ODNR AWARDS MORE THAN $240,000 IN GRANTS TO ENHANCE
OHIO’S LAKE ERIE COAST
Communities in Ottawa, Erie, Lorain and Lake counties to directly benefit
SANDUSKY, OH - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Office of Coastal Management recently awarded a total of $241,957 in grants to communities on Lake Erie in order to enhance public access, preserve important habitats and foster greater appreciation of the area’s nautical history.
Coastal Management Assistance Grants are awarded to organizations and communities along Ohio’s north coast to improve and protect Lake Erie. Four local government entities - the city of Eastlake Port Authority, Danbury Township in Ottawa County, the city of Elyria in Lorain County, and the Erie County Health Department, along with the Great Lakes Historical Society in Vermilion, will directly benefit this year.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funds the grants, which are awarded on a competitive basis. A match of at least 50 percent of the project’s total cost is required. Each project selected addresses at least one of the Ohio Coastal Management Program’s funding categories including public access, coastal habitat, water quality, coastal hazards, coastal dependent uses and community development, and government coordination and decision-making.
ODNR has awarded more than $2.6 million in Coastal Management Assistance Grants since the program began in 1997. A list of all previous grant awards is available online by selecting the “Grants” link at ohiodnr.com/coastal.
Applications and guidelines for the next round of grants to be awarded in 2009 will be available at the same Web site in September 2008 or by contacting the Office of Coastal Management at coastal@dnr.state.oh.us or 419-626-7980.
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EDITORS NOTE: A list of Coastal Management Assistance Grant recipients is below:
For Further Information Contact:
Yetty Alley, ODNR Office of Coastal Management
(419) 626-7980
-or-
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860
ODNR Coastal Management Assistance Grant Recipients - 2008
Erie County Health Department will receive $42,957 for the Old Woman Creek and Huron River Watershed Investigation. This project seeks to investigate potential upstream sources of nonpoint source pollution in the Old Woman Creek Watershed such as malfunctioning household sewage treatment and storm water drainage systems. An engineering report of alternatives, expenses and funding options will be developed along with presentation materials for stakeholder education. ($87,329 total project cost)
City of Elyria (Lorain County) will receive $19,000 for the Elyria Greenway and Trail Comprehensive Plan. This plan will supplement the Elyria Plan 2015 with the inclusion of open space opportunities, Best Management Practices (BMPs) guidelines for development, and trail linkages throughout the city. This plan and public meetings will be used to educate Elyria and Lorain County residents on the importance of green infrastructure practices, open space preservation, the health of Lake Erie and BMPs. ($38,000 total project cost).
Great Lakes Historical Society (Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga and Lake counties) will receive $20,000 for the Nautical Archaeology Workshop and Shipwreck Survey. The Great Lakes Historical Society in conjunction with the Maritime Archaeological Survey Team will train divers and non-divers underwater archaeological methods by conducting an underwater archaeology conference and workshop and by managing the survey of a Lake Erie shipwreck by volunteer divers. Survey findings of the Dundee shipwreck site will be prepared for publication. ($42,625 total project cost).
City of Eastlake Port Authority (Lake County) will receive $110,000 for the Chagrin River’s Anchor Island Protection Project. This project will result in the acquisition of approximately 5 acres of riverine island in the Chagrin River, referred to as Anchor Island. The acquisition will protect essential nesting, nursery and foraging habitat for coastal species. A lease management agreement will also be established with Lake Metroparks to ensure permanent public access. ($220,000 total project cost).
Danbury Township Board of Trustees (Ottawa County) will receive $50,000 for the Meadowbrook Marsh Public Access Trail and Boardwalk. This project will construct an ADA-compliant 900-foot long by 8-foot wide trail from the parking area to the marsh and an 8-foot wide by 80-foot long ADA-compliant ramped boardwalk at the end of the trail at the edge of the marsh. These improvements will enable fishing access, waterfowl viewing and picnic capabilities. ($103,000 total project cost).