FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rob Vanden Noven, Director of Public Works, rvandennoven@portwashingtonwi.gov, 262-284-5585
Melissa Pingel, City Administrator, mpingel@portwashingtonwi.gov, 262-284-5585
PORT WASHINGTON RECEIVES $500K FOR COASTAL CONSERVATION PROJECT
The funds will be used to support the Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Valley Creek Corridor project.
PORT WASHINGTON, WI – (April 26, 2024) – Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) have announced a $4.6 million investment for coastal habitat conservation and restoration projects. This funding, part of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, underscores the commitment to safeguarding Wisconsin's coastal ecosystems.
The allocation, administered by NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, will support two crucial initiatives:
Gile Flowage Land Conservation Project ($4.1 million) - Iron County will acquire 1,055 acres of critical habitat in Lake Superior’s coastal zone. This acquisition will preserve habitat corridors, enhance climate resilience, and ensure public access, benefiting underserved and Tribal communities.
The remaining $500,000 will support the Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Valley Creek Corridor project in the City of Port Washington. The funds will allow the City to develop plans to restore the entire 1.8-mile Valley Creek urban riparian corridor, an important Lake Michigan coastal tributary. The restoration plans will include nature-based solutions to prevent degradation, protect critical infrastructure, reduce flooding risk, and restore local habitats. “The City of Port Washington is extremely excited about this award, which will advance the City’s goal of a sustainable Valley Creek Corridor,” said Robert J. Vanden Noven, Director of Public Works for Port Washington. “We are especially grateful to NOAA and our partners with the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and the Lakeshore Natural Resources Partnership for providing critical assistance in making this dream a reality.”
The Wisconsin Coastal Management Program within DOA remains dedicated to preserving and enhancing access to the natural resources of Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coasts.
For more information and to stay up to date on the City of Port Washington, visit portwashingtonwi.gov.
