Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik sent a letter, along with Rep. Chris Jacobs (NY-27), Rep. John Katko (NY-24), Rep. Joseph Morelle (NY-25), and Rep. Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), to the House Appropriations Committee requesting the inclusion of funding for Phase II of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management Committee’s expedited review of the International Joint Commission’s Plan 2014 in any forthcoming spending package that may be brought to the House floor in the coming weeks. Phase II will be a three-year study of Plan 2014 rules and operations under extreme conditions moving forward. Phase I of this review has already been funded by Congress and is currently underway.
In response to the high water levels and flooding along the shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River over the past several years, the International Joint Commission (IJC) initiated a two-phase expedited review of Plan 2014 through its Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management Committee (GLAM). This process has allowed the diverse stakeholders impacted by Plan 2014 and determining appropriate modifications and improvements.
“I have been a consistent advocate for a balanced approach to addressing water level issues in our communities along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I have pushed for dedicated funding for the IJC to complete their review of Plan 2014 in this year's appropriations package to ensure the necessary adjustments are made to mitigate the impact of high water levels. This most recent bipartisan letter highlights the significance of this study and the impacts that it will have on our communities and those who own public and private property along the water. This is a small federal investment that will have significant long-term impact for communities across upstate New York, and I will continue to work with my House colleagues and push for this funding to be included in any forthcoming spending package.”
