The Coastal Zone Management program works to conserve and protect our coastal resources. This is especially important in Erie County, where more than 75 percent of Erie County residents live within a coastal zone municipality. This concentrated population places intense pressure on the Lake Erie ecosystem. Nonpoint source pollution, shoreline erosion and biodiversity losses are only a few of the problems the area is facing. As human impacts have grown, water quality, wildlife habitat and coastal wetland acreage continue to be threatened.
Balancing coastal land use with conservation of water-related resources is the goal of Pennsylvania’s Coastal Zone Management Program, which is approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and receives implementation funding through the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act.
In Erie County, the Coastal Zone Management Program uses grant funding, active monitoring and technical assistance to conserve and protect our coastal areas and watersheds in the Lake Erie Coastal Zone.
For more information please contact Alexandra Royal at aroyal@eriecountypa.gov or (814) 451-7325.
Grant Programs
The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) program in Erie County provides funding for projects located within the 77 miles of Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie coastline and inward to the coastal zone boundary. The grant money can be used for many types of projects including education, construction, research, plans and studies, land acquisition and easements, and design. The proposed project must advance the following CZM program polices , which include:
- Mitigating bluff recession and coastal flooding
- Monitoring dredging and spoil disposal
- Managing fish stocks
- Protecting wetlands
- Improving public access for recreation
- Preserving historic sites and structures
- Enhancing port activities and infrastructure
- Locating energy facilities
- Strengthening intergovernmental coordination
- Increasing public involvement
- Controlling invasive species
Other grant programs include the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Active Monitoring
In conjunction with the state Department of Environmental Protection, Erie County staff assists in monitoring bluff erosion in coastal zone municipalities. More than 100 control points in Erie County are located along Lake Erie’s bluff, and these points are measured every two to three years to determine how far the bluff has receded.
The Erie County Department of Planning and Community Development also administers the grants for the Bluff Setback Ordinances to local municipalities. Each coastal municipality must submit annual reports that document the number of permits issued or denied for residential, commercial and industrial uses in the bluff recession hazard area. These reports are sent to the state’s DEP Northwest Regional Office. Municipalities can find more information on requirements of the Bluff Recession Setback Act in the Municipal Reference Document.
The Department of Planning and Community Development also assists the state DEP with monitoring wetlands in Erie County.
Technical Assistance
Erie County staff provides technical assistance to municipalities and organizations on the CZM program. From advising potential applicants on how to submit an application to the preparation of the final report, Erie County staff work closely with the grantees to ensure the successful completion of their project.
For further information on how the Coastal Zone Management Program can benefit your municipality or organization, call the Department of Planning and Community Development at (814) 451-7325.
Lake Erie Coastal Zone Advisory Committee
The Lake Erie Coastal Zone Advisory Committee was created in response to the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Program, as approved by the U.S. Department of Commerce, on September 27, 1980.
Responsibilities of the LECZAC include:
- Develop projects for CZM funding.
- Assists in soliciting projects for CZM funding in accordance with priorities of the Pennsylvania Coastal Resources Management Program which are furnished during the State CZM Program grant application process.
- Recommend local project funding priorities to the State CZM Program.
- Review State agency projects proposed for CZM funding with regard to consistency with local activities.
- Act as a local contact for any of the public or local organizations interested in participating in or learning about the CZM Program and provide a forum for interested parties to participate in the program.
- Keep the State CZM Program aware of pertinent issues or problems in the area served by the Advisory Committee.
- Assist in disseminating CZM information and technical assistance.
- Provide a forum for discussion and a focal point for collecting information and ideas, should problems or conflicts arise at the local level.
The Lake Erie Coastal Zone Advisory Committee meets twice a year in the months of June and November. For more information regarding meeting times, locations, agendas, and minutes, please see below.
CZM Projects
The Coastal Resources Management Program funds the following project types: Construction, Research, Planning, Acquisition, and Design. The following projects were funded in part through the Coastal Resources Management Program, and have recently completed their project work:
2017-PE.02 Greene Twp Park Planning – Hartman Park Master Plan
Greene Township initiated a master park plan on 16 acres of property located in a valley adjacent to Fourmile Creek to conserve the space as a riparian buffer while offering public accessibility for recreational activities. Based on community input and professional guidance, Greene Township aims to convert the property into a vibrant public park to serve the community in perpetuity, to formally preserve the future of green space and riparian buffer along Fourmile Creek. The vision for each of the park areas on either side of Fourmile Creek include: a neighborhood-oriented community park with play space amenities and open green space, and more nature-oriented community amenities such as nature play area, wetland, stream access and stream viewing areas. Through projects like this, the program is committed to providing support for municipal planning efforts, which will enhance outdoor recreation and public access to our Lake Erie Coastal Zone.
2017-PE.04 Regional Science Consortium – Using Data to Determine Sand Nourishment Strategies for Presque Isle State Park.
This program supported the research efforts of the Regional Science consortium on this project, undertaken in partnership with the DCNR. In 1992 the US Army Corp of Engineers installed 55 breakwaters armoring the peninsula against continual wave action to prevent sand erosion and loss to its swimming beaches; however sand nourishment is still necessary. This project effectively collected sand erosion and transport data used to advise beach managers of nourishment locations and strategies to preserve swimming beaches at Presque Isle State Park. This type of collaborative work is critically important to promoting the protection and enhancement of public access to our Lake Erie Coastal Zone.
2020-PE.02 – Erie County Conservation District – North East Beach Access – Mobi Mats
Funding support administered by Pennsylvania’s Pennsylvania’s Coastal Resources Management Program enabled the Erie County Conservation District to partner with North East Township and North East Borough to provide additional beach and shoreline access for those with mobility issues. This multi-municipal collaboration utilized the installation of two Mobi-Mats at Freeport Beach and Twentymile Creek Public Access for seasonal use. As an additional benefit, this project provides educational information to visitors through interpretive signage, focused on the unique aspects of Lake Erie, its shoreline and the changes observed throughout the seasons.