EPA와 5개 비연방 후원사 간의 새로운 프로젝트 합의에 따라 추정 4억5천만 달러가 밀워키 하구 우려 지역에서 거의 200만 입방 야드의 오염된 퇴적물을 정화하는 데 사용될 것입니다.

오랫동안 기다렸던 이 정화는 밀워키 지역 공동체의 환경, 지역 사회 및 경제 활성화를 크게 증진시킬 것이며 오대호 유역 전역에서 발견되는 매우 환경적으로 악화된 지역인 25개의 미국 우려 지역(AOCs) 목록에서 밀워키 하구(河口)를 궁극적으로 제거하는 데 도움이 될 것이다.

마이클 리건(Michael S. Regan) EPA 청장은 "바이든 대통령의 미국에 대한 역사적인 투자는 미국의 소중한 물과 오대호 유역의 공동체를 복구하고 보호하려는 우리의 노력을 계속해서 증진시키고 있다"면서 "오늘날, 미국은 밀워키 하구(河口) 우려 지역을 영원히 정화하기 위해 노력하면서 위스콘신의 파트너들과 함께 이 경제 엔진을 복구하기 위해 이 진전을 기반으로 하고 있다. 이 투자는 밀워키 항구와 도시 밀워키 지역의 세 강에서 오염된 침전물로 이루어진 올림픽 수영장 610개 규모의 정화를 지원할 것"이라고 말했다.

태미 볼드윈(Tammy Baldwin) 미국 상원의원은 "오대호를 보호하는 것은 위스콘신 공동체의 환경적인 목표일 뿐만 아니라 경제적으로도 필수 사항이다. 미국의 가장 위대한 담수 자원을 보호하고 복구하려는 우리의 싸움을 변화시키고 수십 년간의 유산 오염을 되돌리기 위한 정화 노력을 가속화한 오대호 복원 이니셔티브를 지지하는 것이 자랑스럽다"면서 "이번 자금 지원 발표는 우리가 밀워키 하구를 청소하는 것을 신속하게 할 수 있는 길로 들어서게 하고, 앞으로 다가올 세대들이 더 안전하고 지속 가능한 미시간 호수 유역의 건강, 경제, 환경적인 이익을 거둘 수 있도록 보장한다"고 말했다.

토니 에버스(Tony Evers) 위스콘신 주지사는 "모든 위스콘신 주민은 안전하고 깨끗한 식수에 접근할 자격이 있지만, 밀워키 하구를 둘러싸고 있는 지역 사회는 너무 오랫동안 수질 오염 물질과 위험한 오염 물질에 의해 영향을 받아 왔다"면서 "바이든 행정부의 획기적인 4억5천만 달러 투자는 밀워키 하구를 우려 지역 목록에서 제거하고 지역 경제를 활성화하며 밀워키와 더 큰 지역에 깨끗한 물을 확보할 수 있도록 밀워키 하구에 대한 우리의 노력을 가속화할 것"이라고 말했다.

그웬 무어(Gwen Moore) 연방 하원의원은 "오랫동안 지지해온 노력인 오대호 복원 이니셔티브를 통한 이 중요한 자금 지원으로 바이든 대통령의 인베스팅 인 아메리카 아젠다는 밀워키를 더 살기 좋은 곳, 일하고 방문하기에 더 나은 곳으로 만드는 데 도움을 주고 있다"면서 "우려 지역으로 지정된 지 약 40년이 지난 지금, EPA와 지역 이해 관계자들은 이 공공 보건 위협을 영구적으로 해결하고 미시간 호수를 보호하며 밀워키 사람들과 우리 도시를 방문하는 방문객들이 이 바다를 즐길 수 있도록 할 수 있다"고 말했다.

새로운 프로젝트 계약은 EPA와 5개의 비연방 후원사인 밀워키 메트로폴리탄 하수구 디스트릭트, 위 에너지스(We Energies), 위스콘신 천연자원부, 밀워키 시 및 밀워키 카운티 공원 간의 파트너십을 반영해 밀워키 하구 지역에서 PCB, 석유 화합물 및 수은, 납 및 크롬을 포함한 중금속으로 오염된 항구 및 하천 퇴적물 정화를 완료한다.

