USA: Workgroup Presents Updates on Sheboygan River Dredging

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the lower 14 mile section of the Sheboygan River a hazardous waste site under the EPA Superfund legislation in 1986. A Sheboygan River Dredging Workgroup was established in August of 2009 to assist in coordinating these projects, and is represented by officials from the EPA Region 5, Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), United States Army Corps of Engineers, City of Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Pollution Risk Services (PRS), and Tecumseh Corporation.

The dredging projects are part of a multi-phase cleanup project located in the Sheboygan River Area of Concern (AOC), and are coordinated by the Great Lakes Program Office of the EPA. They include:

2006/2007 Superfund Upper River Tecumseh Dredging Project – completed. Approximately 20,728 cubic yards of contaminated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) sediment was removed at a cost of $20 million by Tecumseh Corporation and PRS. This Upper River project began in the City of Sheboygan Falls and extended to the Village of Kohler.

Lower River Superfund Dredging Project – currently underway. Approximately 53,000 cubic yards of contaminated PCB sediment will be removed at a projected cost of $12.5 to $15 million, paid by Tecumseh. Tecumseh and PRS are considered the Principal Responsible Parties. PRS is the contractor performing the dredging work. The Lower River project area is between the Chicago & Northwestern railroad bridge and the Pennsylvania Street Bridge in the City of Sheboygan.

Camp Marina Superfund Dredging Project – completed in 2011. Approximately 28,500 cubic yards of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH is a suspected human carcinogen) contaminated sediment will be removed at an estimated cost of $9 million to $10.5 million, and will be paid by Wisconsin Public Service, the Principal Responsible Party. This project is located within the Superfund Lower River section in the City of Sheboygan adjacent to Boat Island.

The Legacy Act Dredging Project Feasibility Study & Design -currently under way, costing $1,142,857. The project will lead to additional dredging in the Lower River project area.

Non-Federal Sponsors Share:

Sheboygan County $100,000,

City of Sheboygan $100,000,

DNR $100,000,

WPS $100,000,

Federal Sponsor-EPA Share $742,857.

Legacy Act Dredging Project

Dredging to begin in 2012. Approximately 196,000 cubic yards of PCB and PAH contaminated sediment to be removed from the Lower River. The match or non-federal share of the project (40-50%) is the work being performed by Superfund and Camp Marina projects (Principal Responsible Parties), which generates a Legacy project of $20 to $30 million. The federal funds available for this project come entirely from the Great Lakes Legacy Act through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Program of EPA. The GLRI targets the Great Lakes Areas of Concern. This project is located in the Lower River area.

US Army Corps Dredging Project – dredging to begin in 2012. Approximately 170,000 to 209,000 cubic yards of sediment to be removed at a projected cost of $10 to $15 million. The project is funded through the GLRI. The project utilizes the Army Corp’s Strategic Navigation Dredging Authority within the navigation channel of the Sheboygan Harbor. This section is located from the 8th Street Bridge east to the Sheboygan Harbor. The City of Sheboygan and Sheboygan County are responsible for identifying and preparing a local site for the removed sediment. This sediment is not considered hazardous.

Sheboygan River AOC Fish & Wildlife Restoration Projects – to be implemented in 2012. Approximately $5.1 of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding is allocated for Sheboygan River shoreline restoration stabilization projects, fish and wildlife habitat restoration and assessment, Wildwood Island restoration, eroding river bank stabilization and invasive species control in the Sheboygan River. These projects are located throughout the Sheboygan River AOC.

Total cost of all projects is between $77 and $96 million.

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Dredging Today Staff, January 26, 2012; Images: uwex.edu