News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2003

GRANT APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR MAJOR
LAKE ERIE BASIN IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

COLUMBUS, OH -- The Ohio Lake Erie Commission (LEC) is seeking applications for $400,000 in large grant projects that support the Lake Erie Protection Fund. The fund helps implement improvements to Ohio's portion of Lake Erie and its watershed.

The deadline for submitting these grant proposals is March 14. Applications can be downloaded from the commission’s web site at www.epa.state.oh.us/oleo. The LEC's grants committee will review these applications, and ask the top projects to submit formal proposals in the spring. Projects must be completed in one to three years.

Each year, the LEC awards a round of grants to major projects that support the overall goals of the Lake Erie Protection Fund. Smaller grants are awarded on a quarterly basis by the LEC. The average amount of the "large" grants is $50,000, but can range up to $100,000, depending on the scope of the project.

The focus of this year’s large grant cycle is implementation of projects specifically addressed in the Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plan (LEPR), which contains 84 strategic actions designed to improve environmental, recreational and economic resources within Ohio's Lake Erie basin.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is comprised of the directors of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the departments of Natural Resources, Transportation, Development, Health and Agriculture. The commission was established to preserve Lake Erie’s natural resources, protect the quality of its waters and ecosystem, and promote economic development within the region.

The commission oversees the Ohio Lake Erie Protection Fund. Since 1992, it has raised nearly $8 million through the sale of Lake Erie license plates - featuring the Marblehead Lighthouse - and other donations.

For more information, please contact the Ohio Lake Erie Commission office at 419-245-2514 or at lakeeriecommission@ameritech.net.