The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week highlighted the recent progress being made in the environmental restoration of the Rouge River Area of Concern, including the imminent completion of several habitat restoration projects.
“Thanks to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and support from our local and state partners, we are making and will continue to make significant progress restoring the Rouge River Area of Concern,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore.
The Rouge River watershed contains the most heavily populated and industrialized area in southeast Michigan, which over many decades resulted in the degradation of natural habitat and high levels of contamination in the river’s sediments.
Funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and collaboration between EPA’s state, local, and other federal partners has resulted in the recent or imminent completion of nine habitat restoration projects and will, in the next few years, lead to the cleanup of contaminated sediment in the river itself.
Success In Restoring Degraded Habitat in the Rouge River AOC:
EPA, in consultation with its state and local partners, has completed or will complete in the near future the following nine habitat restoration projects within the AOC at a total cost of approximately $12.7 million: