The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has awarded more than $437,000 in Coastal Management Assistance Grant (CMAG) funding for five projects in Toledo, Eastlake, Ashtabula County, Lorain and Bay Village for coastal planning, public access and water quality improvements.
This year’s projects include installing ADA-accessible parking spaces and walkways, implementing green stormwater infrastructure, enhancing stream and wetland habitats which will help filter and improve water quality, and developing plans and engineering designs needed to improve public access and restore coastal habitats. The projects are:
- Downtown Toledo Waterfront Metropark brownfields reclamation and environmental restoration
- Chagrin River public access and green infrastructure design
- Turkey Creek Metropark public access design and engineering
- Martin’s Run ecological restoration design
- Cahoon and Columbia Park public access geotechnical and restoration master planning studies
ODNR implements the CMAG program through its Office of Coastal Management for eligible entities including local governments, county and regional planning agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and park and conservancy districts for completion of projects that will protect Lake Erie’s coastal resources and support sustainable use.
For more than 20 years, this grant program has provided a helping hand to Ohio’s communities for protecting and developing valuable resources near Lake Erie,” said Governor Mike DeWine in the announcement. “These projects upgrade infrastructure, provide better access to natural areas for residents and reduce erosion while improving water quality.”
CMAG is a competitive reimbursement grant program that provides matching funds up to 50 percent of project costs, with a minimum of 50 percent from the applicant. Funding for the program is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Ohio Coastal Management Program. The CMAG program has provided more than $5.62 million for 141 projects in Ohio since the program began in 1998.
Learn more about the grant-funded projects on the ODNR website.
