U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) welcomed a new partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to help municipalities along the Great Lakes develop strategies to strengthen coastal resilience efforts.
The newly created Lake Michigan Coastal Resilience Initiative will be supported by $500,000 in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding and help address issues such as fluctuating lake levels, shoreline erosion, coastal storms and climate change through implementing nature-based solutions. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, representing more than 135 mayors from cities along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, will enable local municipal leaders to access NOAA trainings and workshops to help municipalities increase capacity, design restoration projects, and fortify coastal habitats.
“Climate change and high water levels on the Great Lakes are a threat to our shorelines and the livelihoods of Michiganders,” said Senator Peters. “This partnership between NOAA and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative will help bolster our state’s shoreline resiliency and ensure the Great Lakes remain a vital natural resource and economic engine to local communities across Michigan.”
“I have seen firsthand how the coastlines in Michigan have been drastically impacted by flooding and erosion as a result of fluctuating Great Lakes water levels. This new partnership is important news and will help our coastal cities protect their shorelines, boost their economies and plan for the future,” said Senator Stabenow.
Peters and Stabenow have long been champions for the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – which was established by legislation that Senator Stabenow authored in 2010. In 2019, Peters led the charge that provided the first increase in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding since the program was established.
More information about the Lake Michigan Coastal Resilience Initiative can be found at https://coast.noaa.gov/regions/greatlakes/glri/.
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