Congresswomen from Ohio and Michigan are urging federal officials to designate western Lake Erie as an impaired waterway because of the harmful algae that is hurting the lake.
Reps. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and Debbie Dingell of Michigan are asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's director to act.
The two Democrats want the EPA to step in even though states typically take the lead in selecting impaired waterways.
The state of Michigan in November designated its section of Lake Erie as impaired because it said the western Lake Erie basin is failing to meet Michigan's water quality standards.
Ohio officials have resisted calls from environmental groups and some elected officials to do the same.
