EPA Announces Historic Clean-up Effort in
Great Lakes Region
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last Thursday, October 12, announced the largest cleanup project ever under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the Great Lakes Legacy Act. This ambitious project, which is funded through the GLRI, will invest $450 million of federal funds for the cleanup of two million cubic yards of contaminated sediments in the Milwaukee Estuary. The project aims to address contamination that has “gone unaddressed for more than 150 years,” according to Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore.
Decades of industrial activity have resulted in dangerous pollutants collecting in the Great Lakes region, ranging from PCBs and petroleum compounds to heavy metals, including mercury and lead. This presents a significant hazard to both the water supplied to local communities and the ecosystem health. Addressing the contamination would allow for improved water quality, healthier fish and wildlife, and improved recreational opportunities, in addition to community revitalization.
This project culminates unprecedented bipartisan cooperation between federal, state, and local entities that promotes public health and environmental wellbeing. The project agreement was lauded by various partners, including the State of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and WEC Energy Group, which all expressed their support for the initiative and its potential to make the region cleaner, safer, and more sustainable.
To view the project announcement visit here
Reported by NEMWI Intern James Li, Brown University
|