GLIN==> Governor Jim Doyle Declares September 2009 Coastal Awareness Month

Governor Jim Doyle Declares September 2009 Coastal Awareness Month 

Governor Jim Doyle has proclaimed September 2009 as Coastal Awareness Month in Wisconsin to acknowledge the economic, natural resource and cultural significance of Wisconsin's Great Lakes coasts. Governor Doyle currently serves as Chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors and has worked at the state, regional and national levels to move forward historic efforts to protect the Great Lakes. 

"The Great Lakes not only define Wisconsin and this region, they define our industries, our recreation and our way of life," Governor Doyle said. "For generations, the Great Lakes have been the doorway for our earliest citizens and immigrants and the highway for the products of our mills, farms, factories and mines. It is critical that we continue to protect and invest in one of the world's greatest natural resources." 

"This month, and every month, I encourage every Wisconsin citizen to re-commit to protecting the Great Lakes and their coastlines. Together, we can ensure that future generations can enjoy Lake Superior and Lake Michigan for many years to come." 

The importance of the Great Lakes is reflected in the significant accomplishments in the past year beginning with the passage of the Great Lakes Compact by the U.S. Congress. This historic agreement and milestone creates unprecedented protections for the Great Lakes while ensuring their continued viability to support sustainable regional economic growth. In addition, citizens throughout the state recognize the regional and national significance of the developing Wisconsin's Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve. The research, resource management and education made possible will have a lasting impact on Wisconsin and the Great Lakes. And most recently, the inclusion by President Obama of the $475 million, multi-year interagency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in his budget proposal for the US Environmental Protection Agency. This initiative strategically targets programs and projects to address the most significant problems facing the Great Lakes ecosystem. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative comes at a time when there is significant national interest in protecting, enhancing and sustaining the resources of the Great Lakes. 
		
To support Coastal Awareness Month, the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program (WCMP) is again pleased to announce that it is accepting grant proposals to enhance, preserve, protect and restore resources within the state's coastal zone. The Department of Administration's Wisconsin Coastal Management Program will award approximately $1.5 million for projects related to Coastal Wetland Protection and Habitat Restoration, Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Coastal Resources and Community Planning, Great Lakes Education, and Public Access and Historic Preservation. Local and tribal governments, nonprofits, academic institutions, and state agencies are all eligible to apply for grants. 
		
During the month of September the Coastal Management Program staff will be traveling around the state presenting workshops on the grant program. 
		* September 9 in Green Bay, 1:30 p.m. Bay Lake Regional Planning Commission 
		* September 21 in Ashland, 1:30 p.m. Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center 
		
Workshop schedules, application materials and the Request for Proposals are available on the WCMP website (http://coastal.wisconsin.gov). Applications are due November 2, 2009. 
		
The WCMP was the first program in the Great Lakes and among the first ten nationally established through the federal Coastal Zone Management Act. Its mission since 1978 is a balance of resource protection and sustainable development within Wisconsin's 15 Lake Michigan and Lake Superior counties. To learn about WCMP more please visit http://coastal.wisconsin.gov. 



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