Wisconsin Hits Great Lakes Pollution Cleanup Milestones
St. Louis River no longer designated as impaired
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Two of Wisconsin’s most polluted sites on the Great Lakes are marking cleanup milestones.
Wisconsin Public Radio reports that the state Department of Natural Resources no longer designates the Lower Menominee River and the St. Louis River as impaired.
Impairment designations indicate the area has experienced environmental degradation. The impairment designations were removed in February.
The DNR says the St. Louis River is not considered impaired any more after scientists confirmed the health of its fish population has improved.
The Lower Menominee River was listed because of degraded fish and wildlife populations due to arsenic, coal tar, oil and grease pollution. The DNR says it could be the first site in Wisconsin to be removed from the list of most contaminated sites on the Great Lakes.
