$5 Million Grant Will Help Restore Keys Coral Reef
KEY WEST (CBSMiami/AP) — A $5 million grant has been awarded to help protect a coral reef about seven miles southeast of Key West that is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald reports that the project at the Eastern Dry Rocks reef includes planting more than 60,000 corals and employing professional dive shops and community groups to remove debris.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the $5 million through the National Coastal Resilience Fund. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, which received the grant, will coordinate the work.
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In 2019, NOAA announced Mission: Iconic Reefs, a plan to restore nearly much of the Florida Reef Tract. It's one of the largest strategies ever proposed for coral restoration.
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 3,800 square miles of waters surrounding the Florida Keys.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
