We are very excited and honored to announce that we have officially received a 2-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. We are one of only 12 grant recipients for the removal of marine debris and the only organization working in the Great Lakes Region. This grant will allow us to expand our cleanups in impact and scope. Our aim is to remove over 30,000 pounds of marine debris from the Maumee River and other tributaries in the greater Toledo area over two years. Our cleanups help prevent debris from entering and impacting western Lake Erie. Our data recording enables us to closely track and monitor marine debris trends and compare our findings with other cleanups across the nation. This grant would not have been possible without the support of our partners including: the City of Toledo, Metroparks of the Toledo area, Lucas County Engineers, and the City of Oregon. We are extremely grateful to NOAA for their sponsorship of our efforts to remove marine debris in Northwest Ohio and help improve the water quality of our streams, rivers, and Lake Erie.
