ODNR awards $266K to keep Ohio’s waterways clean

In its mission to keep the state’s waterways clean, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced the grant funding of more than $266,000 to three organizations located along Lake Erie. The grants are funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Clean Vessel Act (CVA) with a 25-percent matching contribution from ODNR.

“We look for every opportunity to keep Lake Erie clean,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “These grants help us partner with local groups to strengthen the infrastructure that protects our lakes, streams and waterways.”

The grant money helps local communities, private marinas and other vessel facilities build boat sewage pump-out facilities for the disposal of untreated boat sewage.

In 1992, Congress passed the Clean Vessel Act Grant Program so these facilities can be built with Coast Guard-approved marine sanitation devices (MSD). The grant program established standards for these devices and the operational procedures to ensure boat sewage can be properly discharged onshore with MSD facilities.

In total, three grants were awarded to:

• Geneva State Park Marina (state park concessionaire), Geneva

• Harbor North/Martek Global Services, Inc., Huron

• Vermilion Yacht Club, Vermillion.

These grant recipients will use the funding to make improvements to their marine and land-based pump-out facilities to help ensure that local waterways stay clean.

The total grant award was $266,179.10. ODNR’s match covers the required applicant fees to take the cost burden off the local entities, ultimately benefitting communities in the state of Ohio.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.