LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — President Joe Biden announced plans to invest $1 billion in infrastructure funding into the Great Lakes during a visit to northeast Ohio Thursday.
The money is part of the $1 trillion infrastructure deal Biden signed into law in November, at the time promising Americans "a change for the better."
The deal includes funding for a wide range of projects nationwide, including work to rebuild roads and bridges, upgrade water systems and create good-paying union jobs.
The $1 billion investment announced Thursday will allow for the most significant restoration project the Great Lakes have ever seen, Biden said during his visit to The Shipyards in Lorain.
"We're investing like never, ever in history," said Biden.
Thirty-one U.S. toxic hot spots were designated around the Great Lakes in 1987. The areas of concern were caused by a combination of factors, including pollution and agricultural runoff, an independent commission found.
Included in cleanup efforts is the Cuyahoga River behind the Cuyahoga Gorge Dam and the Maumee River in Toledo. Money will be designated to dredging polluted sediment, restoring wetlands and habitats and providing safe drinking water, Biden said.
Officials have projected cleanup to be finished by 2030 at all three lakes. It's a plan that has garnered support from the region's congressional Democrats and Republicans.
Additionally, Biden detailed plans to replace all lead water pipes and service lines across the state, creating thousands of plumbing and pipe-fitting jobs in the process.
"The Midwest built America," said Biden. "And we're building it again."
You can watch Thursday's full briefing in the player below: