DETROIT— U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District announces the award of a construction contract for capping pollutants in the St. Louis River, Duluth, Minn.
The Corps, on behalf of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has awarded a construction contract for more than $2.9 million to White Lake Dock & Dredge, Inc. from Norton Shores, Mich., for the construction of remedial caps in two industrial slips in Duluth, Minn. Funding for these projects is provided through a combination of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Minnesota State Bonding Dollars.
"The partnership between the Corps of Engineers, the EPA and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will help restore and improve the habitat in the St. Louis River and is crucial to success in our mission to protect the environment.,” said Lt. Col. Greg Turner, district engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District.
The slips are located in the Duluth, Minn.-Superior, Wis. Harbor and are adjacent to W Railroad Street. Both slips are active manmade slips surrounded by land on three sides, with Slip 3 being approximately 2.75 acres and Slip C being approximately 12 acres in size. The slips have contributed to a long history of manufacturing and shipping needs of the harbor and Slip 3 now hosts a resort, parking lot, and a privately owned vessel while Slip C is still used for industrial activities.
The goal of this project is to minimize or remove exposure to legacy sediment contaminants throughout the slips while preserving the water depth to maintain the current use. Slip leveling followed by placement of a subaqueous cap is being proposed for approximately 0.88 acres of Slip 3 and approximately 6 acres of Slip C. This project has been identified as necessary for the delisting of the sediment beneficial use impairment in the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC).
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Release no. 18-043