Bill > HR1073

This bill creates the Great Lakes Gateways Network, a comprehensive program designed to support and enhance natural, cultural, and recreational resources within the Great Lakes Watershed. The Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will provide technical and financial assistance to identify, conserve, restore, and interpret resources in the region. The network will include various sites such as state and federal parks, historic seaports, archaeological and cultural sites, and public access areas. The bill establishes a grants assistance program to help state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and private entities conserve and restore important resources, with grants limited to 50% of project costs and requiring matching funds from non-Federal sources. Administrative expenses are capped at 10% of project costs. The bill also aims to develop water trails, create connections between sites, and enhance public education about the Great Lakes. Congress would authorize $6 million per year from fiscal year 2026 through 2031 to support these efforts, with the goal of promoting conservation, education, and public access to the Great Lakes region.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1073/all-info