NOAA to designate Wisconsin coastline as national sanctuary

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Federal officials plan to designate a huge swath of Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan coastline as a National Marine Sanctuary to protect historic shipwrecks in the area.

Gov. Tony Evers’ office announced Tuesday that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will publish regulations designating 962 square miles from Kewaunee County south to Ozaukee County as a sanctuary.

The designation will protect 36 shipwrecks, 21 of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Evers’ office says research suggests the area may include as many as 60 additional shipwrecks. The designation is subject to congressional review.