NOAA Accepts Bay Of Green Bay NERR Natural Areas

A milestone has been reached in designating a new National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in the Bay of Green Bay, with the reserve’s natural areas including portions in Sturgeon Bay, Peshtigo and the Lower Bay of Green Bay.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reviewed the final nomination package submitted by the State of Wisconsin and determined it meets all regulatory requirements for accepting the nomination of natural area sites for a NERR.

The nomination’s acceptance will enable the state and NOAA to begin the next steps of designating the reserve, which includes conducting public outreach, tribal engagement and developing a draft environmental impact statement and management plan.

A joint public meeting will be held March 19 by NOAA and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, which is leading the state’s efforts toward NERR designation, to solicit comments on significant issues related to the development of a draft environmental impact statement.

A virtual meeting will be held at 10 am via Zoom and an in-person meeting will be held at 1:30 pm at the STEM Innovation Center on the UW-Green Bay campus.