Sediment Remediation

Contaminated sediments are a significant problem in the Great Lakes Basin. Although discharges of toxic substances to the Great Lakes have been reduced in the last 20 years, persistent high concentrations of contaminants in the bottom sediments of rivers and harbors have raised considerable concern about potential risks to aquatic organisms, wildlife, and humans. While this problem persists, we are moving ahead in the pursuit of sediment remediation. In the years 1997-2006, 4.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediments have been remediated in the U.S. Great Lakes Basin.

Cumulative Volume of Sediment Remediated in U.S. Great Lakes Basin
Calendar Years 1997 to 2006

Yearly Volume of Sediment Remediated in U.S. Great Lakes Basin
Calendar Years 1997 to 2006

Recent Remediation Activities in the Great Lakes Basin

As a means of tracking the sediment remediation work being undertaken in the Great Lakes Basin, we have developed the attached maps. These maps depict the status of all contaminated sediment sites in the basin, with details of those sites worked on in a given year, including the types of contamination found. These maps currently exist for calendar years 1997 through 2006. Each year a new map will be developed to show the previous year's clean-up activities (data lag a year behind in reporting). It is our goal to continue tracking sediment cleanups in the Great Lakes Basin with reports on volume of sediment remediated (and mass of contaminant removed, if that information is available) on an annual basis. The existing maps present a visual depiction of the following information, including specific site statistics. 

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 1997

During 1997, more than 134,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were remediated from six sites throughout the Great Lakes: Newton Creek, Manistique River and Harbor, Evans Product Ditch-Upper Rouge River, Monguagon Creek, River Raisin, and Niagara Transformer. Five of these six sites were worked on for the first time in 1997, while the Manistique River and Harbor project was in its second year. Four of these six projects were completed in this year: a 6,900-cubic yard removal at the Evans Product Ditch Site on the Upper Rouge River; a 25,000-cubic yard removal at Monguagon Creek; a 27,000-cubic yard removal, including 45,000 pounds of PCBs, at the Ford Monroe Outfall Site on the River Raisin; and an 11,500-cubic yard removal at the Niagara Transformer site. At Newton Creek/Hog Island Inlet 1,800 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed, while 2,380 cubic yards still remain. The 62,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment which were removed from the Manistique River and Harbor represent approximately 38% of the total volume at the site.
 

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 1998

During 1998, approximately 938,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were remediated from six sites throughout the Great Lakes Basin: Manistique River and Harbor, Newburgh Lake, Willow Run Creek, Ottawa River, Niagara Mohawk-Cherry Farm/River Road, and Gill Creek. Four of these six sites were worked on for the first time in 1998. The remediation at Manistique River and Harbor, on the other hand, was in its third year, and the remediation at Gill Creek was in its second year. The 6,850-cubic yard removal at the Olin Corporation Site on Gill Creek was completed in 1998, while the DuPont Site on Gill Creek had been remediated previously. The remediation continued at Manistique River and Harbor during this year, with an additional 31,159 cubic yards of contaminated sediment removed. Two very large scale projects were completed in 1998, making the total volume of contaminated sediment remediated in the Great Lakes during this year unusually large. Newburgh Lake, in the Rouge River Basin, underwent the removal of 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, including 3,400 pounds of PCBs, other organics, and heavy metals; and 450,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, including 440,000 pounds of PCBs, were removed from Willow Run Creek. The 8,000-cubic yard removal, which included 56,000 pounds of PCBs, was completed at the Unnamed Tributary of the Ottawa River in 1998, as was the 42,000-cubic yard removal at the Niagara Mohawk – Cherry Farm/River Road Site. Of the sites where action was taken in 1998, only the Manistique River and Harbor project was not completed by the end of the year.

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 1999

During 1999, over 260,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were remediated from seven U.S. sites in the Great Lakes Basin: St. Marys River, Manistique River and Harbor, Menominee River, Fox River-Deposit N, Fox River-Deposit 56/57, Kalamazoo River, and Pine River. The sediment remediation that took place at six of these seven sites was the first ever at the site, while work continued for a fourth year at Manistique River and Harbor. Five of the seven sites where action was taken in 1999 saw the completion of at least one phase of the remediation. In 1999, 49,000 cubic meters were remediated from one Canadian site: Thunder Bay-Northern Wood Preservers. Approximately 21,000 cubic meters of contaminated sediment (total PAH levels between 30 and 150 ppm) were contained within a rockfill berm and capped using clean fill. Approximately 11,000 cubic meters of the most highly contaminated sediment (above 150 ppm total PAH) will be dredged and treated. The remaining 28,000 cubic meters of contaminated sediment (80% of which is less than 50 ppm total PAH) outside the berm will undergo natural recovery.
 

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2000

During 2000, over 400,000 cubic yards of sediment were remediated from five U.S. sites in the Great Lakes Basin. The USX Vessel Slip Project and the Saginaw River project were worked on for the first time in 2000, the Pine River and the Fox River Deposit 56/57 were in their second year of remediation, and Manistique River and Harbor was in its fifth year.

• USX Vessel Slip – The USX Vessel Slip Project had over 3,200 cubic yards removed from the turning basin at this slip on Lake Michigan. This project was conducted and completed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) division of EPA as an Interim Measure pursuant to the RCRA 3008(h) Order.

• Saginaw River and Bay – As part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment response under CERCLA, removal of the PCB-contaminated sediments began in this area for the first time in 2000. Roughly 205,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment was removed and placed in an offshore confined disposal facility in Saginaw Bay.

