Illinois Seeks To Join Coastal Zone Management — Finally!

In early November, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich asked the federal government for money. Nothing new there, except this time it was for funds available through the Coastal Zone Management Act. Illinois had been last among 35 coastal states and territories to apply for these funds.

The governor's request follows years of advocacy on behalf of the lakefront by a multitude of communities and conservation groups, including the Lake Michigan Federation and the Lake Michigan Legislators Working Group.

By applying for acceptance into the Coastal Zone Management Program, which could take three years, Illinois could qualify for up to $2 million in federal funds annually to protect beach health, enhance lakefront access for the disabled, and improve fish habitat along its piece of the Lake Michigan shoreline.