Green Bay gains E.P.A. Great Lakes Shoreline Cities Green Infrastructure Grant

GREEN BAY - The E.P.A. today announced the award of a $500,000 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant to the City of Green Bay, WI, to fund a green infrastructure plan to enhance water quality in Lake Michigan. E.P.A. Region five Administrator / Great Lakes National Plan Manager Susan Hedman joined Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt and the Friends of Bay Beach at the historic Bay Beach Amusement Park to declare the grant.

"I'm pleased to award this E.P.A. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities Green Infrastructure grant to the City of Green Bay - Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department," said Dr. Hedman. "This grant will be used to install permeable pavement and bio-filter gardens in the Bay Beach Park to prevent untreated storm water runoff from contaminating Lake Michigan."

"The City of Green Bay is very grateful for EPA's support. This grant is good for the environment, stormwater management and Bay Beach," said Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt.

"The Friends of Bay Beach is thrilled with this E.P.A. grant. One of the goals of the FOBB is to jump-start the magnificent master plan," said Al Jamir with the Friends of Bay Beach. "This grant moves us closer to seeing the long-range project come to fruition while also incorporating green infrastructure to help enhance the water quality of the Great Lakes."

Green Bay is one of 16 cities to gain backing in the initial round of EPA's new Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities grant program. These grants will be used to 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.

To find more information about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative or Shoreline Cities Green Infrastructure Grants, visit www.glri.us.

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