1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my grave concern over the impending closure of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC). I've heard that the White House is asking the Congress to shut down the entire biological research program at the USGS in the 2026 budget and that internally, the Center has been instructed to prepare for an imminent total shutdown. Additionally, the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) which does critical work on the physical characteristics of the Great Lakes is already slated for big cuts. The additional loss of GLSC would eliminate a vast majority of research done on the Great Lakes and this would cause irreparable harm to one of the most precious resources Michigan and our nation have. Our Great Lakes are the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth and account for over 20% of the world’s freshwater. It has huge importance to Michigan and neighboring states. Over 30 million people rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water and roughly $9 billion in wages can be traced to the US Great Lakes maritime economy. Eight different states and Canada border the Lakes and numerous groups of people have a stake in management strategies. Scientifically-informed policy coordinated at the federal level is critical and has been long recognized by the US government by its support for Great Lakes research. Closing the GLSC would waste all of the millions of dollars in equipment and infrastructure American taxpayers have gladly invested over the years. The informational loss would be devastating, leaving many industries "driving blind". No one else (including individual states or universities) has the infrastructure and ability to make up the gap in these efforts. Congress has always expressed widespread bipartisan support for the Great Lakes. The thoughtless rush to minimize all government programs is resulting in wiping out Great Lakes research because GLSC is included in the ecosystems programs of USGS slated to be cut. It's a disaster waiting to happen and it will not easily remedied. There ARE aspects of this closure that Congress must approve. As such, I strongly urge you to proactively support Great Lakes research and prevent the closure of the GLSC within USGS. Also do whatever you can to stop the cuts at GLERL, which are also critical to understanding and protecting our lakes AND the people and industries that depend on them. Thank you for your consideration!