Senators Stabenow, Peters Announce $2.5 Million for Michigan Coastal Management Program

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced support for Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality Office of the Great Lakes to protect, restore and develop coastal ecosystems and communities. The Michigan Coastal Management Program, housed in the Office of the Great Lakes, will receive more than $2,516,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"The Great Lakes are part of who we are and our way of life," said Stabenow, Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force. "Michigan is home to over 3,100 miles of Great Lakes shoreline that attract tourists from across the country to our great outdoors, contributing billions to our economy. This investment will help conserve our beautiful natural resources for generations to come."

"Tourism driven by the Great Lakes support jobs and economic growth across Michigan, and we need to ensure our thousands of miles of shoreline are safe and clean for families to enjoy," Peters said. "Whether it's supporting beach clean-up efforts or making coastal environments more resilient, these funds for the Coastal Zone Management Program will improve our ongoing efforts to protect the Great Lakes."

Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality will administer the federal grant, which will leverage over $1.9 million in state and local funds. The funds will assist the Michigan Coastal Management Program with its efforts to mitigate coastal hazards, conserve and restore coastal habitat, and protect coastal water quality. Some specific projects include helping communities put practices in place to protect their coastlines, supporting new initiatives to reduce beach litter and pollution, and creating short documentaries to help the public understand and appreciate Michigan coastal zones.

The National Coastal Zone Management Program administered by NOAA is a voluntary federal-state partnership that provides grants to states with approved coastal zone management plans for the preservation, protection, restoration, and enhancement of coastal zone areas, including those in the Great Lakes region.