AOCs

Toledo Public School students contribute to a stream restoration project in the Maumee AOC funded by the GLRI with support from H2Ohio.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has completed closeout of the habitat restoration along the Buffalo River near Katherine Street.

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.

Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, new funding agreement between EPA and partners will invest an estimated $450 million to cleanup of nearly two million cubic yards of contaminated sediments.

Dredging at the Munger Landing in Duluth, MN is complete, and restoration is underway. The project is part of the St. Louis River Area of Concern effort to remediate contaminated sediment and restore degraded habitat.

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.

Gathering public input is a key part of the process to develop the action plan.