On Thursday, March 9, 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service held an informational forum to inform the public about the progress in efforts to clean up contaminants at Grassy Island (located near Wyandotte, Mich., in the Detroit River).  Over 60 people were in attendance at the meeting, including media and Congressional staff.  Representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Friends of the Detroit River, and the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance presented information during the meeting.  The information summarized a preliminary strategy for completing the investigative phase for addressing contaminant issues at Grassy Island.

Recent progress included five agencies having signed an issue agreement, holding a community visioning exercise for the future of Grassy Island, conducting a water balance model for the site, and initial scoping meetings. 

In 2006, the following activities will be occurring at the site: four biological surveys of flora and fauna on the site, investigation of contaminants in surface water runoff by the U.S. Geological Survey, inspection of the dike walls by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, human health consultation being performed by the Michigan Department of Community Health, and a screening level ecological risk assessment by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Further details of presentations given during the meeting and supplementary information provided during the meeting are available to view on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/grassyisland.

This forum was a follow-up to an information session held in December 2005.  A summary of that forum and information from other reports about Grassy Island are also available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/grassyisland.

This informational forum was sponsored by the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the Detroit River, Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, Wayne County, and the University of Michigan – Dearborn.