Tribes in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota are concerned they may see cuts to funding they receive under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
President Obama is proposing a $50 million cut to the GLRI and Lac Courtes Oreilles Tribal Chairman Mic Isham said the EPA is proposing to reduce some funding for tribal programs in anticipation of that cut.
“That ripples down, but I just don’t like the fact that they’re going to balance the budget based on the tribes, which are already underfunded,” Isham said.
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Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission Executive Administrator Jim Zorn said their annual funding may drop from $400,000 to $30,000.
“It just diminishes your ability to do everything that our tribes are asking us to do from harvest management in three states to fish surveys to our other normal, regular work,” said Zorn.
Zorn said five to six staff may be affected by the proposed cut.
GLIFWC represents 11 tribes in three states. An EPA spokesman said no decisions have been made.
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