![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Great Lakes Areas of Concern Map (PDF) (1pg, 219K) June 2010
Frequent Acronyms
- AOC Area of Concern
- BUI Beneficial Use Impairment
- CMP/EISChemical Management Plan or Environmental Impact Statement
- GLNPO Great Lakes National Program Office
- PAC Public Advisory Council
- RAP Remedial Action Plan
About AOCs
- Environment Canada: Great Lakes Areas of Concern information about binational and Canadian AOCs
- Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) AOC info
- Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) RAP info
- Great Lakes Commission AOC/RAP Resouces
Overview
What is an Area of Concern (AOC)?
The U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (Annex 2 of the 1987 Protocol) defines AOCs as "geographic areas that fail to meet the general or specific objectives of the agreement where such failure has caused or is likely to cause impairment of beneficial use of the area's ability to support aquatic life." More simply put, an AOC is a location that has experienced environmental degradation.
How are they being addressed?
The two federal governments cooperate with state and provincial governments to develop and implement Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) for each Area of Concern.
RAPs address impairments to any one of 14 beneficial uses (e.g., restrictions on fish
and wildlife consumption, dredging activities, or drinking water consumption) associated
with these areas. See the complete list of Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) 
Sediments are a serious problem in many AOCs.
- EPA has assigned RAP Liaisons for each AOC
- RAP teams develop delisting criteria for each AOC which help focus remediation and restoration activities.
- AOC Principles and Guidelines for formally delisting AOCs as beneficial uses are restored.
How many are there?
43 AOCs have been identified:
- 26 located entirely within the United States
- 12 located wholly within Canada
- 5 that are shared by both nations
How many have been delisted?
One U.S. AOC has been delisted:
30 AOCs remain on the U.S. side of the border.
Three Canadian AOCs have been delisted:
AOCs and RAP Liaisons
| Name | State | RAP Liaison | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashtabula River | OH | Rick Nagle 312-353-8222 | |
| Black River | OH | Frank Anscombe (anscombe.frank@epa.gov) 312-353-0201 | |
| Buffalo River | NY | Fred Luckey (luckey.frederick@epa.gov) 212-637-3853 | |
| Clinton River | MI | Laura Evans (evans.laura@epa.gov) 312-886-0851 | |
| Cuyahoga River | OH | Danielle Green (green.danielle@epa.gov) 312-886-7594 | |
| Deer Lake | MI | Mark Loomis (loomis.mark@epa.gov) 312-886-0406 | |
| Detroit River | MI | Rosanne Ellison (ellison.rosanne@epa.gov) 734-692-7689 | binational |
| Eighteen Mile Creek | NY | Barbara B. Belasco (belasco.barbara@epa.gov) 212-637-3848 | |
| Grand Calumet River | IN | John Perrecone (perrecone.john@epa.gov) 312-353-1149 | |
| Kalamazoo River | MI | John Haugland (haugland.john@epa.gov) 312-886-9853 | |
| Lower Fox River / Green Bay | WI | John Perrecone (perrecone.john@epa.gov) 312-353-1149 | |
| Manistique River | MI | Amy P. Mucha (mucha.amy@epa.gov) 312-886-6785 | |
| Maumee River | OH | Frank Anscombe (anscombe.frank@epa.gov) 312-353-0201 | |
| Menominee River | WI | John Perrecone (perrecone.john@epa.gov) 312-353-1149 | |
| Milwaukee Estuary | WI | Ajit Vaidya (vaidya.ajit@epa.gov) 312-353-5713 | |
| Muskegon Lake | MI | Marc Tuchman (tuchman.marc@epa.gov) 312-353-1369 | |
| Niagara River | NY | Michael Shaw (shaw.michael@epa.gov) 212-637-3785 | binational |
| Oswego River/Harbor | NY | Barbara B. Belasco (belasco.barbara@epa.gov) 212-637-3848 | Delisted July 21, 2006 |
| Presque Ile Bay | PA | Denise P. Hakowski (hakowski.denise@epa.gov) 215-814-5726 | |
| River Raisin | MI | Scott Cieniawski (cieniawski.scott@epamail.epa.gov) 312-353-9184 | |
| Rochester Embayment | NY | Barbara B. Belasco (belasco.barbara@epa.gov) 212-637-3848 | |
| Rouge River | MI | John Haugland (haugland.john@epa.gov) 312-886-9853 | |
| Saginaw River & Bay | MI | Jamie Schardt (schardt.james@epa.gov) 312-353-5085 | |
| Sheboygan River | WI | John Perrecone (perrecone.john@epa.gov) 312-353-1149 | |
| St. Clair River | MI | Rosanne Ellison (ellison.rosanne@epa.gov) 734-692-7689 | binational |
| St. Lawrence River at Massena | NY | Barbara B. Belasco (belasco.barbara@epa.gov) 212-637-3848 | binational |
| St. Louis River & Bay | MN & WI | John Haugland (haugland.john@epa.gov) 312-886-9853 | |
| St. Marys River | MI | Jamie Schardt (schardt.james@epa.gov) 312-353-5085 | binational |
| Torch Lake | MI | Brenda R. Jones (jones.brenda@epa.gov) 312-886-7188 | |
| Waukegan Harbor | IL | Bill Bolen (bolen.bill@epa.gov) 312-353-6316 | |
| White Lake | MI | John Perrecone (perrecone.john@epa.gov) 312-353-1149 |