Kaptur Welcomes $32,860 NOAA Award to Clean up Marine Debris in Lake Erie

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) welcomed news that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded the City of Cleveland $32,860 through its Marine Debris Program to reduce the amount of plastic garbage entering Lake Erie. The project will target three of the most common local sources of marine debris: plastic grocery bags, water bottles, and cigar tips.

“Lake Erie is a vital resource for our region, supplying drinking water to millions of people and supporting billion-dollar commercial fishing and tourism industries here,”said Rep. Kaptur. “The environmental and economic health of our region depends on our stewardship of this precious freshwater resource. NOAA’s attention to the Great Lakes community of Cleveland supports our long-term efforts to keep the lake clean, beautiful, and bountiful. This will help ensure that Northern Ohio communities and local industries that depend on it are able to thrive, now and long into the future.”

NOAA’s Marine Debris Program supports education and outreach initiatives that help reduce or prevent marine debris. The goal of the program is to encourage responsible stewardship behavior and to provide direct experience of the consequences of marine debris and the benefits of preventing it.

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