Public invited to comment on coastal management

CHICAGO — Illinois officials will conduct a public hearing Oct. 14 to invite comments on a plan to protect and manage the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The hearing will be 1 p.m. at the James R. Thompson center in downtown Chicago.

Gov. Pat Quinn established the Illinois Coastal Management Program in December to come up with a long-term management plan for the state's 63-mile shoreline.

Eventually the state could receive up to $2 million in federal grants per year for projects. They will include construction work like dune walkovers and boat launches; planning beach access projects; preventing beach erosion and reinvigorating economically depressed waterfront areas.