Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Michigan Sea Grant Funding to Help Protect Great Lakes Communities

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin today announced $471,161 for the Michigan Sea Grant program to secure projects that help build and foster resilient coastal Great Lakes communities. This funding is a portion of a $15.9 million grant announced though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Sea Grant program.

"The Great Lakes are critical to Michigan's economy and our way of life," said Stabenow. "This grant will help support collaborative research between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University that will help preserve our Lakes and coastlines for generations to come."

"Michigan is defined by the Great Lakes, and these waters not only support jobs and our economy but also provide unparalleled recreational opportunities for millions," Levin said. "The projects announced today will help ensure that Michigan's coastal communities have the resources they need to meet our responsibilities as stewards of the Great Lakes."

Michigan's NOAA funding will be matched with $254,982 from other sources to carry out the projects, which aim to develop tools to support harbors and marinas, help communities protect water quality, address algae problems in Saginaw Bay, and help increase public safety along the Great Lakes shorelines.

Among the projects receiving funding is the "Using an Integrated Assessment Process to address the Sustainability of Small Harbors," which will help develop a new training module to help marinas and harbors plan for severe storms, fluctuating water levels, and other coastal hazards. A complete list of Sea Grant projects can be found here, and detailed descriptions can be found here.

Michigan Sea Grant, a collaborative program of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant program, which helps provide student support and research at 33 university-based programs across the country. The Sea Grant program funds scientific research, education, training and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of Great Lakes resources.