Coalition helps groups seek Great Lakes funding

An environmental coalition has started a program to help local conservation groups take part in the Obama administration's Great Lakes restoration initiative.

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition said Tuesday it will provide grants totaling $200,000 to assist local organizations applying for shares of $475 million in Great Lakes cleanup funding.

Congress appropriated the funding last year to kick off a multi-year effort to deal with problems such as toxic pollution, invasive species and loss of wildlife habitat.

Campaign director Jeff Skelding says the coalition will focus its attention on five priority areas.

Those include St. Louis Bay and the St. Louis River near Lake Superior; the Chicago area of Lake Michigan; Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay; western Lake Erie; and eastern Lake Ontario.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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