EPA in Detroit and Downriver Communities
On this page:
- Air
- Environmental Justice
- Land, Waste and Cleanup
- Lead
- Water
EPA staff coordinates with residents, community organizations, and representatives from the City of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, national, state and regional public health agencies on a number of projects in Detroit and the downriver community. We monitor and enforce air quality standards, oversee remediation projects, conduct site assessments and establish and implement appropriate cleanup plans.
Air
Clean Diesel
Over the last 10 years, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision and their project partners have received EPA clean diesel grants totaling over $10 million to reduce diesel emissions in Detroit and Southeast Michigan. By reducing diesel emissions and investing in clean energy technology, we are helping to ensure a healthier environment and a stronger economy for future generations. Additional information on Diesel Reduction Act Funding.
Energy Star
In January 2021, EPA partnered with the Detroit 2030 District to host a House of Worship Energy Star Treasure Hunt Competition to find opportunities to save energy and fight climate change. The competition also included internal water and wastewater reduction strategies. Six local churches participated in the 6-month friendly rival to make improvements in their worship facilities and benchmark their monthly energy use with EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool. Throughout the competition, churches received encouragement from coaches, tips on saving energy and funding opportunities from industry experts by way of monthly presentations. The competition culminated with a celebration and recognition from the Detroit 2030 District and EPA.
Enforcement
- In September 2020, EPA issued a Clean Air Act Notice of Violation (NOV) to EES Coke Battery, LLC, River Rouge. The NOV alleges that EES Coke made changes at its coke oven battery that significantly increased emissions of sulfur dioxide. The increase in sulfur dioxide emissions also caused an increase in fine particulate matter emissions. EES Coke didn’t get the appropriate Michigan permits for the emissions increases, didn’t install appropriate pollution controls, and failed to report the increases.
- In 2016 EPA and the Department of Justice reached an agreement with Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum Company that will reduce air pollution from the company’s petroleum refineries in Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio.
- EPA, MDEQ and DOJ settlement with US Steel results in emissions reductions and Supplemental Environmental Projects to benefit neighborhoods with $400,000 vegetative buffers in SW Detroit.
Research
EPA has been partnering with the City of Detroit on the Regional Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (RESES) Research Project, Improving Public Health through Urban and Roadside Vegetation. Detroit installed a roadside vegetative barrier in 2018 in Kemeny Park. The EPA has measured black carbon and nitrogen dioxide air pollution using air quality sensors and mobile air monitoring at the park before and after the vegetative barrier installation. Intermittent air sensor monitoring at Kemney Park has continued, with the final round of air sensor monitoring anticipated to be complete in 2021/2022. After EPA completes its field measurements, some of the black carbon and nitrogen dioxide air sensors will be available for the City and community to continue measurements at the site. In July 2016, EPA developed the report Recommendations for Constructing Roadside Vegetation Barriers to Improve Near-Road Air Quality which summarizes the research findings from this ongoing project in Detroit, as well as other studies in the US and abroad, and outlines the best practices for planting roadside vegetative barriers to improve local air quality. The recommendations can be used by states, communities and individuals interested in reducing roadside air pollution.
Environmental Justice
Over the years, EPA has awarded a number of Environmental Justice grants in the Detroit metro area.
- Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision project cleaned and repurposed at least two large dump sites in southwest Detroit where nearly one-third of families live below the poverty line.
- Keep Growing Detroit educated urban growers on the importance of soil and the preventive and precautionary measures of dealing with lead in soil and demonstrated the positive impact that urban agriculture has had on soil quality.
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is developing an environmental justice community resilience plan designed to close communication lag times and promote community health and resiliency in Southwest Detroit.
- EJSCREEN: EPA's screening and mapping tool that helps you better understand environmental and health burdens in communities.
A list of all EJ funding from EPA in Michigan can be found here.
