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OLEC Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The waters of Lake Erie have drawn people to Ohio as a recreational retreat, source of drinking water, mode of transit and shipping, and basis of livelihood. Today, those 127.7 trillion gallons bring Ohio nearly $11 billion annually in visitor spending alone.  
 

Lake Erie Synthesis Team 
Attraction has its Price
For more than a century, Lake Erie suffered from industrial pollution, untreated sewage discharges, and habitat degradation.  Although significant strides have been made in addressing these issues, beneficial uses of four of Ohio’s major Lake Erie tributaries are still impaired. Algal blooms are returning in levels not seen in 30 years, and new invasive species continue to affect the ecological balance of the Lake.
Envisioned Improvements
The State of Ohio and local entities have developed strategic plans for the recovery of Lake Erie and its tributaries, including local waterfront plans, watershed action plans, balanced growth plans, habitat and species recovery plans, the Lake Erie LaMP, Remedial Action Plans, and the Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plan.  These plans collectively describe the path for the recovery of Lake Erie.
Beacon of Recovery
Lake Erie has suffered great impairments and yet has also been a model of ecosystem recovery. Through $475 million in basin-wide FY2010 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding, along with almost $300 million in FY2011, Ohio can continue to participate in the restoration of Lake Erie. Ohio’s GLRI funded projects will remove barriers to fish spawning areas, restore beneficial uses in Ohio’s 4 Areas of Concern, reduce harmful algal blooms, make beaches safer, protect critical habitats, reduce contamination from traditional non-point sources, address emerging contaminants of concern, and track measureable goals through some of the country's best monitoring programs.
Great Expectations
With the help of GLRI funding, the balance between use and preservation of Lake Erie’s coastal resources will be achieved.  The Brookings Institution has estimated that implementing the Great Lakes restoration strategy in full will generate $50 billion in long-term benefits, creating jobs, revitalizing our regional economy and improving our quality of life.
Getting Involved
Citizens, communities, watershed groups, universities, and many other organizations across Ohio's Lake Erie watershed can take part in the restoration of our Great Lake!  Whether you want to apply for funding, volunteer to help in your community, or just learn about the work others are doing, there are many ways to get involved. 
Review Ohio's Funded Projects
The State of Ohio has developed a series of projects for funding through the GLRI.  While some of these projects will be completed by state agencies, others will result in funding made available to local groups.

 

NEW! USEPA has released the GLRI RFA for 2012. See USEPA GLRI page.

Ohio's GLRI Funded Projects - 2011-11-22 Summary Sheet (pdf)

Ohio's GLRI Funded Projects - 2011-12-12 Fact Sheet (pdf)

Great Lakes Commission Fact Sheet - Ohio: Great Lakes Restoration at Work (pdf)

US EPA Press Release 2010-05-28 - 2010 GLRI Finalists Announced (pdf)

US EPA Projects List (pdf)

 
If you would like to provide feedback on Ohio's projects, please contact the Ohio Lake Erie Commission by email or phone at 419-621-2040.

 

Apply for GLRI Funding from a Federal Agency

GLRI funding is available to a wide variety of organizations. State, local, and special jurisdiction governments, tribes, non-profits, universities, and others can apply directly to USEPA and fifteen other federal agencies for funding for projects. To learn more about these funding opportunities visit these external websites:

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

US EPA's GLRI Homepage

US Geological Survey GLRI Page

US Fish & Wildlife Service GLRI Page

NOAA's GLRI Page 

US Dept. of Agriculture GLRI Page
 

Track Projects in Your Community
Projects funded in Ohio will be listed and tracked on this page over the coming years.  Please check back regularly for updates as GLRI funding makes its way into the watershed and projects get started.

US EPA Great Lakes Accountability System (GLAS)
 

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission's GLRI Projects

Lake Erie Synthesis Team
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission, in partnership with the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, has received funding for a project called the Lake Erie Synthesis Team. This project will summarize and synthesize results from all Lake Erie GLRI projects in order to better inform managers of cutting edge research results and give researchers better insight into management needs.

See the Lake Erie Synthesis Team page for more information on this project.
 
Toledo Harbor Sediment Management and Reuse Project
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission, in partnership with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and Hull & Associates, has received funding for the Toledo Harbor Sediment Management and Reuse Project, which will develop a plan to reduce sediment and pollutant loading to the near shore area of the lake.  This will be achieved by the deveopment of a plan guided by the Toledo Harbor Task Force that will include short and long term options to eliminate open water disposal, restore aquatic and upland habitat as well as provide alternatives for the reuse of dredged material.  

Learn more by visiting the Toledo Harbor GLRI page.
 

updated: 2012-4-30