From: Subject: Macomb County may get more than $1.5M for wetlands restoration | detnews.com | The Detroit News Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 14:59:56 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01CB03F6.983C06E0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01CB03F6.983C06E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://detnews.com/article/20100603/METRO03/6030482/1409/METRO Macomb County may get more than $1.5M for wetlands = restoration | detnews.com | The Detroit News tyntVariables =3D {"ap":"From The Detroit = News:"};
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Last Updated: June = 03. 2010=20 1:42PM

Macomb County may get more than $1.5M for wetlands restoration

Charles E. Ramirez / The Detroit News

Mount Clemens -- Macomb county is in line to receive grants = totaling=20 more than $1.5 million to restore wetlands and make other improvements,=20 officials said today.

The county's Planning and Economic Development Department is in the = final=20 stages of approval for the grants, which will be used to restore = marshland on=20 the Lake St. Clair coastline and install bioswales along Metro Parkway = in=20 Harrison Township, according to Gerard Santoro, senior planner with the=20 department.

One of the grants the county may receive is a $1.5 million endowment = from the=20 federal Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act. The county plans = to use=20 the money to restore nearly 500 acres of wetlands in and near Metro = Beach=20 Metropark.

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The marshes in the area have been damaged over the years by the = filling and=20 construction of drainage ditches.

"This is great news," Santoro said in a statement issued today. "This = is a=20 key project to restore county's natural coastal areas, and can help make = Harrison Township a renewed destination for both tourists and = residents."

The county may also receive about $150,000 from the Environmental = Protection=20 Agency to install a quarter-mile-long system of bioswales along Metro = Parkway at=20 the Harrington Drain.

Bioswales are shallow ditches or drainage courses filled with plants = that=20 allow the ground to slowly absorb storm water runoff from roadways or = parking=20 lots.

In addition, the county is pursuing matching funds from other = sources,=20 bringing available funds to $1.7 million.

"This is the first year of a five-year program for funding available = from the=20 EPA to clean up the Great Lakes -- this money is a major bonus to the = region,=20 and helps transform the economy and improve the quality of life for = long-term=20 sustainability," said Paul Gieleghem, D-Clinton Township, chairman of = Macomb=20 County's Board of Commissioners. "As a rule, we make a concerted effort = to=20 aggressively go after federal funding to better our county whenever it = is=20 available."

cramirez@detnews.com = (586)=20 468-2905

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