|
|
|
|
|
Media Inquiries
614-265-6860 |
|
|
|
|
|
Jun
10
Written by:
news editor
6/10/2011 1:00 AM
Enhancing Lake Erie, Ohio’s coast and Lake Erie Watershed is the goal of eight grants recently award by the ODNR Office of Coastal Management.
SANDUSKY, OH – Enhancing Lake Erie, Ohio’s coast and Lake Erie Watershed is the goal of eight grants recently award by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Office of Coastal Management. The funding will allow groups to undertake and advance projects that seek to improve water quality, public access and knowledge of the state’s greatest natural resource.
The 2011 Coastal Management Assistance Grants include funding for developing additional public access to Lake Erie; building awareness of how personal actions can improve water quality and the health of the watershed; cleaning and monitoring Lake Erie beaches; and coastal planning to optimize economic growth while protecting Lake Erie. The $300,033 in grants will be matched with local or non-federal funds for more than $613,000 in improvements to communities and resources in Ohio’s Lake Erie watershed.
Each of the eight selected projects addresses at least one of the Ohio Coastal Management Program's funding categories which include the protection and restoration of Lake Erie coastal resources, promotion of sustainable land use and community planning, coastal resource management education and outreach, and research and data collection.
Projects from six local entities — the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, the city of Euclid, the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership, the Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners, and the Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners/County Port Authority) and one state entity (ODNR Division of Soil and Water Resources) will receive funding in this 15th year of grants awarded through Ohio’s Coastal Management Program.
The Office of Coastal Management dedicates a portion of its annual National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funding to the Coastal Management Assistance Grant program. Applications for the next round of grants to be awarded in 2012 will be available in September 2011 either online (www.ohiodnr.com/coastal) or by contacting the Office of Coastal Management at coastal@dnr.state.oh.us or 419.626.7980.
The ODNR Office of Coastal Management works to achieve a balance between use and preservation of Lake Erie's coastal resources, in collaboration with its partners, by effectively administering the Ohio Coastal Management Program.
The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at ohiodnr.com.
(Editor’s Note — Grant award descriptions follow below)
ODNR Coastal Management Assistance Grant Recipients - 2011
Grant Recipient (location of project improvements) Project name and grant amount. Project description. (total project cost) grantee’s Web url
ODNR Division of Soil and Water Resources (Lake Erie watershed) will receive $70,000 to employ Lake Erie Watershed Coordinators. This project will fund two watershed coordinators for one year to implement endorsed watershed action plans. Implementation of the plans will result in measurable water quality improvement and/or sediment load reduction. ($140,000 total project cost)
www.ohiodnr.com/water
Alliance for the Great Lakes (Cuyahoga, Erie and Ottawa counties) will receive $10,000 for the Adopt-a-Beach Expansion. This project will expand the number of volunteers that clean up, monitor and collect beach data in Cuyahoga and Ottawa counties and bring the program to Erie County. It will focus on schools and increase the number of teams that lead an event as part of Coastweeks which is organized by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. ($22,681 total project cost)
www.greatlakes.org
ODNR Division of Soil and Water Resources (Lake Erie Watershed) will receive $50,000 to employ Coastal Nonpoint Source (NPS) Education Specialists. This project will fund two Coastal NPS Education Specialists over a period of one year to develop and facilitate education programs with an emphasis on the reduction of nonpoint source pollution in the Lake Erie Watershed. ($100,000 total project cost)
www.ohiodnr.com/water
Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (Medina, Cuyahoga, and Summit counties) will receive $13,545 to develop the Plum Creek and Upper East Branch Protection & Restoration Plans. This project will facilitate water quality and aquatic habitat improvement and improve the effectiveness of the Rocky River Watershed Action Plan in the Plum Creek and Upper East Branch sub-watersheds through the development of targeted and prescriptive Sub-watershed Protection and Restoration Plans. ($29,594 total project cost)
www.cuyahogaswcd.org
Tinkers Creek Watershed Partners (Cuyahoga, Summit, and Portage counties) will receive $21,000 for the Tinkers Creek Watershed Community Engagement Project. This project will consist of educating watershed residents, businesses, school age kids, and community decision makers on the importance of the natural resources in the area. Another component of the project will be to provide educational efforts toward ordinance modification in the watershed as a whole, to allow for water quality practices which may be prohibited currently. ($42,500 total project cost)
www.tinkerscreekwatershed.org
Blanchard River Watershed Partnership (Western Lake Erie watershed) will receive $25,000 for the Blanchard River Watershed Coordinator. This project will fund a watershed coordinator to accomplish the following tasks: work with agencies responsible for implementation of the Outlet/Lye Creek Watershed Action Plan (WAP), complete a stream observation walk and facilitate development of the Riley Creek WAP, and support the BRWP. ($57,900 total project cost)
www.blanchardriver.org
Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners/Port Authority (Ashtabula County) will receive $50,561 for the Ashtabula County Coastal Development Plan. This project will result in the establishment of a collaborative and inter-governmental process that will be used in the development of a county coastal development plan. The plan will include an analysis of coastal resources, identification of priority development and conservation areas, and the development of a coastal portfolio to optimize growth. ($101,122 total project cost)
www.co.ashtabula.oh.us
City of Euclid (Cuyahoga County) will receive $59,927 for the City of Euclid Fishing Pier. This project will result in the construction of a fishing pier that will provide public and ADA accessible opportunities for fishing, bird watching, education, sitting, walking, strolling and lake viewing. ($119,854 total project cost)
www.cityofeuclid.com
For more information, contact:
Yetty Alley, ODNR Office of Coastal Management
419. 626. 7980
Jason Fallon, ODNR Office of Communications
614. 265. 6842
Tags:
|
|
|