The Ohio EPA Director and the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Manager recently signed a cooperative project agreement to create a plan for contaminated sediment management and habitat restoration for the Gorge Dam.
Congressman Tim Ryan yesterday praised the Ohio EPA Director and the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Manager for signing the agreement.
“ The Cuyahoga River is one of Northeast Ohio’s most important landmarks and water resources. The signing of the Gorge Dam Project Agreement is another step forward in restoring the river and improving the water quality in Ohio ,” said Congressman Ryan .
“I look forward to more state, local, and federal government partnerships to continue keeping our environment safe and healthy, not only for the wildlife in and around the river, but for Ohio residents and visitors as well.”
This project agreement is the second phase of a much larger effort to remove the Gorge Dam, located on the Cuyahoga River in the cities of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.
Ohio EPA completed the first phase in 2015, which was a cost estimate for the removal and management of sediment and removal of the dam. The third phase will involve actual sediment removal and management with the fourth phase involving removal of the dam.
Sediment removal and dam removal will each need their own individual project agreements, a process which will hopefully continue over the next several years.