We know Minnesotans care about the environment. In 2008, Minnesotans voted to invest in the environment for 25 years to fund clean lakes and healthier natural spaces.

But we all know there is more to be done to protect Minnesota’s lakes and forests. That’s why the Environmental Protection Agency is stepping up.

The EPA recently announced plans to help clean up the Great Lakes, specifically to protect the bodies of water from the effects of climate change. This is the largest conservation program in our nation’s history.

The EPA’s new initiative aims to:

• Increase capturing and treating urban runoff by eight times
• Double wetlands and habitats restored
• double the amount of land covered to control invasive species
• Reduce phosphorous runoff by 1,400 tons by 2019

Minnesotans know that protecting our Great Lakes is crucial, and the work we’ve done since the 1970’s is paying off. A cycle of pollution has been reversed, and out Great Lakes are healthier now than they were 40 years ago.

These new measures by the EPA continue that progress and create a healthier future for all of use.