Kaptur: $1.5 million awarded to combat Great Lakes algal blooms

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Representative Marcy Kaptur has announced $1.5 million have been awarded to five projects focused on combatting the harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.

Congresswoman Kaptur’s office says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded a total of $1,478,701 to support a variety of research and technological projects that are being led by national partners in both private and public sectors.

“Lake Erie and the entire Great Lakes system are inseparable from every facet of our region’s way of life,” said Rep. Kaptur. “From drinking water and agriculture to our multibillion-dollar boating, fishing, and tourism industries – protecting the Lakes protects us all. These federal investments will continue the vital work necessary to tackle the scourge of harmful algal blooms and preserve our precious freshwater bounty.”

The following is a breakdown of the five projects:

$281,975 to improve understanding of the synergistic impacts of acidification, temperature, total alkalinity, and nutrients on toxic cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms in the Great Lakes.
- National/Regional Partners: University of Toledo, University of Michigan, Oberlin College, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Kentucky
$75,092 to create portable cyanotoxin detection technology for use by citizen scientists and decision makers.
- National/Regional Partners: University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, Ohio State University, University of Michigan Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, MBio Diagnostics, Inc., LimnoTech, Inc.
$296,205 to enhance existing technology for rapid, portable, multiplexed detection of harmful algal toxins in the Great Lakes.
- National/Regional Partners: Bowling Green State University, State University of New York, MBio Diagnostics
$370,000 to upgrade existing instrumentation in the Great Lakes to improve telemetry and harmful algal bloom data integration.
- Regional Partner: Great Lakes Observing System
$455,429 to enhance the capabilities of the 3rd generation Environmental Sample Processor for harmful algal bloom toxin detection through integration with an Autonomous Surface Vehicle.
- National/Regional Partners: University of Michigan Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, Louisiana State University, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute