The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of illinois to help administer the state?S…

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) is providing ongoing funding through the national coastal zone management program to the state of illinois to help administer the state?S federally approved coastal management program. The national coastal zone management program, under the coastal zone management act, is an important voluntary federal-state partnership that protects, restores, and responsibly develops our nation?S coastal communities and resources by balancing economic development, coastal uses, and natural resource protection. NOAA?S funding of $2,614,000 is leveraging over $2,614,000 in state funds. These funds will support jobs and provide continued assistance to the illinois coastal management program to address many important coastal issues in the state including coastal hazards, economic development and recreation, climate change, habitat conservation, water quality, coastal shoreline change and enhancing public access. For example, projects will continue implementation of the clean marinas program, the lake michigan lakewide management program, outreach and education, and reduce beach closure days. The funding also supports ongoing coastal permitting, planning, and government coordination. The award is supporting work towards improving management of shoreline erosion and accretion issues. The current focus is on continued monitoring and research, including field data collection and data analysis; building research partnerships; and identifying opportunities to provide data and information for applied use by communities and managers. Again, several projects are focused on including all residents and chicago community sculling (CCS) will hire a rowing program executive director to increase programming capacity and chicago river access to underserved youth. The CCS will coach after school programs, organize field trips for program participants, work with teachers and school advisors to recruit students, ensure safety and training are being properly executed, and expand on-water training access.