A bipartisan group of lawmakers hopes to recreate the success of the nation's largest freshwater restoration program to benefit more than 25 million Americans who rely on the Ohio River.
U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, a Democrat from Kentucky, received robust support when he introduced the Ohio River Restoration Program Act late last year. The act, co-sponsored by five Republicans and five Democrats, would use up to $350 million in federal funds to restore the Ohio River Basin, as Cleveland.com reported.
While some might balk at the idea of such a hefty investment given the country's national debt, restoration projects such as this pay surprising economic dividends.
Since 2010, for instance, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has returned more than $3 for every federal dollar invested, all while keeping water safe for drinking and recreation and fish safe for consumption. The GLRI is the inspiration for the Ohio River initiative.
Restorations also help to mitigate flooding and erosion. Flooding alone costs the economy up to $496 billion annually (in 2023 dollars), according to the Joint Economic Committee.
Across the country, locals are taking action, cleaning up beaches, planting community gardens, and advocating for policies that protect their quality of life from polluting corporations.
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Now, lawmakers hope the Ohio River Restoration Program Act will safeguard a resource that supports more than one-third of the country's waterborne commerce, generating more than $21 billion in wages and 500,000 jobs, per Cleveland.com.
"The Ohio River has been overlooked for far too long, and it's time for it to get the attention and investment it deserves," McGarvey said.
U.S. Rep Mike Rulli, a Republican from Ohio and bill co-sponsor, called the Ohio River "an economic lifeline for our nation, playing a crucial role in settling America and building us into an economic powerhouse."
"This restoration program is a smart investment that will restore abundant fish and wildlife while keeping the river clean and healthy for future generations," Rulli added, according to Cleveland.com.
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