• Pine River – On the second year in the Pine River, approximately110,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed by U.S. EPA Superfund. This remedial action eliminated roughly 19,200 pounds of DDT in the river.

• Fox River Deposit 56/57 – This project in the Fox River removed 50,300 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, and eliminated 670 pounds of PCBs. This removal was conducted by the U.S. EPA Superfund and the PRPs.

• Manistique River and Harbor – In its fifth year, U.S. EPA Superfund removed 33,130 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the Manistique River and Harbor. This remedial action eliminated 10,600 pounds of PCBs.

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2001

During the year of 2001, over 397,000 cubic yards of sediment were remediated from six U.S. sites and one Canadian site in the Great Lakes Basin. Several of these projects are in various phases of remediation, with work continuing, while the HARP project, Fields Brook site and the Reynolds Metals/Alcoa site beginning work for the first time in 2001. The following is a list of specific details about each site:

U.S. Sites

• HARP OU1-Source Abatement – In 2001, Tecumseh Products company, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR)and USEPA's Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) completed the removal of approximately 11,800 cubic yards of contaminated sediments from OU-1 of the HARP project area. The project was partially funded through a $250,000 GLNPO grant to WDNR. The company is currently pursuing additional remedial actions at downstream Operational Units (OU-2 through OU-4), while seeking official closure documentation from the regulatory agencies for the completed work.

• Fields Brook Superfund Site – This project, led by USEPA Superfund, removed approximately 42,000 cubic yards of sediments contaminated with PCBs, hexachlorobenzene and radium from the Fields Brook and adjacent floodplains. The remaining sediment to be removed in 2002 has been impacted by Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL).

• Reynolds Metals/Alcoa East – USEPA Superfund was involved in the remediation of roughly 86,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment in this 33-acre site along the St. Lawrence River. Over 4,000 cubic yards of PCB-impacted sediment with levels greater than 10 part per million was capped.

• Saginaw River and Bay – USEPA Superfund completed this project on the Saginaw River and Bay in July 2001. Over 137,000 cubic yards of sediment was removed from this area in 2001, eliminating approximately 4,500 pounds of PCBs.

• Pine River – During the third year of progress on the Pine River, approximately 120,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed by USEPA Superfund. This remedial action eliminated roughly 50,300 pounds of DDT in the river.

Canadian Sites

• Port Hope Harbour – Sediments in the harbour are, in part, contaminated by uranium series radionuclides and remediation is linked to the development of facilities in the Port Hope area for the long-term management of low-level radioactive waste. An agreement between the federal government and the Town of Port Hope and adjacent municipalities was reached in March 2001 on the development of these facilities and environmental planning and assessment activities have been initiated under the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

• Thunder Bay Harbour (Northern Wood Preservers) – Approximately 11,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment (above 150ppm PAH) had been dredged at this site and placed in an engineered bioremediation cell on site. Remediation criteria were not being met over the period September 1998 - February 2000 and the decision was made to utilize an alternate technology. The sediments were shipped by environmental rail cars in 2001 to Princeton, British Columbia, for thermal desorption.

• Severn Sound – The Severn Sound Area of Concern is principally an area impacted by excessive nutrient enrichment and eutrophication. Remedial activities have focused on sewage treatment plant upgrades, improvements in private sewage systems, urban stormwater management and stream and shoreline habitat rehabilitation. During this time various assessments and monitoring of sediments were undertaken and in 2001 it was concluded that impairments relating to degradation of benthos and restrictions on dredging have been overcome. No sediment interventions are planned and residual sediment contaminants will be left to natural recovery.

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2002

In 2002, over 192,000 cubic yards of sediment were remediated from seven U.S. sites and one Canadian site in the Great Lakes Basin. All of these sites initiated work for the first time in 2002, except the Pine River which was in its fourth year of operation. Several of the projects are expected to continue with the remediation of contaminated sediment into 2003. The following is a list of specific details about each site:

U.S. Sites

• U.S.S. Lead Refinery, Inc – From August to September 2002, U.S.S. Lead began excavation of contaminated sediments from on-site wetlands bordering the Grand Calumet River. About 10,000 cubic yards of sediment was placed in an on-site Corrective Action Management Unit for disposal. Oversight of this project was conducted by both U.S. EPA RCRA and Indiana DEM.

• Ten Mile Storm Drainage System PCB Spill Site – By request from the Michigan DEQ, U.S. EPA Superfund initiated a cleanup in July 2002 in a storm drainage system in St. Clair Shores, Michigan to remove high levels of PCBs that were illegally dumped into this area. Superfund removed all sediment with PCB concentrations in excess of 10 ppm, a total of 18,500 cubic yards of sediment. Macomb County and the City of St. Clair Shores plan to follow up with the removal of the remaining contaminated.

• U.S. Steel – Gary Works – U.S. EPA RCRA began oversight of a large dredging project in Northwest Indiana to remove a total of 750,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the Grand Calumet River. In 2002, roughly 11,000 cubic yards of sediment were dredged which contained high levels of PCBs, heavy metals and PAHs. This project is scheduled to be complete by October 2003.

• Moss-American Site – As part of a consent decree, Kerr-McGee Chemical removed 10,000 cubic yards of PAH-contaminated sediment from the Little Menomonee River with oversight from both U.S. EPA Superfund and Wisconsin DNR. Since the river was relatively small, a large portion was rerouted and the contaminated sediment was then removed. The clean soil removed during the reroute process was used as backfill in the former channel.

• Pine River – During the fourth year of sediment work on the Pine River, Michigan, 72,100 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed by U.S. EPA Superfund. This remedial action eliminated roughly 244,000 pounds of DDT in the river and sediments were disposed of at several non-hazardous waste landfills.

