Contact:
Tom Evenson
(608) 266-2839

MADISON – Governor Scott Walker announced today that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded Wisconsin a three-year $840,000 Coastal Resilience Grant to help Lake Michigan communities and property owners in Southeastern Wisconsin reduce damages from coastal hazards and sustain the operation of their coastal economic assets. The grant entitled “Improving Economic Security in Coastal Wisconsin” will be awarded to the Wisconsin Department of Administration’s Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.

“This grant is crucial to Wisconsin’s coastal communities,” Governor Walker said. “We’re grateful the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recognizes the challenges our Lake Michigan communities are facing and this is an excellent step as we work towards repairing damage and preserving our coasts for years to come.”

Southeastern Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan bluffs, beaches, and harbor infrastructure are currently being impacted by a combination of high water levels, erosion, and coastal storms. These coastal hazards threaten coastal properties and can impair tourism and commerce in the region.

The new project will support efforts to map shoreline recession to improve hazard planning and provide guidance on options to protect coastal property. The project team will work together with the counties and municipalities of Southeastern Wisconsin to plan and implement actions to reduce the impacts of coastal hazards.

Partners on the project include the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC).

The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program balances natural resource protection and sustainable economic development along Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coasts. The program awards federal funds from the Office for Coastal Management in the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to local governments and other entities for innovative coastal initiatives.

Additional information about the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program can be found at http://coastal.wisconsin.gov.

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