U.S. EPA Great Lakes Region

05/28/2026

🌊The Ohio Lake Erie Commission and Ohio EPA are proposing the removal of the final Beneficial Use Impairment, the Degradation of Benthos BUI, for the Black River Area of Concern! Public comments are being accepted until June 18, 2026, and can be emailed to [email protected].

More information, including the Draft Removal Recommendation for the Degradation of Benthos can be found here: https://lakeerie.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/black-river-aoc-public-comment-nine

05/28/2026

It’s hard to believe that the beautiful landscape at U.S. Forest Service - Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois is a Superfund site! The Joliet Army Ammunition Plant was built during World War II for manufacturing and assembling bombs, projectiles, fuses, and supplementary charges. In fact, it was one of the largest ordnance facilities ever built! For years, EPA has worked closely with U.S. Army and Illinois EPA to remove explosives, heavy metals, and VOCs from soil and groundwater onsite. Now, thanks to the U.S. Forest Service, a 20,000 acre portion of this site has transformed into a scenic home for native wildflowers, tall grasses, and keystone species like bison. Learn more about this cleanup: https://spgv.io/61868XRO

05/16/2026

05/16/2026

It’s so let’s check on EPA’s work-in-progress in ’s Kalamazoo River!
For years, contamination from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compromised the quality of the river’s water and bioaccumulated in fish. Now, crews are hard at work removing contaminated sediment near the Trowbridge Dam. They removed 300,000 cubic yards last year alone! Once this work is done, the dam itself can be removed, restoring free flow of the river for the first time in a century—marking a major milestone in our cleanup of the river as part of the Allied Paper/Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund site. Learn more here: https://spgv.io/61818pGX

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

05/14/2026

We are proud to showcase the environmental stewardship of our nation’s children and educators! Join us in congratulating our awardees for the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and our President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA)!

Learn more about the PIAEE awardees!
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidential-innovation-award-environmental-educators

Learn more about the PEYA awardees!
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award

Washington Intermediate School, Idár - Acero Schools, www.vetaclear.org, www.posen.k12.mi.us

05/07/2026

Clean air has been making headlines in EPA’s Great Lakes region!
It’s , and we’re celebrating some recent big wins for air quality in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. The Cleveland area, including 9 counties, is meeting EPA’s air quality standards for ozone. Canton, Ohio has reduced airborne lead emissions by 98% since 2023. The Detroit area has attained EPA’s health-based standard for sulfur dioxide, as has Huntington County, Indiana. These achievements would not be possible without close collaboration with our state, local and industry partners. Now these communities can breathe easier for !
City of Cleveland - City Hall | The City of Canton, Ohio | City of Detroit Government
Cuyahoga County | Lake County, Ohio | Lorain County Ohio Government | Medina County Commissioners | Portage County Ohio Board of Commissioners | Summit County Council

05/05/2026

EPA has kicked off a cleanup in the Hoosier state!
Older buildings like this one, the Morton Avenue Warehouse in Evansville, can contain asbestos as it was historically used as strong fire-resistant insulation and in the manufacture of many products. Polychlorinated biphenyls (aka PCBs) are oily chemicals that were used in industrial applications and also in electrical transformers. Both substances can cause harmful health effects, so EPA is onsite to dispose of this debris safely. We expect to wrap up our work this summer. In the meantime, we’re closely monitoring air around the site to make sure dust isn’t getting out into the neighborhood and to keep our crews safe. Keep up with site progress by visiting www.response.epa.gov/mortonavenuewarehouse
City of Evansville - Government, Indiana Department of Environmental Management

05/05/2026

05/04/2026

It's , and to celebrate, we're kicking off our mini-series exploring the tools onboard the Research Vessel Lake Guardian that make Great Lakes science possible.
How do EPA scientists aboard the Research Vessel collect water samples? Using a specialized piece of equipment called a Rosette Water Sampler! The Rosette is outfitted with 12 8-liter Niskin bottles that collect samples at multiple depths when deployed. Analyzing these samples allows EPA to see how water quality varies throughout the water column and measure important parameters like pH, nutrient levels, phytoplankton abundance, and more!