The City of Sturgeon Bay is continuing to work behind the scenes to become a headquarters for a National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR).  The world’s largest freshwater estuary is Green Bay, and Door County is competing with Brown and Marinette counties to be the site that would house the NERR visitor center.  Caitlin Oleson, who is the co-chair of an Ad Hoc Committee formed by the Sturgeon Bay Common Council in April of 2021, says NERR is a federal program from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  She says the long-term research being done throughout Door County is offering many opportunities.

Oleson notes that the City of Sturgeon Bay has approved two possible sites for the NERR facility if they are fortunate to be chosen by NOAA.  One possible location would be at Sunset Park with the other option being near the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club.  The final decision of where the new NERR headquarters of the Green Bay estuary will come in 2023, according to Oleson.