• Tannery Bay – Based upon a consent degree with Genesco Corporation issued through a Michigan DEQ Water Division action, approximately 60,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed from Tannery Bay in 2002. The site had high concentrations of chromium, arsenic and mercury, and was also impacted by animal hides, hairs and dyes used in the tanning process. An additional 15,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment is scheduled to be removed in 2003.

• Fields Brook Superfund Site – Remedial action work began in the field on May 25, 2000 with the construction of the on-site “TSCA-equivalent” landfill. Excavation began in the brook on September 22, 2000. Excavation of contaminated floodplain soil and sediment continued until October 16, 2000 when DNAPL was discovered under brook sediment and floodplain soils in the upper industrial reaches of the brook. On May 7, 2001, excavation work recommenced in other areas of the brook while work within the DNAPL-impacted areas remained on hold. Ultimately the DNAPL-impacted material was thermally treated on-site. The excavation of Fields Brook sediment and floodplain soils continued until December 16, 2002. Site mitigation in the brook and floodplain was performed in late 2002 and completed in March 2003. Vegetation and wildlife have begun to return to the area.
  

Canadian Sites

• St. Clair River – Dow Chemical Canada Inc. undertook a pilot dredging project in 2002 for contaminated sediments adjacent to its industrial plant site at Sarnia, Ontario. The pilot project involved the hydraulic dredging of 2,000 cubic meters of sediment with subsequent dewatering and disposal in a licensed hazardous waste landfill facility. Information from the pilot project was used as the basis for the design of the full scale remedial work to be carried out in 2003/04. The total volume of sediments involved with this remedial project will be in excess of 25,000 cubic metres. Contaminants in the sediments include the Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy (GLBTS) Level I substances – mercury, hexachlorobenzene, and octachlorostyrene, and the Level II substance – hexachlorobutadiene.

• Port Hope Harbour – Remedial investigations on harbour sediments are focusing on the uranium series radionuclides and secondarily on heavy metal contamination, particularly arsenic, copper, lead and nickel. Remediation is linked to the development of facilities in the Port Hope area for the long-term management of low-level radioactive waste pursuant to a March 2001 agreement between the federal government and the Town of Port Hope and adjacent municipalities. GLBTS substances include some marginal PCB (GLBTS Level I) and PAH (GLBTS Level II) contamination. Further sediment studies have been conducted in the harbour in 2002 to define the extent of contamination to guide future remedial work and also to develop site-specific cleanup criteria based on measured effects on biota.

• Thunder Bay Harbour (Northern Wood Preservers) – Approximately 11,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment (above 150ppm PAH) had been dredged at this site and placed in an engineered bioremediation cell on site. Remediation criteria were not being met over the period September 1998 - February 2000 and the decision was made to utilize an alternate technology. The sediments were subsequently treated using thermal desorption in 2001 and treatment concluded in 2002. Post-project monitoring and evaluation is continuing.

• Severn Sound – The Severn Sound AOC has been impacted by excessive nutrient enrichment and eutrophication. Remedial activities have focused on sewage treatment plant upgrades, improvements in private sewage systems, urban stormwater management and stream and shoreline habitat rehabilitation. Assessments and monitoring of sediments have been undertaken and in 2001 it was concluded that impairments relating to degradation of benthos and restrictions on dredging have been overcome. No sediment interventions are planned and residual sediment contamination will be left to natural recovery. In October 2002, The International Joint Commission met with Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson to present a letter concurring that the Severn Sound AOC has been restored, under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

• St. Lawrence River (Cornwall) – Contamination issues here are primarily associated with mercury and a sediment strategy is under development with federal and provincial agencies and Cornwall stakeholders. Work in 2002 concentrated on further studies and analyses on benthic community impairment and bioaccumulation. Results and recommendations will be discussed before stakeholder meetings in June 2003 with a final decision on the sediment strategy in the Fall of 2003.

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2003

In 2003, over 975,000 cubic yards of sediment were remediated from eight U.S. sites and one Canadian site in the Great Lakes Basin. Four of these sites initiated work for the first time in 2003; these four and one other site completed their remedial actions in 2003. The Pine River site is in its fifth year of operation, and is expected to continue with the remediation of contaminated sediment into 2004. One large-scale project, U.S. Steel - Gary Works, made up approximately 80% of the total volume of contaminated sediment remediated in 2003. The following is a list of specific details about each site:

U.S. Sites

• Newton Creek – The Department of Natural Resources determined in its study titled Newton Creek System Sediment Contamination Site Characterization Report (WDNR, 1995) that ecological impacts to Newton Creek and Hog Island Inlet were severe. Contaminants found at that time included diesel range organics, oil and grease, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, mercury, and chromium. In 2003, the Department of Natural Resources dredged 4000 cubic yards of visually contaminated sediments from Segments B-K of Newton Creek.

• Occidental Chemical Corporation – As part of the final remedy of the RCRA Corrective Action Order, contaminated sediment in White Lake containing >2ppm PCBs and >0.45ppm hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was dredged below the Occidental outfall. Dredging was performed from July 21 to September 10, 2003 using a cable crane equipped with a Cable Arm environmental bucket. Confirmation sampling showed that clean up performance standards were achieved.

