DNR Seeking Public Comments For Remedial Action Plan For Sheboygan River Area of Concern
A draft of the Sheboygan River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Update is now available for the public to review and comment on until August 31, 2020. The draft document is available online here.
The RAP is updated to summarize progress made in the AOC and to share the path forward with our partners and stakeholders. It includes a summary of the status of management actions and tracks progress on specific actions or projects that are important for reaching our delisting targets.
Nine environmental problems, called beneficial use impairments in the AOC Program, were identified for the Sheboygan River AOC, along with management actions to address those problems. Delisting targets are specific goals and objectives established for each impairment, with measurable indicators to track results of pollution cleanup and restoration efforts. Once all impairments have met their targets and are removed, the AOC can be formally delisted.
The Sheboygan River AOC was listed as one of 43 sites on the Great Lakes with significant environmental damage by the United States and Canada in 1987. Federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding, started in 2010, is helping AOCs clean up pollution and restore waterways.
The Sheboygan River is healing, thanks to concerted efforts among many partners to clean up and restore the river from 2010 to 2013. After careful planning, all actions identified for achieving AOC goals were completed — including removing more than 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments from the lower river and inner harbor and restoring fish and wildlife habitat.
It takes time for the natural system to recover following pollution cleanup actions and habitat restoration. So, the focus over the past couple years has been on monitoring to verify that AOC goals are being met. Several monitoring projects are underway to see if fish, birds, wildlife — and the ecosystem they depend upon — is recovering as hoped.
To learn more about progress in the Sheboygan River AOC check out these resources:
We are excited to share the progress that has been made in the Sheboygan River AOC and to present this opportunity for stakeholders and partners to provide feedback in the RAP update process.
Please provide feedback by August 31, 2020. Questions and comments can be sent to:
Brennan Dow
DNR Milwaukee Estuary and Sheboygan River Area of Concern Coordinator
414-263-8651 or brennan.dow@wisconsin.gov
After public comments are reviewed, a final RAP update will be shared and posted on the DNR’s Sheboygan River AOC webpage. |