이 5개의 파트너는 프로젝트를 실행하기 위해 1억7천만 달러 이상을 기부할 예정이며, 이는 오대호 레거시오염 정화에 대한 비연방 후원사의 최대 기부금이다. EPA는 바이든 대통령의 「초당적인프라법」에서 약 4억5천만 달러의 프로젝트를 지원하기 위해 약 2억7천500만 달러의 자금을 기부할 예정이며, 최종 프로젝트 비용은 입찰 및 조달 절차에 따라 결정된다.

이 도시화된 유역에서 수십 년 동안의 산업 활동은 밀워키 하구((河口)) 우려지역에서 상당한 오염 축적을 초래했다. 이러한 오염된 퇴적물을 해결하는 것은 지역 사회 활성화뿐만 아니라 수질 개선, 더 건강한 물고기 및 야생 동물 및 친수활동 기회 개선으로 이어질 것입니다.

2022년 2월, 바이든 대통령과 리건 EPA 청장은 오대호 정화 및 복원을 크게 가속화하기 위해 바이든 대통령의 「초당적인프라법」에서 10억 달러를 투자한다고 발표했다.

EPA는 「초당적인프라법」 자금 지원이 연간 오대호 복원 이니셔티브 세출 및 다른 출처의 자금 지원과 결합되어 기관과 파트너가 나머지 25개 우려지역 중 22개 현장에서 작업을 완료할 수 있을 것으로 예상되며, 「초당적인프라법」 자금 지원은 밀워키 하구 우려를지역을 포함한 11개 현장을 직접 지원한다.

[원문보기]

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Largest Ever Clean-up under EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to Address Milwaukee Area of Concern

Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, new funding agreement between EPA and partners will invest an estimated $450 million to cleanup of nearly two million cubic yards of contaminated sediments

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced funding for the largest cleanup project to ever be implemented under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Great Lakes Legacy Act, thanks to historic resources from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. Under a new project agreement between EPA and five non-federal sponsors, an estimated investment of $450 million will go toward the cleanup of nearly two million cubic yards of contaminated sediments from the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern.

This long-awaited cleanup will greatly advance the environmental, community, and economic revitalization of Milwaukee-area communities and will help lead to the ultimate removal of the Milwaukee Estuary from the list of 25 remaining U.S. Areas of Concern (AOCs) — highly environmentally degraded areas found across the Great Lakes basin.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced this effort alongside U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Discovery World, a science and technology museum on the shore of Lake Michigan. Administrator Regan and Senator Baldwin joined project partners, state and local officials, community leaders and students from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences for the event.

“President Biden’s historic Investments in America continue to boost our efforts to restore and protect our treasured waters and the communities of the Great Lakes basin,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today, we’re building on this progress to restore this economic engine with our partners in Wisconsin as we work to clean up the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern for good. Together, these investments will support cleanup of 610 Olympic-sized swimming pools of contaminated sediments from Milwaukee Harbor and the three rivers in the urban Milwaukee area.”

“Protecting the Great Lakes is not just an environmental goal for Wisconsin communities, it's an economic imperative for the Badger State. I've been proud to support the Great Lake Restoration Initiative, which has transformed our fight to protect and restore our greatest freshwater resources, accelerating cleanup efforts to reverse decades of legacy pollution,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “Today's funding announcement puts us on a path to expedite cleaning up the Milwaukee Estuary, ensuring that generations to come can reap the health, economic, and environmental benefits of a safer, more sustainable Lake Michigan watershed.”

“Every Wisconsinite deserves access to safe, clean drinking water, but for far too long communities that surround the Milwaukee Estuary have been impacted by water pollutants and dangerous contaminants,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “This groundbreaking $450 million investment from the Biden Administration will accelerate our efforts to remediate the Milwaukee Estuary so we can remove it from the list of Areas of Concern, revitalize the local economy, and ensure clean water for Milwaukee and the greater region.”

“With this important funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - an effort I have long championed - President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is helping make Milwaukee a better place to live, work, and visit,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore. “Nearly four decades after being designated as an Area of Concern, the EPA and local stakeholders can now move forward to permanently address this public health threat, protect Lake Michigan, and again allow Milwaukeeans and visitors to our city to enjoy these waters.” 