• White Lake Tannery Bay – The Whitehall Leaver Company (Genesco, Inc.) operated a former tannery in the city of Whitehall on the shore of White Lake in an area known as Tannery Bay, Muskegon County. Since 1944, Genesco conducted a chrome tanning process at its facility that involved treating leather with chromic sulfate solution in order to replace protein in animal hides with chromium. From 1944 through 1976, in operation-related activities, the tannery released hazardous substances, including but not limited to, arsenic, mercury, chromium, and organic chemicals to the soils, sediments, surface water, and groundwater in and around White Lake. This remediation involved the removal of this waste material from Tannery Bay.

• Velsicol Chemical-Pine River – During the fifth year of sediment work on the Pine River in Michigan, the US EPA Superfund removed 62,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment.

• TPI Petroleum, Inc.-Pine River – During the summer of 2003 approximately 48,101 cubic yards of petroleum-contaminated sediments were removed from Horse Creek and the Pine River. Approximately 32,000 cubic yards of the petroleum-contaminated sediments were removed from the Pine River with a hydraulic dredge.

• Black River – Seven areas within the former Bangor Millpond were identified for cleanup based on their contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and/or chromium. The cleanup level was determined by site-specific toxicity testing. The affected area included marshland and stream sediments in the former impoundment near the outfall of the former Du-Wel plant, now owned by Bangor Industries, and downstream as far as the dam at Second Street. The plant historically was a metal finishing, plating and painting facility. Cleanup, from the fall of 2002 to December of 2003, included mechanical and hydraulic dredging of the sediments with dewatering using geobags. Sediments were taken to a licensed landfill for disposal. The remediation work was completed in the spring of 2004. Because of serious erosion concerns and concerns for the safety of the Center Street Bridge, final restoration included the use of rip rap to stabilize the riverbank near the Center Street Bridge.

• Wolf Creek – During the fall of 2003, approximately 1,948 cubic yards of mercury-contaminated sediment was removed from two small ponds and a stream downstream from an industrial point source.

• U.S. Steel – The Grand Calumet Sediment Remediation Project was conducted pursuant to a RCRA Order and Clean Water Act Decree. The Order and Decree required U.S. Steel to remove all non-native sediments from the first five miles of the Grand Calumet River. The sediments were placed in a corrective action management unit on U.S. Steel property.

Canadian Sites

The following information pertains to some of the key initiatives on sediment assessment and remediation related activity carried out in Canadian Areas of Concern (AOCs) during 2003. The previous GLBTS progress reports should be referred to for additional information on sediment issues in the Canadian AOCs.

• St. Lawrence River (Cornwall), Thunder Bay, and Peninsula Harbour – Work continued on the assessment of mercury bioaccumulation at these three locations. The technical assessments are being used as the basis for consultations with local stakeholders to determine the basis and need for any remedial interventions. The work is being undertaken coincident with the development of a Canada-Ontario risk-based decision-making framework for contaminated sediments, which is anticipated to be completed in 2004.

• Hamilton Harbour (Randle Reef) – A conceptual design and scoping document for the preferred remedial option for Randle Reef was prepared and comments solicited at a public open house held in June 2003. The proposed remedial design involves a dry cap diked containment facility about 9.5 hectares in size. This would cover in-situ about 130,000 cubic metres of sediments and contain about 500,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediments from the immediate surrounding project area, as well as other toxic sites in the harbour. Sediments at Randle Reef have particularly high levels of PAHs and metals. Work on project feasibility and engineering is anticipated to be underway in 2004-05 (for additional information on this project see http://sustainabilityfund.gc.ca/backgrounder_e.html)

• St. Clair River – Between May and October 2003, Dow Chemical Canada Inc. completed Phase 2 of its sediment remediation project in the St. Clair River adjacent to its industrial plant site at Sarnia, Ontario. Approximately 9800 cubic metres of sediment were hydraulically dredged from an area covering approximately 252,000 square feet. Sediments and about 55 million gallons of water were processed at an on-shore facility and most of the sediment, following dewatering, was disposed as a non- hazardous waste at the company's landfill. The third and final phase of this remedial project is scheduled for 2004. The total volume of sediment involved with the three-year project is estimated at 15,000 cubic metres. Contaminants in the sediments include the GLBTS Level I substances – mercury, hexachlorobenzene, and octachlorostyrene, and the Level II substance – hexachlorobutadiene.

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2004

In 2004, over 345,000 cubic yards of sediment were remediated from eight U.S. sites and one Canadian site in the Great Lakes Basin. Six sites initiated work for the first time in 2004; two of those sites were the beginnings of large-scale cleanups that will have significant positive impacts to the Basin. Three sites completed their remedial actions in 2004; Dow Chemical Canada’s three-year cleanup was completed at the end of the year. The Moss-American and Pine River projects continued with their remedial actions. The Black Lagoon site was the first sediment remediation project funded under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. The following is a list of specific details about each site:

U.S. Sites

• St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar – Slip 7 – The St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar Superfund (SLRIDT) site is located on the north bank of the St. Louis River, approximately four river miles upstream from Lake Superior, and is a State led NPL site. The MPCA has set 13.7 mg/Kg total PAH as the cleanup level as PAHs are the primary contaminant of concern (COC). Other COCs include metals (including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc) and VOCs (including benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene). At Slip 7, approximately 69,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were capped using the surcharge technique, which consolidated the underlying sediment and isolated contaminants without reducing water depth and natural resource functions. Approximately 409,000 cubic yards remain.

