Call Senator Banks to Support the Indiana Dunes

Call Senator Banks to Support Indiana Dunes Conservation Efforts

Calling all Hoosiers! We are requesting Senator Jim Banks’s support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). This important bill helps support thousands of conservation projects that depend on this critical funding source, including projects in our Indiana Dunes National Park. The GLRI accelerates efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world – the Great Lakes – and is the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. The GLRI serves as a critical source of funding for invasive species management and habitat restoration in Northwest Indiana.

To ensure this important program continues, we need both of our Indiana Senators to sign on to co-sponsor this bill. Senator Banks is not yet a co-sponsor- will you help us convince him to support GLRI? We have heard that hundreds of these calls in support of the park are being received by the Indiana offices, so please continue to call and support our National Park!

GLRI funds helped restore hydrology and native plantings to 1,600 acres of the Great Marsh in the Indiana Dunes National Park so that native wildlife and plants will return and thrive, and the wetland system will once again effectively filter pollutants before they reach the lake.

GLRI also supports other regional organizations, including Save the Dunes! We currently have a GLRI project that improves habitat connectivity for pollinator species across our region. We hope you will join us to amplify our message, and encouraging Senator Banks to champion this important program!

We are asking you to call Senator Banks’s office to express your support for the GLRI Act of 2025. Take action now to make a difference and advocate for the dunes!

Step 1 - Contact Senator Banks

Call Senator Banks to express your support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative bill, and ask that he sign on as a co-sponsor.

Phone Number: (202) 224-4814

Step 2 - Share This Information

Share this information with others and spread the word with your community.

Step 3 - Connect with Us

Follow Save the Dunes and sign up for our eNewsletter, follow us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram for the latest updates.

What Should You Say?

When calling, have a short script prepared and be ready to leave a message. Your call should be polite, to the point, and focused on your request.

Sample Script:

Hi, my name is __ and I live in __(city/county the legislator represents)
I am asking you to please ask Senator Banks to support the conservation efforts in Northwest Indiana and co-sponsor the GLRI Act of 2025. This bill serves as a critical source of funding for many regional conservation efforts including helping our Indiana Dunes National Park fund their invasive species management and habitat restoration projects.
These irreplaceable sites in the Indiana Dunes region are economic engines for our Hoosier communities.
(Add personal example of why this is important to you and/or how it impacts your community)
- Examples:

- The Indiana Dunes National Park is the number one tourist destination in the state and the most recent statistics show that the park brought in 2.7 million visitors annually, and generated an estimated $206 million in revenue for local communities.

- As a constituent, I ask that you do everything in your power to support the National Park Service and the regional conservation efforts to protect the unique biodiversity Northwest Indiana.
- Without this critical funding from this bill, the Indiana Dunes National Park’s ecosystems, water quality, and biodiversity would not be able to protect our unique and beautiful ecosystems in our state.
- Please ask Senator Banks to join Senator Young in supporting the Indiana Dunes region by co-sponsoring the GLRI Act of 2025.
- Thank you for your consideration!