Authorized Legacy Act Project Site
Hog Island/Newton Creek Project
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Cleanup of Newton Creek and Hog Island Inlet, a joint project of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes National Program Office and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is underway. Work began in July and the sediment cleanup portion was completed in November 2005.
The $6.3 million project involved digging up and disposing of over 50,000 cubic yards of petroleum-contaminated sediment (mud) and soil from Newton Creek and parts of Hog Island Inlet.
The banks of the creek and inlet were landscaped to prevent
erosion. The result will be a healthier habitat for fish and other
aquatic life, and the inlet will be safe for recreation.
Approximately $4.1 million of the funds to pay for this project are
provided by the
Great Lakes Legacy Act. The act authorizes $270 million over a
five-year period to clean up contaminated sediment in Great Lakes
toxic hot spots called “Areas
of Concern.” Newton Creek and Hog Island Inlet are part of the
St. Louis River AOC. This is the second Great Lakes Legacy Act
project. The first was a project to remove contaminated sediment
from
Black Lagoon, part of the Detroit River in Trenton, Michigan
The state of Wisconsin and other parties are providing 35 percent of the project’s cost, or about $2.2 million. These are non-federal matching funds required by the Legacy Act.
- Completion of Sediment Cleanup Ceremony (November 28, 2005)
- Fact Sheet: Hog Island
Cleanup Will Help Lake Superior (November 2005)
[PDF 255KB, 2pp] - Fact Sheet: Hog
Island Dredging Project Will Remove Contaminants June 2005
[PDF 56KB, 2pp] - Project Executive
Summary: Segment L Contaminated Sediment Remediation
[PDF 6KB, 1p] - Photo Gallery
- Video clip: Fish rescue, July 2005 (broadband
/ dialup)
Hog Island inlet was isolated from Newton Creek and Superior Harbor using sheet piling and the water was pumped out to remove the contaminated sediments under dry conditions. When the water was pumped down to approximately 2 feet, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources undertook a fish rescue. The Inlet was electroshocked to bring the fish to the surface and they were netted and transported over the retaining wall into Superior Harbor. Over 1,800 fish were moved including several large walleye and northern pike. - News releases
- $6.3 million cleanup of Newton Creek and Hog Island Inlet, the second Great Lakes Legacy Act project, is now complete (Nov. 28, 2005)
- Media Advisory: EPA
Administrator Johnson and Gov. Doyle to celebrate Completion of
Hog Island Inlet/Newton Creek Cleanup in Superior (November
2005)
[PDF 35KB, 2pp] - Hog Island dredging project to receive Great Lakes Legacy Act funds; cleanup to begin in June (June 16, 2005)