• Lower Fox River and Green Bay, Operable Unit (OU) 1 – The joint Superfund and NRDA OU 1 (Little Lake Butte des Morts) project is just the beginning of a much larger cleanup of the Lower Fox River and Green Bay site. From September to November 2004, approximately 17,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and 39.4 pounds of PCBs were removed and disposed of in a state-licensed landfill. A spud barge with swinging ladder dredge was used to remove the sediments. Sediments were successfully dewatered using geotubes. The OU1 project has a 1 ppm action level for PCBs and a surface weighted average concentration (SWAC) standard of 0.25 ppm. If these risk standards are not met, the contractor has the option of dredging more sediment or placing a sand cover over the area. A similar process is planned for 2005.

• Moss-American – Moss-American is an U.S. EPA Superfund NPL site. The primary sediment contaminants of concern are PAHs from former creosote activity at the Moss-American site. Approximately five miles of the Little Menomonee River downstream of the former creosote facility were believed to have been contaminated. Stream segment 1 underwent remediation in 2002-2003; during 2004 stream segments 2 and 3 were remediated. Approximately 8,560 cubic yards of contaminated sediments were dredged and transported from the Moss-American site to the Peoria Disposal facility. The site-specific cleanup goal is 15 mg/kg carcinogenic PAH. Approximately 6,500 cubic yards remain in the final two site segments.

• Pine River – Sediment removal from the river by U.S. EPA Superfund has been ongoing since 1999. A total of 550,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments have been removed and 830,000 tons have been disposed offsite at landfills, with an average of 6% lime used as a drying agent. An estimated 359 tons of DDT have been removed from the environment through the removal of sediments and DNAPL. By the time the entire project is completed, an estimated 750,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments will have been removed and 1,100,000 tons will have been disposed offsite. Approximately 4,000 gallons of DNAPL have been removed from the subsurface in the river, including the DNAPL directly pumped from the pool and DNAPL recovered in the collection trenches.

• Detroit River, Trenton Channel, Black Lagoon – The Black Lagoon is located within the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, part of the Detroit River Area of Concern (AOC), and is the first project funded under the Great Lakes Legacy Act. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, oil and grease and heavy metals, including mercury, are present at concentrations sufficient to cause acute and/or chronic harm to benthic organisms. In 2004, approximately 55,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed. The goals for the project are to reduce the risks to human health, wildlife and aquatic organisms within the Detroit River AOC, restore the aquatic habitat within the Black Lagoon, and prepare the site for recreational and economic redevelopment. The project will accomplish these goals by dredging 116,000 cubic yards, and by placing a layer of sand and gravel over the affected area. Contaminated sediment from the Black Lagoon is disposed of in the Pointe Mouille Confined Disposal Facility.

• Consolidated Packaging Corporation – The Consolidated Packaging Corporation site is the area surrounding a former paper mill plan that operated from 1898 until 1978 in Monroe, Michigan. The site includes seven lagoons and a series of drainage ditches that drain the area into the River Raisin. The lagoons and drainage ditches became contaminated by PCBs through disposal of paper pulp waste from carbonless copy paper that used PCBs. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) performed a series of remedial investigations that found PCB contaminated sludges present in seven lagoons and onsite drainage ditches at levels over 1300 ppm in some places. The MDEQ was concerned that much of the PCB contamination would ultimately find its way into the River Raisin and Lake Erie. State funding (Part 201) was sought and obtained for site cleanup. On-site drainage ditches were dredged, the sediment and sludges dewatered, and then 30,000 cubic yards were disposed in a sanitary landfill or TSCA landfill depending on PCB concentration. The overall ditch cleanup target of 330 ppb PCB was confirmed with post dredge/excavation sampling.

• Alma Iron and Metal/Smith Farms Property – The Alma Iron and Metal/Smith Farms Property site was used as a debris/scrap metal recycling facility from the 1950s – 1970s. Soil and groundwater had been contaminated with regulated metals, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. In 1989, the PRP removed drums containing waste material from the site as part of the U.S. EPA Administrative Order on Consent. MDEQ completed the cleanup after the City of St. Louis proposed this site under the Clean Michigan Initiative program in 1999 to be prepared for redevelopment into a recreational facility for the community. In 2004, approximately 15,904 cubic yards of sediment were removed from the pond/wetland area. Waste material was handled by both removal to an off-site landfill and encapsulation on-site. The remedial action objective was contaminants above the State’s Residential/ Commercial I Part 201 Generic Cleanup Criteria. Any contaminants left on-site were covered with a direct contact barrier. The site is currently ready to be redeveloped. Groundwater investigation and monitoring is on-going.

• Paw Paw River – The Aircraft Components site on the Paw Paw River in Benton Harbor, Michigan was contaminated with chlorinated solvents and inorganics. During remedial investigation activities, inorganic contamination (lead) was identified in the river sediment and was defined as being limited to the near shore sediments. As part of a larger excavation remedy for contamination of soils with various inorganics constituents, Superfund remediated 349 cubic yards of river sediments through excavation. A steel sheetpile cofferdam was constructed, the cofferdam was dewatered, and the sediments were excavated from the cofferdam by reaching in from the bank. Confirmatory samples were collected. Excavated material was disposed of at a landfill. Remedial action objectives for the river sediments included cadmium – 0.6 ppm, chromium – 30 ppm, zinc – 123 ppm, nickel – 20.9 ppm, and lead – 35 ppm.

Canadian Sites

• Decision-Making Framework for Contaminated Sediments – Under the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA) a commitment was made to develop a risk-based decision-making framework for contaminated sediments. The framework has been completed and internal agency reviews are ongoing with finalization and release scheduled for late 2005. Ongoing sediment assessments in AOCs (i.e. Thunder Bay, Peninsula Harbour, St. Marys River, Detroit River, St. Clair River, Niagara River, and Bay of Quinte) are currently utilizing the COA framework to evaluate the need for management actions.

