Coastal Management Program gets $2.5M

LANSING (AP) — The Michigan Coastal Management Program is getting more than $2.5 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters recently announced support for Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality’s Office of the Great Lakes.

They say the funding will help to protect, restore and develop coastal ecosystems and communities.

The DEQ will administer the federal grant, which Stabenow and Peters say will leverage over $1.9 million in state and local funds.

Specific projects include helping communities put practices in place to protect their coastlines and supporting new initiatives to reduce beach litter
and pollution.

At the same time, the grant will go toward the funding of short documentaries to help the public understand and appreciate Michigan’s coastal zones.