The new project agreement reflects a partnership between EPA and five non-federal sponsors, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, We Energies, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the City of Milwaukee, and Milwaukee County Parks, to complete the cleanup of harbor and river sediments contaminated with PCBs, petroleum compounds, and heavy metals, including mercury, lead and chromium, in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. These five partners will contribute more than $170 million to implement the project — the largest non-federal sponsor contribution to a Great Lakes Legacy Act cleanup. EPA will contribute an estimated $275 million in funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to cover the approximately $450 million project, with final project cost estimates to be determined following the bidding and procurement process.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to remove contamination that has gone unaddressed for more than 150 years,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Debra Shore. “By cleaning and opening up this waterway, EPA and our partners will restore ecosystems, increase opportunities for recreation and community and economic revitalization.”

Many decades of industrial activity throughout this predominantly urbanized watershed have resulted in significant pollution accumulation in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC, especially in sediments found at the bottom of Milwaukee harbor and the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers. Addressing these contaminated sediments will lead to improved water quality, healthier fish and wildlife, and improved recreational opportunities, in addition to community revitalization.

In February 2022, President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan announced a $1 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to significantly accelerate cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. EPA projected that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, combined with funds from annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative appropriations and funding from other sources will enable the agency and its partners to bring work to completion at 22 of the 25 remaining AOCs, with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding directly supporting 11 of these sites, including the Milwaukee Estuary AOC.

Here's what our partners are saying about this historic agreement:

“The State of Wisconsin is thrilled that all five project partners have signed the historic Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC) project agreement. To help address the extensive contamination in the area, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency, together with over 20 partner organizations, formed the Waterway Restoration Partnership. I am grateful for their collaboration and am encouraged that the historical investments by the partners will result in a cleaner environment for all future generations to enjoy in Milwaukee,” said Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Adam N. Payne.

“The City of Milwaukee is extremely proud to collaborate with our partners at the US EPA,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “The cooperation between Federal, State, and local partners is unprecedented and will lead to cleaner beaches, restored habitat, and contamination being removed from our waterways.  The goal of swimmable and fishable waterways in our sights.”

“Milwaukee County Parks is excited to continue our successful GLLA partnership as we enter the next phases of this landmark clean-up effort,” said Guy Smith, Executive Director of Milwaukee County Parks. “Remediation will improve over 30 acres of floodplain and support the larger effort to restore habitat and delist the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. This work will help ensure safe enjoyment of our waterways and parkland within the Milwaukee River Greenway, one the most loved and highly used recreational areas in the County!”

“Today’s announcement is historic and shows action by President Biden to protect public health, provide jobs, and help protect Lake Michigan,” said Kevin Shafer, Executive Director of Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. “Now that hard work begins by removing contaminated sediments, improving habitat, and making the Milwaukee region a safer, cleaner place to live.  We owe many people our warmest and sincere gratitude for getting us this far. We will deliver!”

"We are pleased to support this historic effort to clean up the Milwaukee Estuary. Our work to remediate nearly 45,000 cubic yards of impacted sediment from the bottom of the Milwaukee River is an important first step in restoring our waterways,” said Liz Stueck-Mullane, WEC Energy Group Vice President. “This coalition is making a positive impact and our participation is a part of our commitment to a bright, sustainable future.”

“THE WORK TO CLEAN UP OUR WATERWAYS IS COMPLICATED BUT IMPORTANT. This funding will provide the much needed funding and leverage to change the course of history,” said David Frazer, a member of the Community Advisory Council. “As a small group who serves as the voice of the community in the process of cleaning up Milwaukee’s Area of Concern, we are looking forward to continuing to create and facilitate conversation between the community and the regulatory authorities in charge of completing this work, ensuring the community’s concerns and ideas are recognized and prioritized going forward.”

[출처 = EPA(Biden-Harris Administration Announces Largest Ever Clean-up under EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to Address Milwaukee Area of Concern | US EPA) / 10월 12일]

[번역 = 배민수 부장]