Rep. Bizzarro: $250K to protect, improve Lake Erie
DEP grants fund harmful algal bloom research and more
Rep. Ryan Bizzarro February 9, 2022 | 4:09 PM
ERIE, Feb. 9 – State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, today applauded the announcement of $257,691 for a handful of Erie County projects by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The money is to be used to protect and restore the Lake Erie Coastal Zone through six different projects.
“The health of Lake Erie and the economy of Erie County are forever connected,” Bizzarro said. “I’m glad to see DEP working to improve our largest natural resource and economic driver through these grants.”
“The Lake Erie Coastal Zone is an extraordinary environmental, economic and community resource that is under growing pressure from threats such as development, pollution and, increasingly, climate change," said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. "Local organizations that develop strategies and carry out projects to restore and protect these natural resources are an important bulwark against these pressures. DEP is committed to supporting these partners with grant funding and technical assistance."
One of the threats to the health of the lake comes from harmful algal blooms and the dangers they pose to people and wildlife. The Regional Science Consortium at Presque Isle will receive $62,525 for researching the occurrence of saxitoxin from these blooms along the lake.
“Harmful algal blooms remain a growing concern in Lake Erie,” said DEP Northwest Regional Director Erin Wells. “The Regional Science Consortium’s research is vital in helping protect the thousands of visitors to the shores of Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay.”
Other approved projects include:
- City of Erie - $37,280 to create a stream restoration plan and design for McDannell Run within McClelland Park.
- City of Erie Redevelopment Authority - $30,000 to complete a comprehensive plan for the East Bayfront Greenway Trail.
- Erie Bird Observatory - $45,886 to conduct research on bird migration in the Lake Erie Coastal Zone.
- Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development – $76,000 for coordination and technical assistance with Lake Erie coastal zone grantees, municipalities, and residents.
- Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development – $6,000 to assist Lake Erie coastal communities in administering the Bluff Recession and Setback Act of 1980.
Funded primarily by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the grants are administered by DEP’s Coastal Resources Management Program. Since federal approval of the DEP Coastal Resources Management Program in 1980, the program has provided more than $50 million in funding for coastal zone projects.