EUCLID, OHIO -- The E.P.A. today announced Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities grants totaling in excess of $500,000 to 3 cities in northern Ohio to fund green infrastructure plans that will enhance water quality in Lake Erie. Euclid, Mentor and Sandusky are among eleven cities across the Great Lakes Basin which will gain backing totaling over $1.8 million through the current round of GLRI Shoreline Cities grants.
E.P.A. Region five Administrator/Great Lakes National Plan Manager Susan Hedman was joined for the announcement at Sims Park in Euclid by U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge, U.S. Representative David Joyce, Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik and representatives from the cities of Mentor and Sandusky.
"These northern Ohio cities will use E.P.A. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities grants for green infrastructure plans to protect Lake Erie," said Hedman. "Green infrastructure captures and filters rain where it falls - to reduce flooding and to prevent stormwater from washing contaminants into our waterways."
"I commend the E.P.A. for recognizing the leadership and commitment of the city of Euclid to invest in green infrastructure," said U.S. Representative Marcia Fudge. "These plans and others being awarded Shoreline Cities grants throughout the Great Lakes region demonstrate we are all in this together. Small- and medium-size cities as well as our biggest cities along the Great Lakes care about water quality and doing their part to protect this vital natural resource for future generations."
"The Great Lakes are a national treasure that must be preserved and protected," said U.S. Rep David Joyce. "I've been doing everything I can to fight for this backing in Congress, and I'm proud to see these Great Lakes Restoration Initiative resources coming directly to the shores of Lake Erie."
"Ohio's shoreline cities are leading our ongoing efforts to enhance the health of Lake Erie," said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. "This significant investment will allow our shoreline cities to pursue infrastructure that help clean up the lake and protect the water supply."
"Communities along Lake Erie have unique water infrastructure needs and these resources will help to ensure we maintain a high level of water quality," said U.S. Senator Robert Portman. "I'm pleased with this additional support and look forward to working closely with the local communities as we enter the summer months."
The following plans will be funded by grants announced today:
· Euclid, Ohio, ($174,206) will construct rain gardens and bioswales at Sims Park to prevent the discharge of over 500,000 gallons of untreated stormwater into Lake Erie each year. Bioretention ponds and porous concrete will also be installed at a downtown parking lot to prevent the discharge of an additional 88,000 gallons of untreated stormwater into Lake Erie each year. · Mentor, Ohio, ($250,000) will install porous pavement and construct bioswales at the Mentor Lagoons Marina and Nature Preserve to prevent the discharge of about 860,000 gallons of untreated stormwater into Mentor Marsh and Lake Erie each year. · Sandusky, Ohio, ($125,958) will construct bioswales, plant trees and install porous pavement at the downtown Jackson Street parking lot to prevent the discharge of 1.5 million gallons of untreated stormwater into Sandusky Bay each year.
"The enhancements at Sims Park are designed to reduce stormwater runoff and non-point pollution on the shoreline, protect the nearshore waters of Lake Erie, and enhance water quality," said Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik. "This is critical to the success of our long term project to reconstruct the shoreline and increase public access to Lake Erie, the city's most valuable natural resource."
"The City of Sandusky is excited to be the recipient of a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant from the EPA," said Sandusky City Commission Vice President Dick Brady. "This grant will be used to complete a parking lot in the heart of downtown Sandusky with permeable pavement, rain gardens, trees and storm water management techniques that will significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment that are contributors to, not only the water quality in the lake and bay, but also the growth of harmful algal blooms that have threatened the drinking water supply in the past few years."
"This award is a step forward in our work as stewards of the Great Lakes and surrounding watersheds," said U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur. "Investing in Sandusky's water management infrastructure will help control the flow of pollutants and algal bloom-related nutrients into Lake Erie. As a stalwart supporter of GLRI it is heartening to see the science it advances leading us to a more sustainable and healthy Lake Erie."
"Maintaining and improving the Mentor Marsh watershed is an important effort for our community, as in excess of 60 percent of the city's watershed drains into the lake by way of the Mentor Marsh." said Mentor City Manager Ken Filipiak. "We are grateful to the E.P.A. and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for the help that they are providing for this project."
Great Lakes Shoreline Cities grants fund up to 50 percent of the cost of green infrastructure plans on public property. The plans include rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, porous pavement, greenways, constructed wetlands, stormwater tree trenches and other green infrastructure measures designed to enhance water quality in the Great Lakes basin.
Additional information about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Shoreline Cities Green Infrastructure Grants is accessible at www.glri.us.