• St. Lawrence River (Cornwall) – Consultation and decisions on the Cornwall Sediment Strategy have been completed. Results of investigations on contaminant levels and distribution, benthic community impairment, sediment toxicity and bioaccumulation/ biomagnification potential were employed in a Canada-Ontario risk-based decision-making framework for contaminated sediments. It was concluded that the mercury contaminated sediments are buried by cleaner material and pose no risk to the aquatic environment; they will be left in place and natural recovery will continue. A seven-party administrative controls protocol has been developed to ensure that the deeper sediments remain undisturbed by human activities. A public meeting and announcement of the strategy is planned for spring 2005.

• Hamilton Harbour (Randle Reef) – The proposed remedial design for PAH contaminated sediments involves a dry cap engineered containment facility about 9.5 hectares in size. This would cover in-situ about 130,000 cubic metres of sediments and contain about 500,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediments dredged from the impacted area surrounding the containment facility. Work on project feasibility and engineering is underway and should be completed in the summer of 2006.

• St. Clair River – During 2004 Dow Chemical Canada Inc. completed Phase 3, the final phase of a three year sediment remediation project in the St. Clair River adjacent to its industrial plant site at Sarnia, Ontario. Approximately 4200 cubic metres of sediment were dredged using both hydraulic and shore-based mechanical excavating equipment. Sediment was removed from an area of approximately 58,420 square feet and dewatered at an on-shore facility. Over 67 million U.S. gallons of water were treated at the facility through a series of filters (sand, microfilters and carbon adsorption) before discharge back to the river. Sediment in the facility was layered with organic matter and encapsulated as a biological treatment cell (biocell). The total volume of sediment involved with the three year project is estimated at 13,690 cubic metres. Contaminants in the sediments include the GLBTS Level I substances – mercury, hexachlorobenzene, and octachlorostyrene, and the Level II substance – hexachlorobutadiene.

• Thunder Bay and Peninsula Harbour – Assessments of mercury bioaccumulation continued in 2004 at these two AOCs. The technical assessments are being used as the basis for consultations with local stakeholders to determine the need to assess sediment management options.

Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2005

In 2005, over 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were remediated from nine U.S. sites in the Great Lakes Basin. Three of these sites were Great Lakes Legacy Act sediment remediation projects. Of the three, two of these sites initiated work for the first time in 2005 (Newton Creek/Hog Island Inlet and Ruddiman Creek) and two of these sites completed their remedial actions in 2005 (Black Lagoon and Newton Creek/Hog Island Inlet). Three USEPA Superfund sites made significant progress towards completing their remedial actions. The Alcoa Grasse River Superfund site completed a Remedial Options Pilot Study. While no remedial actions were conducted in Canada in 2005, significant progress was made on further sediment investigations and evaluations. The following is a list of specific details about each site:

U.S. Sites

• Newton Creek/Hog Island Inlet – This remedial action came about through a Great Lakes Legacy Act project jointly funded by USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). PAHs and Lead drove the cleanup at this site, and the cleanup goal set for PAHs was 2.6 ppm total PAHs. Approximately 46,288 cubic yards were removed by dry excavation and disposed of in a local landfill. Sediments with concentrations above 50 ppm Lead were disposed of in the landfill and sediments with Lead levels below 50 ppm were used as cover at the landfill.

• Lower Fox River and Green Bay, Operable Unit (OU) 1 – The joint Superfund and NRDA OU 1 (Little Lake Butte des Morts) project is in its second year of the cleanup of the Lower Fox River and Green Bay site. Approximately 88,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment were removed and disposed of in a state-licensed landfill. A spud barge with swinging ladder dredge was used to remove the sediments. Sediments were successfully dewatered using geotubes. The OU1 project has a 1 ppm action level for PCBs and a surface weighted average concentration (SWAC) standard of 0.25 ppm. If these risk standards are not met, the contractor has the option of dredging more sediment or placing a sand cover over the area.

• Hayton Area Remediation Project – The Hayton Area Remediation Project (HARP) is a PCB-contaminated site on Hayton Mill Pond and its tributaries near Chilton, Wisconsin. Since 2001, Tecumseh Products Company, with WDNR oversight and a small financial contribution from the State and USEPA, has removed approximately 16,300 cubic yards and 1,180 kg of PCBs in OU-1 and upper OU-2. In 2005, approximately 1,100 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were removed from the downstream end of upper OU-2. Contaminated sediments were removed by dry excavation to achieve a cleanup target of 1 ppm PCBs. Sediment with concentrations at 50 ppm PCBs or greater were transported to a TSCA landfill in Oklahoma, and sediment with concentrations less than 50 ppm PCBs were transported to a local landfill. Approximately 60,000 cubic yards remain in lower OU-2, OU-3, and OU-4.

• Moss-American – Moss-American is an U.S. EPA Superfund NPL site in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the primary sediment contaminants of concern are PAHs from former creosote activity. Remediation occurred so as to execute the provisions of a 1990 Record of Decision, which called for several phases of work at the Moss-American site; one being sediment management work. A site-specific cleanup goal is 15 mg/kg carcinogenic CPAH. Approximately five miles of the Little Menomonee River downstream of the former creosote facility were believed to have been contaminated. Stream segment 1 underwent remediation in 2002-2003; during 2004 stream segments 2 and 3 were remediated. From November to December 2005, approximately 3,400 cubic yards of sediment were dredged from Segment 4 and transported from the Moss-American site to the Peoria Disposal facility in Peoria, Illinois.

