BUIs

The recent removal of the 128th Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) marks the completion of a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan III target.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) celebrates the completion of the first of two construction seasons at the Thomson Reservoir Remedial Action project in the St. Louis River Area of Concern.

The last remaining BUI in the Michigan AOC, the Degradation of Benthos, was removed after federal, state, and local partners determined that measures of benthic community health met established criteria.

The Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) was removed from the Rochester Embayment Area of Concern (AOC) after state, federal, and non-profit partners implemented multiple habitat restoration projects within the AOC and in critical wetland areas adjacent to the AOC, leading to improved habitat conditions for target fish and wildlife species. This marks the final BUI to be removed from this AOC.

Tumors and deformities were historically elevated in fish populations in the Black River and Cuyahoga River Areas of Concern (AOCs) as a result of legacy industrial pollution and poor water quality. Contaminant source control and water quality improvements in both AOCs, and remediation work in the Black River AOC, reduced rates of fish tumors and deformities to meet Ohio’s AOC restoration targets, prompting the removal of the Fish Tumors and Other Deformities Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) from these AOCs.

After extensive sediment remediation work, which reduced sediment toxicity to levels that are no longer harmful to bottom-dwelling invertebrates in the river, the Degradation of Benthos BUI has been removed at the Buffalo River AOC.

Through extensive habitat restoration work, modified dredging practices, and implementation of long-term plans to improve wastewater and stormwater management, habitat connectivity and water quality in the Buffalo River Area of Concern AOC have sufficiently improved to remove the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat Beneficial Use Impairment.

After implementing an extensive shoreline and wetland habitat restoration plan in Muskegon Lake and portions of its tributaries, the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat and Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations Beneficial Use Impairments have been removed from the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern. There are two remaining BUIs in this AOC.

After decades of declines, local fauna in the St. Louis River Area of Concern have sufficiently recovered to prompt the removal of the Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations Beneficial Use Impairment. This achievement comes in response to extensive habitat restoration work by local, state, tribal, and federal partners.

After extensive remediation work and monitoring led by the Buffalo River Restoration Partnership, levels of harmful industrial contaminants historically present in sediments within the Buffalo River AOC have been sufficiently reduced to remove the Restrictions on Dredging Activities BUI. This is the third BUI to be removed from the Buffalo River AOC.