By PAULENE POPARAD

Indiana officially has become the 34th state to join the federal Coastal Zone Management program. Final notice granting approval by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was published Aug. 12 in the Federal Register.

A ceremonial signing between representatives of NOAA and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will take place Sept. 20 at the Indiana Dunes State Park to coincide with the DNR’s Lake Michigan Coastal Week observances Sept. 14-21.

According to DNR Coastal Program manager Laurie Rounds, next year local communities and organizations can begin tapping federal money to be made available through CZM. Until then, “There definitely still is a lot of work to be done to get ready.”

The DNR program’s goal is to protect, restore and responsibly develop Indiana’s coastal resources; state and federal officials have assured the public, several of whom initially rejected the CZM proposal fearing it would usurp private property rights, that no new laws or regulations would be enacted because of CZM participation.

Rounds said Tuesday yet to be worked out is the composition of a local northwest Indiana stakeholders Advisory Group that will make suggestions and recommendations about priority projects to be funded with CZM grants. Local communities and certain private non-profit entities, especially if partnered with a government unit or agency, are eligible to apply for grants.

As for size and membership of the stakeholders group, “We want to be sure we have a good distribution between interest groups and across the region,” said Rounds.

Public input meetings also will be set to help identify the coastal priorities needing to be addressed. “There are certain key issues people recognize but we might be able to narrow it down to a focus or special aspect of each problem,” added Rounds.

The public review and comment process that preceded NOAA’s final approval of Indiana’s CZM program began 15 months ago.

Posted 9/4/2002