Following Brown’s Urging, NASA Commits to Continued Investment in Technology That Helps Track Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Erie

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a letter from Sen. Brown and other members of the Ohio delegation urging the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to continue its investment in imaging technology that helps track harmful algal blooms, NASA committed to provide more than $800,000 to NASA Glenn Research Center.

“This commitment from NASA is welcome news for NASA’s Glenn Research Center and its ground breaking monitoring technology for harmful algal blooms,” said Brown. “Lake Erie serves as a water source for millions of Ohioans, so we must continue investing in technology that will protect the Lake’s health.” 

Last month, Brown joined members of the Ohio congressional delegation in a letter to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, urging full funding and technical support of NASA Glenn Research Center’s Remote Sensing of Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Erie program.

Brown continues to fight to secure clean drinking water for Ohioans and to protect Lake Erie. In May, Brown applauded news that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had announced a health advisory laying out guidelines for effective monitoring of and treatment of microcystin. Brown had called for the EPA to publish a health advisory to help inform and educate local and state officials in his Safe and Secure Drinking Water Act. In February, Brown announced the introduction of the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act (GLEEPA), bipartisan legislation that would formally authorizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to protect the Great Lakes from a variety of ecological threats and invasive species like harmful algal blooms and Asian carp.

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