xvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Great Lakes Legacy Act
Although toxic substances have
been removed from the Great
Lakes over the last 30 years, high
concentrations of pollution
remain in the bottom of some
rivers and harbors. The Great
Lakes Legacy Act was signed
into law in 2002 to tackle the
problem of pollution left from
the region's "legacy" of
industrial activity. The EPA's
Great Lakes National Program
Office administers this voluntary
program.
To be eligible for Legacy Act
funding, a project must evaluate
or clean up contaminated
sediment, or prevent new
contamination from occurring.
At least 35 percent of project
funds must come from state,
local or private sponsors. At the
Upper Trenton Channel, local
partners are providing the
required cost share.
Contacts
Great Lakes Legacy Act
Marc Tuchman
EPA-GLNPO
312-353-1369
tuchman.marc@epa.gov
Upper Trenton Channel
Project
Amy Mucha
EPA-GLNPO
312-886-6785
mucha.amy@epa.gov
The EPA toll-free number:
800-621-8431, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m., weekdays.
New Partnership Spearheads
Sediment Study
Trenton Channel Great Lakes Legacy Act Project
Wyandotte, Michigan
April 2011
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently began work to assess
contaminated sediment in the Upper Trenton Channel as part of the Great Lakes
Legacy Act. This $1.2 million project is a preliminary step toward dealing with
contaminated sediment that remains in the Trenton Channel, an urban waterway
with an extensive history of industrial development and use.
This project also brings about a voluntary partnership between the EPA and
BASF Corp. and Arkema to assess and share information gathered regarding the
contaminated sediment. Under this voluntary partnership arrangement, sampling
of the sediment (mud) will take place in late April and early May. Around 140
samples will be collected at various locations in the Upper Trenton Channel to
fill gaps in the understanding of the sediment contamination. Additionally, this
project will complete a feasibility study, or FS. The FS will identify and compare
different options for addressing contaminated sediment in the Upper Trenton
Channel project area, shown in the aerial photo on P. 2.
Part of the Detroit River AOC
The Detroit River is a 32-mile international waterway linking Lake St. Clair and
the upper Great Lakes to Lake Erie. The Detroit River Area of Concern, or AOC,
is shared between the United States and Canada. AOCs were designated by
Canada and the U.S. as Great Lakes locations damaged by historical industrial
and municipal pollution. Forty-three AOCs have been identified: 26 located
entirely within the United States; 12 located wholly within Canada; and five
shared by both countries. Two Canadian AOCs have been cleaned up and
"delisted," and one U.S. AOC has been delisted, leaving 30 locations on the
American side of the border.
EPA Research Vessel Mudpuppy II will be sampling the Trenton Channel this
April and May.
-------
The Detroit River AOC drains about 700 square miles
of land in Michigan and Ontario. Around 75 percent of
the total land area of the watershed lies within
Michigan. That amounts to 608 square miles.
"Beneficial use impairments" are identified for each
AOC, and those issues have to be cleared up before the
location can be delisted. Beneficial uses are common
activities in a watershed such as swimming, fishing and
drinking. Impairment happens when pollution stops or
restricts a beneficial use. Eleven beneficial use
impairments have been identified in the Detroit River,
including restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption.
The known causes of impairments in the Detroit River
include urban and industrial development in the
watershed dating back to the 1800s, bacteria, and
chemical substances such as PCBs, PAHs, metals, oil
and grease. Combined sewer overflows (CSOs),
municipal and industrial discharges and stormwater
runoff from Michigan tributaries are major sources of
contaminants within the Detroit River AOC. Additional
environmental concerns include invasive species,
changes in fish populations and declines in fish and
wildlife habitat.
Detroit River environmental priorities include control
of CSOs, control of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs),
point/nonpoint source pollution controls, cleanup of
contaminated sediment, habitat restoration and
pollution prevention.
Preserve the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are among the largest and most
complex freshwater ecosystem in the world, providing
a home, water and food to millions of aquatic plants,
animals and people. The Great Lakes Legacy Act was
renewed in 2008. It is now part of a larger strategy
called the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative or GLRI.
The GLRI funds hundreds of projects to provide a
On the Web
Areas of Concern website including site map
www.epa.gov/glnpo/aoc/index.html
Legacy Act website
www.epa.gov/glla
The EPA's Great Lakes website
www.epa.gov/greatlakes/index.html
Project area of the Legacy Act Partnership in the Upper
Trenton Channel.
healthy, natural Great Lakes environment for
swimming and fishing as well as a source of clean
water for drinking and industrial/commercial uses. Thus
far, seven sediment cleanup projects have been
completed under the Legacy Act; with more than a
million cubic yards of contaminated sediment removed
or contained.
Previous GLLA project in Black Lagoon
In 2004-05, the Detroit River AOC was chosen as the
very first Great Lakes Legacy Act project for the
dredging of an inlet called the Black Lagoon near
Trenton, Michigan. The lagoon trapped oil and other
pollutants from nearby industry, literally turning the
water black.
The project dredged 115,600 cubic yards of
contaminated sediment and led to the restoration of a
shoreline area. In late 2005, the Black Lagoon was
renamed Ellias Cove, and the restored shoreline area
was christened Meyer Ellias Park after the family that
donated the land.
------- |