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Federal dollars made available through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative are helping to restore the marsh to its natural state. But that work and virtually all of the Lake Erie projects would be threatened with elimination if the proposed Trump budget cuts are approved.

(Thomas Ondrey/Plain Dealer file photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - President Donald Trump's proposal to gut the EPA's Great Lakes cleanup plan would virtually eliminate the cornerstone of a five-year program to protect and restore the largest system of fresh water in the world, environmentalists said Friday.

The Trump budget plan calls for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative's $300 million annual budget to be slashed to $10 million.

The proposal would threaten Lake Erie programs to combat water pollution, especially toxic algae blooms, to prevent and control invasive species, and to restore habitat to protect native fish and wildlife.

This past May, the EPA awarded more than $3.3 million in grants for Ohio projects. They include more than $650,000 for restoration work at the Mentor Marsh and the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve, where acres of invasive reeds are being removed.

Other projects at risk include $3 million for a Cuyahoga River urban riparian restoration project, and $15 million for restoration work at the Black River in Lorain County -- the largest Great Lakes Restoration grant ever.

Included among other Northeast Ohio projects financed by the Great Lakes progam are $175,000 to the Cleveland Metroparks for a project at Wildwood Park to install bioretention cells designed to capture and treat stormwater runoff. The work is expected to prevent up to 660,000 gallons of untreated stormwater runoff from reaching Lake Erie.

In addition, the EPA awarded $500,000 to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy for the purchase of 290 acres of easements in the Chagrin River watershed, resulting in the protection of 1,350 acres.

The Trump budget cut proposal is contained in a plan to slash $2 billion from the EPA's budget in 2018, and the elimination of almost 3,000 employees.

The National Association of Clean Air Agencies obtained a copy of the plan this week. A final version of the budget is not expected until March 13, and the EPA's new administrator, Scott Pruitt, has said he will make changes.

A bipartisan coalition of legislators wrote a letter to Trump last month urging him to preserve the $300 million committed to the Great Lakes cleanup program.

Environmentalists have been outspoken in their opposition to the cuts since they were revealed this week.

"Gutting the U.S. EPA and its programs tasked with protecting clean water would be a disaster," said Jennifer Caddick of the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

"Memories are short. But it was not so long ago that our country united for change, shocked by images of a river on fire. Federal laws are the cornerstone of bringing clean water to people, and they only work when enforced," she said.

Lake Erie serves as a major migratory flyway for birds, and as a major source of food and staging grounds for waterfowl, gulls and other water birds.

More than 24,000 people signed a petition recently that was delivered to Trump urging him to maintain the EPA laws and programs essential to birds, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

"The American people love birds, and the current administration and 115th Congress have an opportunity to make a real difference to reverse current population declines, restore habitats and put in place smart policies to balance conservation with development on public lands," said Steve Holmer, vice president of policy for American Bird Conservancy.

"Although the environment was not a major issue in the recent election, decisions made by the new Administration and Congress could have far-reaching impacts on birds and their habitats," Holmer said.

Ken Rosenberg of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology said, "We believe that appreciation of birds represents a core American value and that bird conservation should be a non-partisan issue."