Northern Wisconsin Counties Receive Coastal Management Funds

NORTH WISCONSIN (WLAK / WBZH) – Some northern Wisconsin counties have received grant funding through the Department of Administration in honor of Coastal Awareness Month.

According to a press release from Governor Tony Evers, 35 coastal communities across the state will receive a portion of $1.3 million in grant funding. The funding is meant for projects enhancing public access to coastal areas and supporting educational efforts along the Great Lakes, as well as addressing contamination issues. It will be distributed to local municipalities, regional planning commissions, universities, and nonprofits.

Projects in Ashland, Bayfield, and Douglas Counties were among those to receive the grant funding. The largest award of nearly $95,000 went to Bayfield County for the purchase of over 125 acres of land near the Siskiwit River.

The City of Ashland received funding for two separate projects. Nearly $33,000 was awarded for the elimination of contaminants in the city’s stormwater system. Issues with water contamination, specifically nitrates and PFAS, has become a common issue in Northern Wisconsin. Another $25,000 was awarded to develop a plan for updating and creating interpretive signs highlighting significant coastal projects.

The City of Bayfield also received $17,000 to conduct an analysis of recreational and public works infrastructure in the lower Big Ravine.

Nearly $30,000 was awarded to the University of Wisconsin System for image processing technology meant to track wave characteristics near the Apostle Islands. The Northwest Regional Planning Commission also received $30,000 to provide technical assistance for the implementation of the Department of Administration’s Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.

Other projects across the state include efforts to combat the spread of invasive species, the construction of new boat launches and docks, and developing habitat restoration plans.