Illinois joins program to preserve coastal areas

[March 10, 2012]  CHICAGO (AP) -- On Friday, Illinois joined a national program aimed at preserving and restoring coastal areas, and state officials said they'll work with communities along Lake Michigan to identify projects that benefit the environment and the economy.

The National Coastal Management Program was created 40 years ago, but Illinois never joined, despite its 63 miles of Lake Michigan coastline. Illinois was the last eligible state to join the program, which is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Gov. Pat Quinn said joining the program "codifies our commitment to Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes and the coast itself."

"Water is something that people want to live near and work near and be near. And so we have to understand that clean water and protecting our water ... that's a mission that we have," he said.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will oversee the program for the state. DNR Director Marc Miller said the state still is coming up with a list of potential projects, but they will include sustainable development, habitat preservation and restoration, and finding ways to deal with invasive species. Officials said they're also working to remove Waukegan Harbor, which has undergone years of cleanup, from the list of areas of concern in the Great Lakes.

Miller said the state will work with communities along the lake to identify projects, and that environmental stewardship and economic development are compatible.

"Coastal communities are the economic engines of the future," he said.

The Illinois Coastal Management Program will be eligible for about $2 million annually from NOAA. The federal coastal management initiative -- in 34 states -- has led to the preservation of more than 1.3 million acres of coastal habitat and the establishment of 28 estuarine research reserves, officials said.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.