GLIN==> More than $276,000 Lake Erie Protection Fund Grants Awarded

[Jill Woodyard <jill_woodyard@ameritech.net>]

NEWS RELEASE
September 24, 2004


OHIO LAKE ERIE COMMISSION ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $276,000 IN GRANTS TO EIGHT 
ORGANIZATIONS

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission (LEC) has awarded more than $249,000 to five 
organizations to conduct long-term research projects on the Lake Erie. 
Nearly $27,000 more went to three other organizations for short-term 
research projects.

The Lake Erie Protection Fund grants were approved on September 15 at the 
commission's meeting in Cuyahoga Heights. Larger projects that received 
funding were: a study of algae entering the lake from the Maumee and 
Sandusky river watersheds; an examination of Lake Erie's image as a tourism 
destination among residents of Pittsburgh, Columbus and Indianapolis; a 
study of the effects of temperature and water elements on the earbones of 
walleye and perch to determine the environmental history of these species; 
an examination of walleye spawning sites in the Sandusky, Maumee and Grand 
Rivers to determine migration patterns and hatch successes.

Smaller grants were awarded to study tributary sediment loading in the 
lake; identify recreational resources in the Sandusky River watershed and 
develop a comprehensive watershed conservation plan for Tinkers Creek.

During the last 11 years, the commission has awarded more than $8 million 
in grants from its Lake Erie Protection Fund to local and state 
organizations for a variety of lake-based research projects. Money for the 
fund comes from the sale of Lake Erie license plates, which feature either 
the Marblehead Lighthouse or the Toledo Harbor Light.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is comprised of the directors of the Ohio 
departments of environmental protection, transportation, development, 
health, natural resources and agriculture.

The commission was established to preserve Lake Erie's natural resources, 
water quality and ecosystem by furthering the goals laid out in the Lake 
Erie Protection & Restoration Plan. It also promotes economic development 
in the region.

  	-30-

 For Further Information Contact:
 Edwin J. Hammett, Ohio Lake Erie Commission
(419) 245-2514

EDITOR'S NOTE: A COMPLETE LIST OF THE MOST RECENT LEPF GRANT RECIPIENTS 
FOLLOWS:

The Ohio State University received $89,965 to determine the amounts and 
types of algae that flow into the lake from the Maumee and Sandusky 
watersheds and how those algae reproduce once they are in the lake. Project 
director: David Culver

University of Toledo received $53,945 to develop a mitigation plan for 
certain types of contamination in Maumee Bay in order to lower the 
incidences of area beach closings. Project director: Von Sigler

Lake Erie Coastal Ohio received $47,000 to conduct focus groups in 
Columbus, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis in order to determine Lake Erie's 
image among potential visitors and identify positive points for a public 
awareness campaign. Project director: Melinda Huntley
			
The Ohio State University Research Foundation received $29,922 to study the 
effect of water temperature and chemical elements on the earbones of yellow 
perch and walleye in order to better determine the environmental histories 
of these species. Project director: Elizabeth Marschall
					
The Ohio State University received $28,234 to study the hatch and migration 
patterns of walleye spawned in the Sandusky, Maumee and Grand rivers in 
order to formulate better conservation measures for this important sport 
fish. Project director: Roy Stein

Heidelberg College Water Quality Lab received $10,000 to perform analysis 
and interpretation on existing Lake Erie tributary soil loading data. 
Project director: David Baker

Tinkers Creek Land Conservancy received $10,000 to develop a comprehensive 
watershed land conservation plan for the creek. Project director: Marion 
Olsen

The Black Swamp Conservancy received $6,380 to investigate the recreational 
resources of the Sandusky River watershed. Project director: Ken Zeck

		            							



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