Pennsylvania Spends $1.23 Million to Protect Coastal Zones
Governor Edward Rendell announced $1.23 million in grants for 35 projects intended to protect and enhance Pennsylvania’s coastal zones along Lake Erie and the Delaware Estuary. The grants finance projects such as rehabilitating stream banks and restoring riparian buffers to reduce pollution flowing into waterways; reforesting urban areas; managing storm water runoff; and developing new technologies to locate and address unseen sources of pollution.
Pennsylvania’s coastal zones face increased pressure from development, shoreline erosion, biodiversity losses, and nonpoint source pollution. The governor believes that sound management of these resources is vital to both the environmental and economic health of Pennsylvania.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced the $1.23 million grant along with a $15,000 grant to Marcus Hook Borough officials. The borough will use its $15,000 grant to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best way to develop a marina at Market Square Memorial Park. The area provides the only direct access for the community to the Delaware River in Marcus Hook Borough.
According to state officials, Pennsylvania’s tourism, recreation, port development, and business and industrial development all depend on how the state manages and protects its coastal resources.
The coastal zone is the area where the land meets the sea and includes both coastal waters and adjacent shorelands. Pennsylvania has two coastal areas: 57 miles of coastline along the Delaware Estuary and 63 miles of coastline along Lake Erie.
The Delaware Estuary Coastal Zone lies within Bucks, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties. The zone contains islands, marshes, and the shorelands of tributaries that are affected by ocean tides. The combined facilities of the Delaware Estuary comprise the largest freshwater port in the world.
The Lake Erie Coastal Zone is located within Erie County and includes the shorelines of major tributaries. The zone extends to the middle of the lake to the United States’ boundary with Canada and inland 900 feet within the city of Erie. The lake, one of the state ports for international shipping, also contains Presque Isle State Park.
The Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program provides grants and technical assistance to nonprofit groups, local governments, and state agencies to improve public access, protect natural resources, and conserve coastal resources.
The majority of Coastal Zone Management Grants are funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from money made available by the U.S. Congress. Since the program’s federal approval in 1980, the Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program has provided more than $51 million in funding for coastal zone projects.