Land, Waste and Cleanup
Brownfields and Job Training
EPA Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup grants have played an important role in the on-going redevelopment of the Detroit riverfront east of downtown. Michigan’s first urban state park, popular cultural attractions and new residences and businesses continue to expand in this formerly industrial section of the city. The Detroit River Conservancy estimates $275 million have been invested along the riverfront with an additional $1 billion expected in the next decade.
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Brownfields Redevelopment Planning in River Rouge, MI: EPA funded a Brownfield Area Wide Planning Project in Wayne County for a redevelopment action plan for DTE Energy’s closing coal-fired power plant in River Rouge, MI. Planning took two years of community conversations and engagement with Wayne County and DTE Energy.
Demolition Stakeholder Engagement
Community relations is important for any planned demolition activity. Communication strategies inform neighborhoods about potential health and safety impacts of individual demolitions, as well as broader revitalization initiatives. the presentations features the Detroit Land Bank.
Site Mapping
Cleanups in my Community maps sites, facilities and properties for which EPA collects information by law or voluntarily via grants. This does not include state or locally funded cleanups. In addition, data in this system is updated according to varying schedules and may not yet reflect real changes at the locations covered here.
Superfund
Emergency Response
- EPA is coordinating with the Detroit Fire Department and Michigan EGLE to host a training to discuss EPA resources available to Detroit during emergency responses.
Cleanups
- McLouth Steel Superfund Site (Trenton) is being remediated through a public/private partnership using $20 million of private funding. A redevelopment agreement has been signed for a new regional transportation hub. Tax dollars are flowing back to the local community and further environmental cleanup is planned.
- McLouth Gibraltar Superfund Site (Gibraltar)
Lead
EPA's Lead Abatement Training – EPA provided lead-based paint renovation certification training to 25 contractors, workers and residents who provide renovation or maintenance work for homes, schools or day care centers built before 1978.
EPA hosted a community roundtable with organizers representing Flint and Detroit, Michigan to highlight the experience of these two cities with lead in drinking water. This roundtable discussion is essential to informing EPA’s review of the Lead and Copper Rule revisions to ensure that the rule is grounded in the lived experience of individuals and communities that are most at-risk of exposure to lead in drinking water. Watch the public listening session here.
Research
EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory is evaluating urban soil characteristics and stormwater infiltration performance. EPA is partnering with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department on this hydrology monitoring study.
Water
Great Lakes
EPA's R/V Lake Guardian as it nears the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. - The Detroit River Area of Concern is one of five binational AOCs shared between the United States and Canada. It drains an area of land in Michigan and Ontario that is approximately 700 square miles.
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- Detroit Riverwalk Legacy Act Project
- Belle Isle Flatwoods Forest Project
- Sugar Island Habitat Restoration
- Upper Riverfront Parks
- The Rouge River Area of Concern drains 466 square miles into the Detroit River and encompasses 48 communities. The Rouge River watershed contains the oldest and most heavily populated and industrialized area in southeast Michigan.
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- Colonial Park and Venoy Dorsey Park Habitat Restoration Projects
- Lower Rouge Park, Riverview Park, Sherwood Park, Bell Creek Park and Lola Valley Park Habitat Restoration
- EPA awarded a $1.8 million a GLRI grant of to the Alliance of Rouge Communities in the Rouge River AOC for habitat restoration projects at Colonial Park and Venoy Dorsey Park along the Lower Rouge River.
- The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative accelerates efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Use this interactive map of GLRI projects to view all of the projects in the Detroit area.
Infrastructure
In March 2021, EPA announced an $18 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan to the Downriver Utility Wastewater Authority in Wayne County, Michigan, to support critical upgrades for the second largest wastewater system in the state.
Lead in Drinking Water Roundtable
EPA hosted a community roundtable with organizers representing Flint and Detroit, Michigan to highlight the experience of these two cities with lead in drinking water. This roundtable discussion is essential to informing EPA’s review of the Lead and Copper Rule revisions to ensure that the rule is grounded in the lived experience of individuals and communities that are most at-risk of exposure to lead in drinking water. Watch the public listening session here.