Meadville, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded Coastal Zone Grants totaling more than $168,000 to four projects in the state’s Northwest region. The grants will fund projects that will help protect and restore the Lake Erie Coastal Zone.
“The Lake Erie Coastal Zone is the treasure of the Erie community and provides extraordinary environmental, economic, and community resource that is under pressure from threats such as development, pollution, and climate change," said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. "DEP remains committed to supporting coastal communities and the grantees whose work will improve public access, preserve habitats, measure pollution impacts, and educate the public about the benefits of these coastal zones.”
A coastal zone is an area where land meets the coast and includes both coastal waters and adjacent shorelands. Coastal Zone Grants are awarded to projects related to fisheries, wetlands, recreation, public education, coastal hazards such as bluff recession, and other areas. Grants may also be awarded to other projects in the watershed that have an impact on coastal waters.
The 77-mile Lake Erie Coastal Zone is in Erie County and includes the Lake Erie shoreline and several major tributaries. The coastal zone also extends to the middle of the lake, to the international boundary with Canada, and inland an average of 1.4 miles.
Approved projects include:
- Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development: $49,000 for coordination and technical assistance with Lake Erie Coastal Zone grantees, municipalities, and residents, and to assist Lake Erie coastal communities in administering the Bluff Recession and Setback Act of 1980 to prevent coastal erosion.
- Regional Science Consortium: $60,000 to support monitoring, water sampling and data analysis of the Harmful Algal Blooms in the waters of Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay.
- Bayfront East Side Taskforce: $15,000 to implement the Same Day Work and Pay Program, a neighborhood-wide program to remove litter, alleviate some barriers to employment, and foster pride in the community.
- Erie Bird Observatory: $44,337 for songbird migration research and visitor engagement at Presque Isle State Park.
Pennsylvania’s Coastal Resources Management Program (CRMP) receives an annual grant award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A portion of this award funds eligible projects that address CRMP priorities. DEP distributes the funds through sub-grant awards to local and state government agencies as well as nonprofit groups with projects located in the Delaware Estuary or Lake Erie Coastal Zones. Applications are accepted late August through mid-October, with project funding awarded the following fall season.
To learn more about Coastal Zone grants, visit DEP’s website.
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