• Ruddiman Creek – Ruddiman Creek is located within the boundaries of the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern (AOC). This Great Lakes Legacy Act project, jointly funded by GLNPO and MDEQ, will remediate Ruddiman Creek sediments contaminated with cadmium, chromium, lead, PCBs, and benzo(a)pyrene at concentrations that exceed site specific sediment quality criteria for protection of human health and the environment. Approximately 35,900 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were mechanically dredged from the main branch of Ruddiman Creek and Pond. This material was solidified on site and transported to a Type II land fill in the area. Confirmation samples collected within selected locations of the dredge area will verify that the goals of the project are met. Once the project is completed, the MDEQ will work with GLNPO to develop a long term monitoring program to gage the overall success of the project.

• Velsicol Chemical/Pine River – The Velsicol Chemical / Pine River site is a National Priorities List site. USEPA signed a removal action memorandum in 1998 and a Record of Decision in 1999 for the DDT-contaminated Pine River sediments (Operable Unit 2 of the site). Sediment removal from the river using dry excavation methods has been ongoing since 1999, first as a Superfund removal action, then as a Superfund remedial action. The removal action addressed a “hot spot” cell in the river and removed sediments with concentrations greater than 3,000 ppm total DDT. The remedial action is addressing sediments contaminated with total DDT at levels greater than 5 ppm. In 2005, approximately 143,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and 4,536 kg of DDT were removed and disposed offsite in landfills. It is anticipated that the remedial action will be completed in 2006 with the remediation of an additional 28,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment.

• Shiawassee River – USEPA Superfund removed 63 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from the Shiawassee River in Howell, Michigan to meet the site cleanup target for PCBs of 5 ppm for river sediments. This action resulted in a surface weighted average concentration of 1 ppm immediately after remediation. Longer term recovery will result in lower concentrations. Over the next two years, MDEQ expects to remediate an additional 5,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment to a site-specific cleanup target of 0.33 ppm Total PCBs and dispose of in a landfill.

• Detroit River, Trenton Channel, Black Lagoon – The Black Lagoon is located within the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, part of the Detroit River Area of Concern (AOC). This cleanup was the result of a two-year Great Lakes Legacy Act project jointly funded by GLNPO and MDEQ. PCBs, oil and grease, and heavy metals, including mercury, were the contaminants of concern. In 2005, approximately 60,000 cubic yards of the contaminated sediment were dredged from the Black Lagoon, a layer of sand and gravel was placed over the affected area, and sediments disposed of in the Pointe Mouille Confined Disposal Facility. A post-remediation study is planned to verify that all site specific criteria have been met and to measure the success of the remediation.

• Alcoa Grasse River, Remedial Options Pilot Study – Alcoa Inc., with oversight from the USEPA, conducted a Remedial Options Pilot Study (ROPS) during 2005 for a stretch of the lower Grasse River near its Massena West Plant in Massena, New York. The primary objectives of the ROPS were to evaluate remedial options; to develop site specific information to address outstanding issues regarding remedy effectiveness and remedy implementation to support future decision making related to the final remedy for the site; and consequently make progress towards the overall remediation of PCBs. Approximately 24,400 cubic yards of sediment were dredged out of the main channel area using hydraulic horizontal auger, and 1,600 cubic yards of sediment were mechanically excavated from the northern near shore area. All material removed from the river was disposed in Cell 3 of Alcoa's Secure Landfill. ROPS also included placement of a thin-layer cap in the southern near shore area and implementation of one acre armored cap designed to withstand the forces of an ice jam-related scour event.

  Great Lakes Sediment Remediation Activities in 2006

  

  In 2006, over 440,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment were remediated from ten U.S. sites and one Canadian site in the Great Lakes Basin. Five U.S. sites and one Canadian site initiated work for the first time in 2006; one of these U.S. sites and two others completed their remedial actions in 2006. Two sites continued to make progress on their remedial actions. A navigation dredging project was also included as one of the remediated sites due to the amount of contaminated sediment that was removed from the environment. The following is a list of specific details about each site.

U.S. Sites

• St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar, Duluth, Minnesota – The St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar (SLRIDT) Superfund site is a state-led National Priority List (NPL) site. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has set 13.7 mg/kg total PAH as the cleanup level, because PAHs are the primary contaminant of concern (COC). Other COCs include metals (including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc) and VOCs (including benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene). In 2006, a Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) facility was constructed in Slip 6, and approximately 48,500 yd3 of contaminated sediment were capped in Stryker Bay using the surcharge technique. Approximately 361,000 yd3 remain.

• Tannery Bay, St. Marys River, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – Tannery Bay is located in the St. Marys River AOC. The pollution is mainly byproducts from the Northwestern Leather Company tannery that operated from 1900 to 1958. This GLLA project is cost shared by GLNPO, Phelps Dodge, and the MDEQ. In 2006, approximately 8,900 yd3 of sediment were mechanically dredged, and the material was disposed in a local landfill. The remaining 31,000 yd3 are scheduled to be removed in 2007. This cleanup will result in the removal of 95 percent of the chromium and mercury mass in Tannery Bay.

• Lower Fox River, Operable Unit (OU) 1, Neenah, Wisconsin – The joint Superfund and Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) OU 1 (Little Lake Butte des Morts) project is in its third year of the cleanup of the Lower Fox River and Green Bay site. The remedial action is being conducted by two responsible parties under a court-approved consent decree. In 2006, approximately 102,000 yd3 of PCB-contaminated sediment were removed by hydraulic dredging using both a swinging arm cutterhead and Vic-Vac® dredge head. Sediment is pumped to a shoreline property for thickening prior to being placed in geotubes for dewatering. The dewatered sediment is then trucked to a private landfill where it is placed in a dedicated cell within the mixed solid waste fill area. The OU 1 project has a 1 ppm action level for PCBs and a surface weighted average concentration (SWAC) standard of 0.25 ppm.

