State and federal partners announce $10 million investment to support continued Detroit River restoration
Funding to advance contaminated sediment remediation, habitat restoration and long-term revitalization efforts within the Detroit River Area of Concern
Today, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $10 million in funding to support continued restoration and remediation efforts of the Detroit River. The announcement was made during a press conference at the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor, a site that reflects the transformation and recovery taking place along Detroit’s waterfront.
“The Detroit River is one of Michigan’s most important natural and economic resources, and this investment marks another major step forward in restoring its health and protecting its future,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “Through strong partnerships at the federal, state and local levels, we are making real progress cleaning up contamination, restoring critical habitat and reconnecting communities to the river. This funding ensures that momentum continues.”
The EPA is providing $6.5 million of the total, with an additional $3.5 million in state match supported through Michigan’s Make it in Michigan Competitiveness Fund. The funding comes under the Great Lakes Legacy Act, a bipartisan federal cost-share program aimed at addressing sediment contamination in the Great Lakes. The funding will be used to study and plan cleanup work along the Detroit River, including removing contaminated sediment from the riverbed and restoring natural habitats near Harbortown and other sections of the river. The restoration work aims to improve water quality, restore habitat and expand safe public access to the river for the communities that live, work and recreate along Detroit’s waterfront.
“Cleanups along the Detroit River are moving from plans to visible results,” said EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel. “Powered by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, projects are tackling legacy pollution, restoring habitats and opening waterways for safer fishing, boating and neighborhood access with a momentum we intend to keep.”
The Detroit River was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1987 by the United States and Canadian governments due to decades of industrial pollution, untreated waste discharges, stormwater runoff and habitat degradation. Over many years, the riverfront, Belle Isle, and downriver islands have been transformed and now feature parks, natural shorelines, and wildlife habitat, many of which were supported by EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Sediment remediation is the last major remaining cleanup effort to complete the river’s restoration.
“The Detroit River is an invaluable natural resource, not just for Detroit but for the region, as a source of water, recreation, and commerce,” said Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield. “I am deeply appreciative to the EPA and EGLE for prioritizing these cleanup efforts to ensure the Detroit and Rouge rivers are safe and clean for generations to come.”
Since 2012, EGLE and EPA have worked collaboratively to identify known contamination sites throughout the Detroit River AOC, which extends the full length of the river and impacts communities including Detroit, River Rouge, Ecorse, Wyandotte, Grosse Ile, Trenton, and Gibraltar. The funding announced today will help continue efforts to address Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), environmental indicators established by the International Joint Commission to measure ecological degradation within Areas of Concern.
Restoring the Detroit River remains a collaborative effort involving local, state and federal partners, including NOAA Fisheries, Friends of the Detroit River, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, US Army Corps of Engineers, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Detroit Historical Society, the Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and the Detroit Zoological Society.
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