FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Amy Samples, Coastal Resilience Specialist, (734) 647-0766, asamples@umich.edu
Rhett Register, Communications Program Leader, (734) 647-0767, rregist@umich.edu
Michigan Sea Grant, as coordinator of the Great Lakes Clean Marina Network, recently provided small grants to support the administration of Great Lakes Clean Marina Programs in 2016. This funding opportunity was made possible by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Clean Marina programs work to reduce pollution to coastal waters by encouraging environmentally friendly marina and boating practices. The Great Lakes Clean Marina Network is a forum for these programs to share resources, information and best management practices.
“These projects will help to facilitate implementation, operation, or expansion of a Clean Marina Program in these states,” notes Jim Diana, Michigan Sea Grant director.
The awards were provided to four projects in four states.
The Michigan Clean Marina Program received $5,000. The award will be used to provide ten $500 scholarships to marinas to offset fees, staff time and other costs associated with becoming certified or maintaining certification as a Clean Marina.
The Wisconsin Clean Marina Program received $5,000 to be used as salary and to offset travel costs for their program coordinator. The Wisconsin clean marina coordinator helps marinas certify or recertify, runs training workshops for marina owners and employees, and promotes the program in the state.
The Minnesota Clean Marina Program received $2,500 to offset the costs of travel and supplies for program volunteers that target Lake Superior marinas. The Minnesota Clean Marina Program is 100 percent volunteer-based.
Finally, the Ohio Clean Marina Program received $5,000 to support program evaluation in conjunction with their 10-year anniversary. The program will develop and administer a survey to 270 marinas in the Lake Erie watershed in an effort to inform a new outreach strategy and program expansion.
All funded projects will report back to the Great Lakes Clean Marina Network to share best practices and lessons learned.
To learn more about the Great Lakes Clean Marina Network, visit: www.michiganseagrant.org/great-lakes-clean-marina.