WILLIS, Mich. — Two members of Congress from Michigan plan to introduce legislation encouraging Great Lakes states to develop programs that reduce risk of pollution that causes harmful algae blooms.

Reps. Tim Walberg of Tipton and Candice Miller of Shelby Township in Macomb County will announce their bill on Tuesday at a news conference near Willis.

It calls for initiatives modeled after the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, which helps farmers voluntarily take conservation measures such as reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff.

Ohio has banned farmers in the northwestern part of the state from spreading manure on frozen and rain-soaked fields and requires them to get training before using commercial fertilizers.

Those regulations were adopted in response to algae outbreaks that contaminated drinking water in Toledo and southeastern Michigan last August.