COLUMBUS, OH -- Seven communities and organizations located along Ohio's Lake Erie coast recently received a total of $260,604 in Coastal Management Assistance Grants from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to help protect and enhance coastal resources in the region.
"Ohio's Lake Erie coastal resources are important to all Ohioans and this grant program is just one tool the Ohio Coastal Management Program uses to support local initiatives that protect these resources," said ODNR Director Sam Speck.
The grants assist communities and organizations in developing comprehensive plans, improving access to the Lake Erie shoreline, conducting research and education, and developing outdoor recreation facilities. The program's purpose is to preserve, protect, restore and enhance coastal resources while balancing development goals.
Each selected project addresses at least one of the six categories in ODNR's Strategic Action Plan for Coastal Management, which are: water resources and watersheds; coastal land use and development; coastal habitat, wetlands and natural areas; coastal flooding and erosion; recreational opportunities; and fisheries and wildlife resources.
Coastal Management Assistance Grants are coordinated by ODNR, with funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Grants are awarded annually on a competitive basis, with each recipient providing a 50 percent minimum match of the total project cost.
Applications and guidelines for the 2002 Coastal Management Assistance Grants, will be available in the fall. Interested applicants should write to the Ohio Coastal Management Program, ODNR Coastal Services Center, 1630 Sycamore Line, Sandusky, Ohio, 44870-4132; or contact the agency by phone at 419-626-7986. This year's application can be viewed on the ODNR web site at www.dnr.state.oh.us; click on the Division of Real Estate & Land Management .