Governor Tony Evers announces $1.3 million in coastal grants to protect Lake Michigan shoreline

Governor Tony Evers announced that his administration has distributed more than $1.3 million in annual grants to coastal communities through Wisconsin's Coastal Management Grant Program to fund habitat restoration, flood and climate resilience projects and expand public access to Lake Michigan.

The funding, Evers said, will support projects ranging from wetland restoration and flood-risk reduction to construction of ADA-accessible kayak launches. "This program focuses on projects that restore local habitats, build flood and climate resilience, and expand public access to our Great Lakes," he said.

Evers framed the grants as part of a broader effort to address shoreline erosion, flooding, pollution and the effects of climate change. "Here in Wisconsin, we are fortunate to have more than 800 miles of Great Lakes shoreline," he said, adding that the lakes provide "countless jobs and opportunities for trade and commerce" and improve quality of life across the state.

He also highlighted other state-supported efforts, including contaminated-sediment removal projects, funding for upgrades to Great Lakes research vessels, continued Department of Natural Resources fish data collection, and programs to help farmers adopt practices that reduce runoff into waterways.

Noting the cultural importance of wild rice, Evers said his administration had secured funding to support research and conservation strategies in partnership with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Menominee and Lac Courte Oreilles tribal nations. "Wild rice has been harvested in the Great Lakes region for thousands of years," he said, and it is threatened by changing climate and water-quality conditions.

Evers added that the state is working with federal and academic partners, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of Wisconsin'Green Bay, and the Oneida Nation on restoration projects and on efforts to designate Green Bay as a national estuarine research reserve site.

"Wisconsin's Great Lakes are core to our economy, our history, our culture, and who we are as Wisconsinites," he said, thanking partners for their work and urging continued collaboration. He closed by wishing attendees a good time at the 11th annual Lake Michigan Day.

The remarks did not include specific local project locations, a breakdown of the grant recipients, or a timetable for the projects funded; those details were not specified in the recorded remarks.