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25 Great Lakes Projects Awarded Millions for Restoration

By August 16, 2018November 19th, 2019No Comments

Grants from Sustain Our Great Lakes, a ArcelorMittal and federally-funded program, have given $6.6 million to 25 projects hoping to restore wetland habitats; reopen 100 miles of rivers for fish passage; control invasive species; prevent nitrogen, phosphorus runoff that leads to algal blooms; and install “green infrastructure” that uses trees and rooftop gardens to gather rainwater to improve water quality in the Great Lakes area. Matching funds of $8.2 million were also provided.

“Sustain Our Great Lakes continues to be a leader in binational ecological restoration and water quality improvements within the Great Lakes region,” says Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The 25 grants announced today supply critical funding for projects within each Great Lakes state and the province of Ontario to help preserve and protect the region’s globally unique habitats and natural resources.”

Collectively, the 25 projects receiving grants will:

    1. • Restore 72 miles of stream and riparian habitat
    2. • Reopen 103 miles of river for fish passage
    3. • Remove or rectify 12 barriers to aquatic organism passage
    4. • Control invasive species on 1,422 acres of wetland, upland and riparian habitat
    5. • Restore 1,400 acres of wetland habitat
    6. • Prevent more than 2,500 tons of sediment from entering waterways annually
    7. • Add 161 million gallons of stormwater storage capacity
    8. • Install more than 180,000 square feet of green stormwater infrastructure
    9. • Prevent more than 33,000 pounds of nitrogen and 8,000 pounds of phosphorus from entering waterways annually

For more information, visit sustainourgreatlakes.org.