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Southern shore of Lake Ontario could get federal designation

Chimney Bluffs State Park runs along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Veronica Volk
/
WXXI News
Chimney Bluffs State Park runs along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Chimney Bluffs State Park runs along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Credit Veronica Volk / WXXI News
/
WXXI News
Chimney Bluffs State Park runs along the south shore of Lake Ontario.

The south shore of Lake Ontario might become a national marine sanctuary.

Ellen Brody is the Great Lakes regional coordinator for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

The federal government is considering designating the south shore of Lake Ontario as a marine sanctuary.

"In many ways," she said via phone, "sanctuaries are like national parks in that our mission is to protect a resource."

She said this effort was spearheaded by the counties along the shore of Lake Ontario, which pushed for recognition and protection of the lake’s shipwrecks.

There are 13 other marine sanctuaries in the U.S. – but only one in the Great Lakes.

It’s in Thunder Bay, in Lake Huron. Since the designation, Brody said it's seen an uptick in tourism.

"It's a very popular place and really serves as a model for the Great Lakes region but also the national program," she said.

NOAA is asking for public comment about the designation petition through the end of July, and it will be holding public meetings in June.

Copyright 2019 WXXI News

Veronica Volk is the Great Lakes Reporter/Producer for WXXI News, exploring environmental and economic issues, water, and wildlife throughout the region for radio, television, and the web.
Veronica Volk
Veronica Volk is a Reporter/Producer for WXXI News. She comes from WFUV Public Radio, where she began her broadcasting career as a reporter covering the Bronx, and the greater New York City area. She later became the Senior Producer of WFUV’s weekly public affairs show, Cityscape. Originally from Ocean County, New Jersey, Veronica got her B.A. in Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University, concentrating on Media, Culture, and Society.