• Sheboygan River, Sheboygan, Wisconsin – Pollution Risk Services hydraulically dredged 8,723 yd3 from the Sheboygan River in 2006 as part of a consent decree with the US EPA Superfund. Sediment with total PCBs at concentrations of 50 ppm or greater was disposed of in a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) landfill, and the rest of the contaminated material was disposed of in a local landfill. The cleanup goal is 0.5 ppm total PCBs.

• Ruddiman Creek, Muskegon, Michigan – Ruddiman Creek is located within the boundaries of the Muskegon Lake AOC. This GLLA project, jointly funded by GLNPO and MDEQ, remediated sediments containing cadmium, chromium, lead, PCBs, and B(a)P that exceeded site-specific sediment quality criteria for protection of human health and the environment. Approximately 90,000 yd3 (35,900 yd3 in 2005 and 54,100 yd3 in 2006) of contaminated sediment were mechanically dredged from the main branch of Ruddiman Creek and Ruddiman Pond. This material was solidified onsite and transported to a Type II landfill in the area. Confirmation samples collected within selected locations of the dredge area verified that the goals of the project were met. The MDEQ will be working with GLNPO to develop a long-term monitoring program to gauge the overall success of the project.

• Velsicol Chemical/Pine River, St. Louis, Michigan – The Velsicol Chemical/Pine River site is an NPL site. US EPA signed a removal action memorandum in 1998 and a Record of Decision in 1999 for the DDT-contaminated Pine River sediments (OU 2 of the site). Sediment removal from the river using dry excavation methods has been ongoing since 1999, first as a Superfund removal action, then as a Superfund remedial action. The removal action addressed a “hot spot” cell in the river and removed sediments with concentrations greater than 3,000 ppm total DDT. The remedial action addressed sediments contaminated with total DDT at levels greater than 5 ppm. In 2006, the remedial action was completed by removing approximately 28,000 yd3 of contaminated sediment and 23 tons of DDT, which were disposed offsite in landfills. The total volume of sediment remediated (including both the removal action and the remedial action) was 669,975 yd3, and the total mass of DDT removed was 387 tons.

• Lake Linton, Saginaw, Michigan – The Consumers Energy Manufactured Gas Plant, located on Lake Linton off of the Saginaw River, operated on the site until 1933. An investigation conducted by Consumers Energy found that tar, cyanide, VOCs, and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from the site had migrated into the sediment at the northeast corner of Lake Linton. Under Part 201 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), Consumers Energy voluntarily removed 17,000 yd3 of contaminated sediment by mechanical dredging and excavated an additional 57,400 tons of contaminated soil from the bank and upland portions of the Lake. All excavated soil and sediments were disposed of in a Type II landfill.

• BASF Riverview, Riverview, Michigan – This site was remediated under Part 201 of the NREPA. Contaminated groundwater was found to be discharging mercury, PCBs, dioxin, and PAHs from the site into the river. As part of the interim response activities required in a 2006 Consent Decree between the MDEQ and BASF Corporation, BASF was required to remove up to 30,000 yd3 of sediment adjacent to their property. Removal was conducted to the top of river-bottom clay. Sediments will be capped onsite under the final site cover.

• Ashtabula River, Ashtabula, Ohio – In 2005, the US EPA and the Ashtabula City Port Authority (on behalf of the Ashtabula River Partnership) signed an agreement under the GLLA to clean up PCB-contaminated sediment. In 2006, approximately 60,000 yd3 were removed by hydraulic dredging (12-inch cutter head). The sediment was transported through a 2.5-mile long, double-walled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline, then dewatered utilizing geo-textile tubes, and water was treated in a 5,000 gpm water treatment plant. Geo-textile tubes will remain in place in a TSCA permitted disposal facility specifically constructed for Ashtabula River sediments. The final cleanup goal of 0.25 ppm total PCBs will be met within ten years through a combination of dredging, placement of a sand cover, and monitored natural recovery, primarily through natural sedimentation.

• Buffalo River, Buffalo, New York – In 2006, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE) Buffalo District dredged 82,961 yd3 from the Buffalo River as part of the US ACE’s Operations and Maintenance dredging mission. To determine the disposal location, the sediment was sampled, analyzed, and evaluated in accordance with guidance contained in the Great Lakes Dredged Material Testing and Evaluation Manual. This manual is used as a tool in making dredged material placement recommendations and decisions. The manual was developed jointly between the US EPA and the US ACE to evaluate impacts of contaminants from dredged material proposed for discharge to the Great Lakes. Based on this approach, the dredged material was determined to be unsuitable for open lake placement, and was therefore placed in the Buffalo confined disposal facility (CDF).

Canadian Sites

• St. Marys River (Algoma Boat Slip) – Algoma Steel Inc. (ASI) completed an assessment of PAH-contaminated sediment in its boat slip during 2005, and the dredging of 2630 cubic metres was undertaken in 2006. Sediments were disposed in an ASI landfill waste management facility.

  Future Cleanups

  It is evident from the contaminated sediment cleanup numbers reported for the years 1997-2006 that we are moving toward a cleaner Great Lakes Basin. We anticipate that the volume of contaminated sediment removed from the basin will continue to grow each year, and we will continue reporting this by means of sediment remediation maps and graphs.