Proposed federal cuts threaten Great Lakes, Ohio economy

By Farah Siddiqi

Proposed federal cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency could ripple across Ohio, threatening the state’s economy, public health, and Great Lakes protections. Leaders gathered this week along the Rogue River to urge Congress to reject the proposals.

Bentley Johnson, federal government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, said the agencies provide essential data allowing collaboration between farmers, industry, and communities.

"We need to have reliable scientific information that's gathered," he claimed. "Forecasts being put out months in advance that farmers can make decisions about. And what we're seeing with cuts is the potential for weather stations to close."

NOAA and EPA efforts have helped restore polluted rivers and protect drinking water, with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative alone returning three dollars in economic activity for every dollar invested.

Beth Gibbons, director of the Washtenaw County Resiliency Office, warned the cuts would make communities more vulnerable to climate-driven disasters. She says the city of Ann Arbor has seen a 48% increase in overall rain in the past 50 years.

"Being able to understand how that change in rain has happened, both in the amount of rain falling overall but how it is falling in more intense and more frequent storms, is really important in order for us to be able to design our infrastructure properly," she explained.

Local officials argue investments in resilience and environmental protection safeguard health, reduce disaster costs, and support jobs. Without federal support, they warn the risks to Ohio's Great Lakes, farms, and communities will only grow.