UNITED STATES OF AMERICA —The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Superior Water, Light and Power Co. (SWL&P) are advancing the final stage of a long-running environmental remediation programme with a USD 10.1 million construction contract for C Street Slip in Superior Bay, Wisconsin. The 12-acre site is part of the St. Louis River Area of Concern, where historical industrial activity and wastewater discharges left contaminated sediments in the river system.
The contract forms the concluding phase of a broader USD 34 million project agreement intended to remove polluted sediment and address sources of contamination. The cleanup is designed to tackle persistent industrial pollutants, including mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as contaminants identified across the wider river area, such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The work addresses pollution associated with decades of industrial use, including waste from a former manufactured gas plant.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027. Contractors will remove approximately 23,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, which will be dried and transported to an approved disposal facility. Once excavation is complete, a thin layer of sand will be placed over the treated area. The intervention is intended to eliminate a significant remaining source of pollution within the slip and reduce the risk of contaminated material continuing to affect the surrounding aquatic environment.
The project has implications for environmental quality, local communities and economic activities linked to the St. Louis River and Lake Superior. Reducing sediment contamination can support the recovery of aquatic habitats and improve conditions for recreation, while contributing to long-term management of a major Great Lakes water resource. The work also forms part of a wider effort to restore waterways affected by historical industrial pollution.
Successful completion will contribute to efforts to remove the St. Louis River Area of Concern from the United States list of remaining AOCs. These designated locations require coordinated remediation because pollution has impaired environmental conditions or beneficial uses. The C Street Slip work represents a targeted step in that process, although the announcement does not establish a date for the area’s eventual removal from the list.
The project relies on cooperation between federal and state environmental authorities and a private utility. The EPA leads federal environmental protection and remediation activities, while Wisconsin DNR manages state natural resources and environmental programmes. SWL&P, a utility serving the Superior area, is participating in the partnership to address contamination linked to historical industrial operations. For environmental contractors, the award creates a defined sediment-removal and disposal scope, while regulators and local stakeholders will have a continuing interest in execution, environmental controls and the project’s contribution to wider restoration objectives.
