Ian Pope of the Great Lakes Conservation Corps, now known as the Great Lakes Climate Corps, cleans up discarded cigarette butts at Marquette’s Lower Harbor during a summer 2018 cleanup event. The Superior Watershed Partnership has been awarded a $122,000 grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program to assist coastal communities and tribes in cleaning up the shorelines, harbors and near shore waters of Lake Superior. With this grant, the SWP will mobilize its GLCC to implement a series of cleanup events with coastal communities, tribes and other project partners. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — The Superior Watershed Partnership has been awarded a $122,000 grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program to assist coastal communities and tribes in cleaning up the shorelines, harbors and near-shore waters of Lake Superior.

The project area includes over 600 miles of Lake Superior coastline throughout the Upper Peninsula.

Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created waste that has been accidentally or deliberately released into the Great Lakes or ocean waters, the SWP said. Marine debris impacts aquatic habitat, injures or kills fish and other wildlife, interferes with navigation safety, and can pose a threat to human health.

Marine debris includes a wide range of items both small and large, including plastic bags, bottles, cans, commercial fishing gear, tires, appliances, cars and abandoned boats, the SWP said. The most common materials are plastics, glass, metal, paper, cloth, rubber and wood products. Sources of marine debris include stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, unregulated construction sites and illegal dumping.

“Sadly, there is no place on earth that is immune to this problem. While the Upper Peninsula has approximately 312,000 year-round residents it has experienced a dramatic increase in nature tourism in recent years with millions of additional visitors annually,” according to the SWP. “Unfortunately, many Great Lakes coastal areas have seen a corresponding increase in beach litter, shoreline erosion, habitat degradation and water quality impacts.”

SWP Executive Director Carl Lindquist said, “Most monitoring confirms that Lake Superior is still the cleanest of the Great Lakes but it will take increased effort at the community level to keep it that way; especially with increased coastal development and increased nature tourism. The key to nature tourism is keeping it truly sustainable.

“Thanks to NOAA, the Great Lakes Climate Corps and proactive communities, the Upper Peninsula can be a model for sustainability and coastal resiliency.”

GLCC crews will work with Lake Superior tribes and coastal communities to remove marine debris from shorelines, harbors and near-shore waters.

To address the problem in the U.P., the SWP will mobilize its GLCC to implement a series of cleanup events with coastal communities, tribes and other project partners.

The Great Lakes Climate Corps is composed of young people who implement a wide range of environmental projects that benefit the Great Lakes and mitigate the impacts of climate change, the SWP said. Several prioritized sites such as harbors and marinas will be eligible for underwater debris removal requiring a dive team and support boats.

While the SWP has conducted annual beach cleanup events for over two decades, NOAA funding allows the program to expand and serve more communities and partners.

The public is also invited to participate in upcoming community cleanup events through the Lake Superior Volunteer Corps. All ages are encouraged to participate in beach cleanup events, including families, children and visitors.

The SWP indicated it also has seen a recent increase in the number of out-of-state tourists participating in summer volunteer events. The SWP will conduct an intensive public education and engagement program that includes K-12 schools, community organizations and Great Lakes media outlets.

Communities, tribes and other coastal property owners are encouraged to contact the SWP with information on large debris locations, potential beach cleanup sites or related debris removal sites.

This is a two-year, NOAA-funded project with cleanup events taking place in the spring, summer and fall of 2022 and 2023.