St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) Remediation to Restoration Support-2012

The St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC) conservation partners are focused on removing Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) in the estuary and eventually delisting the SLRAOC. Cooperative efforts between multiple resource agencies and regional stakeholders have identified a host of restoration objectives, developed project support activities, and partially secured funding that includes a state commitment through the Minnesota Clean Water Fund. Continued cooperative success to remediate and restore habitat conditions within the SLRAOC for the purpose of removing BUIs and delisting the SLRAOC depends on securing non-state matching resources. This project will support the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in coordinating the SLRAOC Remedial Action Plan (RAP) through the following tasks: 1) Fish Tumor and Deformity Assessment, 2) Interagency and Leadership Group Development, 3) Sediment/Biotic Relationship Assessment in St. Louis Bay, 4) SLRAOC Data System Development, and 5) Completion of SLRAOC-wide Sediment Characterization. The Minnesota Clean Water Fund is supporting items 4 and 5 of this comprehensive package to achieve water quality improvements in the lower St. Louis River and Duluth harbor.