Overcoming Obstacles To Sediment Remediation In The Great Lakes Basin

Sediment contamination, primarily caused by industrialization in the Midwest, has been a problem in the Great Lakes for several decades. Historically, Great Lakes stakeholders have pursued sediment remediation through a variety of mechanisms, such as enforcement agreements and voluntary partnerships. It has been reported that polluted sediment is the largest major source of contaminants entering the food chain from Great Lakes rivers and harbors. This includes most of the areas of concern designated by the United States and Canada, the parties to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement was first signed in 1972 and renewed in 1978. The agreement expresses the commitment of each country to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) was established in 1978 to oversee U.S. efforts to implement the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Congress passed GLLA to expedite the remediation of contaminated sediment sites and improve the ability of the United States to meet its commitments under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. GLLA established an innovative approach to conducting sediment remediation in that it uses partnerships with nonfederal sponsors to accomplish the work. Project agreements under these partnerships require that the nonfederal sponsor provide a minimum of 35 percent of the effort in cash or in-kind contributions to the project.

This book reviews the globally important freshwater resource of the Great Lakes, which is currently threatened by contaminants that compromise water quality and impact its ecological and economic health. Divided into four parts, this volume covers historic, current and emerging sources of contamination from heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants to microplastics; and identifies their ecological impacts. Due to factors ranging from rapidly changing land use practices, climate change and our emerging understanding of their impact on biological, chemical and physical interactions, the effectiveness of management strategies has proven highly variable. Continued enhancements in the rate of lake recovery are required to sustain the health of the Great Lakes. Accordingly, the book also explores recent advances in contaminant detection, along with future steps forward in lake management approaches. Revealing our current knowledge gaps and providing a roadmap towards sustainable solutions, the book offers a valuable asset for scientists, managers and the public alike.

This interim report reviews the following: what is known about contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes; the physical & biological processes related to contaminated sediment in the aquatic environment; the ecological effects of contaminated sediment; ecological improvements resulting from sediment remediation in Sweden, Japan, and the Hudson River; sediment remediation projects in the Great Lakes; case studies of sediment remediation & associated ecological benefits in Waukegan (Illinois) Harbour and Black River, Ohio; and the links between contaminated sediment & ecological damage. The final section draws conclusions & makes recommendations regarding the need for monitoring & further research.