Floor Statement on Interior Appropriations Conference Report

Mr. President, I will vote to approve this conference agreement and continuing appropriation resolution to provide over $32 billion for a variety of important environmental, forest and land, national parks and infrastructure purposes; as well as to extend funding for other federal programs through December 18.

I am pleased this bill includes the full $475 million for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) as requested in the President’s budget. The GLRI is a multi-agency effort to address the array of current and historic threats facing the Great Lakes, such as invasive species, habitat loss, and pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a spending plan for this money based on years of research and cooperative work with other federal, state, tribal, and local partners, and the EPA will measure results to ensure accountability. This bill includes language, which I supported, to ensure that steamships in the Great Lakes are able to continue to operate. The compromise included in this bill allows the EPA to move forward with a proposed air emission regulation for maritime vessels operating on the coasts while the EPA works with the Great Lakes shipping community on compliance. Additionally, the EPA will conduct additional economic analysis for the Great Lakes region.

This bill provides $2.7 billion for our National Park Service, an increase of $200 million from last year’s level, which I support. That increase would help maintain and protect the natural, historic and recreational resources of the six National Park units in Michigan. I am pleased conferees favorably responded to my request to waive the match requirement for Quincy Smelter funding, located within Keweenaw National Historical Park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The bill includes $1 million to stabilize the deteriorating buildings at the Quincy smelting complex, which is the best remaining example of a copper smelter of its era in the country, and possibly the world. The smelter has been identified by the Park Service as a core resource in the Park, yet its structures have deteriorated significantly since the smelter closed in 1971. Over the past couple of years, some parts of the smelter buildings have collapsed and last year, a smokestack, which is a critical part of the landscape, had to be removed because it was in danger of imminent collapse. With the waiver language included, this funding can be used to stabilize the buildings to prevent additional structural failures, saving one of the most important resources of the Park.

Importantly, the bill would provide $1.4 billion to capitalize the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and $2.1 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for wastewater projects. The funding in this conference agreement more than doubles the amount provided in the fiscal year 2009 omnibus. Michigan would receive about $41 million for drinking water and $90 million for wastewater projects, protecting public health, improving the environment, and creating a stronger economic climate.

Mr. President, this appropriations conference agreement would provide a significant boost to protect and cleanup the Great Lakes, protect the environment, improve Michigan’s parks and lands, provide communities with safe drinking water and improved wastewater infrastructure, and I support its passage.

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