Great Lakes Get $1 Billion for Clean Up

$1 billion worth of aid is coming to regions of the Great Lakes affected by chronic water contamination. That includes the Milwaukee Estuary, which has been designated as an Area Of Concern (AOC) since 1987. The funds, allocated by the Environmental Protection Agency through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, are a bipartisan achievement says Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

“The Great Lakes is an important constituent of mine,” says Moore, who supported allocating the funds, “and I have worked continuously to protect this economic powerhouse and regional treasure that we know and love.” Moore adds that “this bipartisan initiative has brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including businesses, environmental groups, and others to help protect and preserve the Great Lakes in an effective way.”

Following its creation during the Obama Administration, the Great Lakes Initiative came under threat of being gutted by former President Donald Trump. Then, in late 2019, Trump began shifting his posture and taking credit for the fund. On Thursday President Joe Biden announced $1 billion in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding.

It’s a timely move, as the health and economic security of many local communities hang in the balance. The Milwaukee Estuary in particular has lingering contaminants including PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), man-made chemicals that were used in industrial and chemical products for decades. The estuary also contains concentrations of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which are produced by burning coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, and tobacco. In fact, cigarette smoke contains many PAHs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PAHs have been linked to blood and liver abnormalities in humans, while PCBs may cause increased levels of enzymes in the liver, leading to liver  damage, skin lesions, and respiratory issues.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has conducted studies of PFAS (per-and polyfluoralkyl substances) contaminating the estuary sediment and surface water. Like PCBs, PFAS were used in a wide variety of industrial and even household products. They’re sometimes called “forever chemicals” due to their bio-resistant nature, and persistence even within our own bodies. PFAS and related chemicals have been linked to cancers, thyroid disorders, and other debilitating chronic ailments.

Due to historic pollution, the Milwaukee Estuary Area Of Concern is stricken with several impairments. The DNR has imposed restrictions on dredging activities, and notes a variety of impacts on wildlife from fish found with tumors and other deformities to birds or other animals with detectable deformities and reproductive issues to a general loss of fish and wildlife habitat. Beach closures and recreational restrictions have so far been avoided, however.

“The bipartisan infrastructure law funding will turbocharge efforts to finally end this legacy of pollution,” says Moore. She underscored the efforts of the EPA, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), the state of Wisconsin, city of Milwaukee and community groups to clean up portions of the estuary and maintain the river’s health. Last summer the state passed legislation to  help MMSD create a containment facility for disposing of contaminated sediment from the Milwaukee Area of Concern.

Numerous ongoing projects address various aspects of clean-up for the estuary. They include nine projects focused specifically on sediment contamination and another 11 aimed at restoring wildlife habitat and populations. Milwaukee’s river and the surrounding trails serve crucial roles for the community year-round from providing nature trails to enjoy to annual salmon fishing which has endured for years as the fish spawn to boating and canoeing which are  popular throughout the summer and fall.

Moore hopes that the additional funding will help support efforts to accelerate the restoration of degrading Great Lakes water systems. For Moore, the sooner the waterways no longer pose risks to public health and the  environment the better. “In Milwaukee,” says Moore, “cleaning up our Area of Concern will help create jobs, improve access to waters that have been closed off from the public, benefit the surrounding neighborhoods and help businesses and others take advantage of new economic opportunities arising from the ability to again enjoy this part of our city safely.”

$1 billion in Great Lakes funding will help Milwaukee Estuary was originally published by the Wisconsin Examiner.