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Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Coastal and Great Lakes Community Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation which includes two key provisions authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) to address harmful algal blooms and water levels along Lake Ontario.
While the House continues to be bogged down by partisan infighting, Rep. Katko has remained focused on addressing issues important to Central New York. The bipartisan provisions he authored authorize research on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and provide grant eligibility for projects to address high water levels in communities like Lake Ontario.
“Despite ongoing partisanship and gridlock in Congress, I am continuing to work on the issues that matter most to Central New York,” said Rep. Katko. “The House passed a bipartisan and comprehensive bill which includes provisions I authored to authorize HABs research and provide grant funding to assess the impact of water level regulating on communities facing high water levels and flooding. These amendments will help ensure families in our community have access to clean drinking water, and protect shoreline communities against future costly flooding along Lake Ontario.”
Specifically, Rep. Katko’s Amendments:
- Add research on Harmful Algal Blooms to the U.S. Geological Survey research authorized under Coastal and Great Lakes Community Enhancement Act.
- Provide grant eligibility for coastal zones projects to assess the impact of water level regulatory practices on the Great Lakes. This includes shoreline communities along Lake Ontario.
Rep. Katko spoke on the floor of the House in support of these provisions.
In Congress, Rep. Katko has been on the forefront of addressing both flooding and ensuring access to clean water. He was worked on improving Central New York water infrastructure, promoting HABs research to keep our water clean, holding the IJC accountable, and fighting back against ill-conceived regulations that have resulted in severed damage to properties, businesses, and infrastructure along the southern shore of Lake Ontario
