and other organizations.
Summary information about GLRI project funding from funds appropriated in fiscal years 2010, 2011 and 2012 is available in this table. Click on the individual agency names for more detailed information. 
| Agency | Projects | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Totals | 1,534 | $933,897,738 |
| USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service | 13 | $3,655,492 |
| Environmental Protection Agency* | 501 | $386,646,774* |
| USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service** | 18 | $75,065,402 |
| USDA Forest Service | 37 | $31,065,697 |
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | 110 | $63,500,050 |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | 237 | $109,568,600 |
| Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry | 5 | $9,895,661 |
| U.S. Coast Guard | 19 | $8,922,327 |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs | 102 | $12,706,339 |
| National Park Service | 31 | $18,697,303 |
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 374 | $149,684,806 |
| U.S. Geological Survey | 75 | $50,580,158 |
| DOT Federal Highway Administration | 8 | $4,768,202 |
| DOT Maritime Administration | 4 | $9,140,927 |
*This amount includes funding provided to states, tribes and other governmental entities, as well as funding for Great Lakes Legacy Act work.
**The 18 NRCS projects do not yet appear on the map of projects, pending clarification of representative project locations.
Reports to Congress
GLRI was launched in 2010 to tackle the long-standing problems and emerging challenges that must be addressed to revitalize the Great Lakes ecosystem.
In these reports, the eleven federal departments and agencies that make up the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force share results.
- Fiscal Year 2010 Report to Congress (PDF) (38 pp, 2.1MB) March 2011
- Fiscal Year 2011 Report to Congress (PDF) (44 pp, 1.6MB) September 2011
Restoration Challenge
GLRI set aside approximately $6 million for federal agencies that propose restoration work in federally-protected areas, on tribal lands and in Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes basin. A key criterion for approvable projects was that they put at least 20 unemployed people to work.
In October 2011, EPA announced which proposals would receive funding.
The information on this website has been provided by federal agencies that participate in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Each agency is responsible for the accuracy of its information. The project information was verified by each agency in February 2013.
Funding includes GLRI funds for on-the-ground and in-the-water work. Some agencies also include their GLRI-funded operational costs, such as project management.