LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes has awarded nearly $1 million to local governments, nonprofits and university researchers to implement coastal projects. The funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was announced Monday by the office’s Coastal Zone Management program. Projects include a study of the economic, social, and cultural values of Michigan’s coastal dunes; helping paddlers in Michigan’s Thumb region see and learn about shipwrecks in shallow water; planning a water trail for Beaver Island; and improving public access to the Great Lakes. Other Coastal Zone Management initiatives include the Coastal Clean Marina Initiative and the Clean Beaches Initiative.
