{"id":3096,"date":"2022-06-08T02:10:21","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T02:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/?p=3096"},"modified":"2022-06-08T02:10:21","modified_gmt":"2022-06-08T02:10:21","slug":"completion-of-the-penn-7-restoration-project-celebrated-with-ribbon-cutting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/08\/completion-of-the-penn-7-restoration-project-celebrated-with-ribbon-cutting\/","title":{"rendered":"Completion of the Penn 7 Restoration Project Celebrated with Ribbon Cutting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"TOLEDO, June 3, 2022: Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur <\/em>was joined by Karen Ranney-Wolkins<\/em>, Commissioner of Parks & Recreation for the City of Toledo, Mary Mertz<\/em>, Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Debra Shore<\/em>, EPA Regional Administrator, Erica Jensen<\/em>, Great Lakes Commission, Ryan Darnton<\/em>, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Jenny-Carter<\/em> Cornell<\/em>, Maumee Valley Area of Concern (MVAOC) to celebrate the completion of the Penn 7 Restoration Project.<\/em><\/p>\n

This 59-acre fish and wildlife habitat enhancement project was funded through a National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Habitat Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Partnership Grant awarded to the Great Lakes Commission and subcontracted to the City of Toledo.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we are seeing firsthand the benefits of partnership under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,\u201d Debra Shore<\/em>, EPA Regional Administrator said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was once the site of a confined disposal facility now has the potential to be fish and wildlife habitat, a downtown nature space, and an ecological asset to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The total cost for the project was $2,769,644, which included $148,500 for engineering and design and $2,621,144 for construction.<\/p>\n

The Penn 7 project site is located on the lower Maumee River near its mouth into Lake Erie. Due to the high amount of urban development in the area, much of the original fish and wildlife habitat has been lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe natural habitat that is restored here will help us with our fish populations and our bird populations,\u201d Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are revitalizing and reviving and reinvesting all across the Great Lakes and we are a story America needs to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The completion of the Maumee River Habitat Restoration Project at Penn 7<\/em> improved approximately 59 acres of terrestrial and aquatic habitat to address a Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) in the Maumee Area of Concern through the creation or restoration of:<\/p>\n