NOAA today announced the initiation of a process to potentially designate a ~740-square mile national marine sanctuary in Lake Erie, calling the effort “part of the action that NOAA is taking to support President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative.”
Comments are sought by Tuesday, July 18 on the scope and significance of issues to be addressed in preparing a draft environmental impact statement for the designation. In conjunction with the comment period, NOAA will host an in-person public meeting in Erie, PA (Wed., June 21), as well as virtual meetings on Tuesday, June 27 and Wednesday, June 28.
NOAA noted that the site contains 35 known shipwrecks (with historical records indicating that an additional 161 shipwrecks may reside within the site), as well as the history of numerous Indigenous Peoples.
Commerce Sec. Gina Raimondo said that a sanctuary designation would “advance conservation and restoration efforts” and be “a meaningful demonstration of Lake Erie’s significance to communities throughout the Great Lakes region,” with NOAA Admin. Dr. Rick Spinrad saying that a designation “would complement the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s efforts to preserve and interpret the area’s maritime legacy, including its historic shipwrecks, lighthouses and underwater cultural resources.”
