MARQUETTE — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy announced funding for 13 coastal management initiatives across the state on Wednesday.

EGLE awarded over $1.1 million in grant funding for the 13 projects, with the city of Marquette receiving $200,000.

The funds awarded to the city of Marquette will be used to “restore a critical section of impacted coastline that has a diverse habitat including wetlands, dunes, beach and coastal upland,” according to a press release from EGLE.

City of Marquette Director of Community Development Dennis Stachewicz said that the project will build on earlier work done by the Michigan Coastal Management Program during 2012 and 2014. Those efforts led to a $2.5 million coastal restoration project from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

“This new MCMP project will restore over 1,200 linear feet of coastal habitat, approximately nine acres, and will serve as the linchpin to reconnect 10 acres of rare, pristine coastal wetlands to the south and 34 acres of coastal habitat to the north,” Stachewicz said. “All totaled, this project will reconnect over one mile of critical Lake Superior coastal habitat.

“In addition, local coastal planning documents from the county, city and township will be updated to address current high lake levels and more frequent severe-weather events. The coastal planning component will address the entire 80- mile Lake Superior coastline of Marquette County.”

Elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan Technological University was awarded $100,000 from EGLE to assist in the MCMP Coastal Hazard Resiliency Strategy. MTU will collect and integrate geospatial data to support “resilient and vibrant communities,” according to the release.

The 11 remaining projects to receive EGLE funding include six downstate municipalities, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, two grants for the Land Information Access Association, and one grant for MCMP in partnership with the Michigan Association of Planning to launch the Coastal Leadership Academy.

The goal of the academy is to “identify critical risks and vulnerabilities facing a community, investigate the decision support tools available and introduce scenario-based planning methodology to incorporate adaptation strategies into master plans,” the release states. “Incorporating the strategies into a master plan is the first step in responding to the changing conditions along Michigan’s coasts. Once these principles are in a community’s master plan and priorities are identified, zoning ordinances can then be used to set standards to promote wise management of coastal areas.”

EGLE is now accepting applications for 2022 grant funding. Criteria for projects that will be considered in 2022 include those that involve:

≤ Protecting community character and revitalizing ports and harbors

≤ Planning for coastal growth and change in coastal communities to strengthen economies and minimize risk from coastal hazards

≤ Protecting and restoring healthy coastal ecosystems for public use and enjoyment, devising solutions to protect coastal water quality

≤ Preserving, restoring and interpreting historic and maritime cultural resources and creating and enhancing public access.

Those eligible to apply for grant funding include coastal communities, regional planning agencies, educational institutions, tribal governments and not-for-profit 501(c) organizations.

The application deadline is Dec. 18, and applications in full PDF format can be submitted to EGLE-WRD-CoastalProgram@Michigan.gov.

If interested in applying for funding and seeking more information, MCMP staff will be hosting webinars on Tuesday and Thursday regarding the application process and funding requirements.

Registration information and links can be found at www.Michigan.gov/EGLE in a PDF document titled “Coastal Management 2022 Grant Funding Opportunity Information.”

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.