Among the various grant recipients, Oakland City will receive $16,400 dollars in LARE funds for two separate projects.
Both projects are for New Lake, home to New Lake Campground and the city lake dam.
A $4,000 grant is for Aquatic Management Planning, and $12,400 is for 26 acres of treatment of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil.
Mayor James Deffendall said these grants allow them to treat for invasive plants every year — making their recreation lake and campground clear for visitors.
“So this is a huge, huge plus for us that we get the grants,” he said. “And if not, it would be a burden first try to find the money every year, especially the full amount to keep it sprayed”
He said they're going to spray the North Shore for milfoil, coontail and curly leaf, small pond weeds, and American pondweed to keep the moss and weeds down.
According to the DNR, $620,500 will support 13 sediment or logjam removal projects in 11 counties — which receive the highest priority for the grants.
Another $244,110 will be used to support 21 projects in 12 counties to combat aquatic invasive plants across 36 bodies of water.
More than $20 million in dredging, logjam and aquatic vegetation management projects have been funded through LARE.
This is possible with boater registration fees paid through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
