The Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission recently discussed the possibility of seeking revolving loan or grant funds to assist area property owners with living shorelines.

Beth Johnson, a staff member who coordinates the Revolving Loan and Grant Program, presented a report on benefits of living shorelines to the commission during its regular meeting Nov. 20 at MPPDC headquarters in Saluda. That program provides financial assistance to individuals with malfunctioning, failing and absent on-site wastewater treatment systems.

MPPDC executive director Lewis Lawrence said that measures such as grasses can be used to protect a shoreline instead of "shoreline hardening" techniques such as riprap. Living shorelines are a good way to fight erosion.

The commission directed its staff to monitor the situation and see if some funding mechanisms might be available for area residents, Lawrence said.

On a separate matter, Lawrence gave an update about ditches in the region. His repo...