2017 Remedial Action Plan Update for the Lower Menominee River Area of Concern

2017 REMEDIAL ACTION PLAN UPDATE for the LOWER MENOMINEE RIVER AREA OF CONCERN DRAFT December 29th, 2017 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Office of Great Waters Michigan Department of Natural Resources Office of the Great Lakes DRAFT 2017 RAP Update for the Lower Menominee River AOC December 29th, 2017 2017 Remedial Action Plan Update for the Lower Menominee River Area of Concern Compiled by Laurel Last, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Lower Menominee River Area of Concern (AOC) Coordinator, and Stephanie Swart, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Lower Menominee River AOC Coordinator With Input and Contributions From: Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) members Mark Erickson, Michigan Committee Co-chair Keith West, Wisconsin Committee Co-chair Becky Berry, UW-Marinette (student) Donna Buechler, Menominee Conservation District Gail Clark, M&M Great Lakes Sport Fishermen John Clark, M&M Great Lakes Sport Fishermen Jim Cox, Tyco International Nancy Douglas, Menominee Business Development Corporation John Groleau, Resolute Forest Products Stephen Kellner, Northern Anglers Fishing Club Jon Kukuk, Nest Egg Marine Trygve Rhude, Chappee Rapids Audubon Society Steve Zander, Past Wisconsin Committee Co-chair Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Derek Strohl Chappee Rapids Audubon Society: Trygve Rhude Eagle Creek Renewable Energy (ECRE), formerly North American Hydro Holdings (NAH): Paul Radzikinas Lloyd Flanders: Mark Erickson Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ): Joe Bohr Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR): Craig Albright, Patrick Hanchin, Jennifer Johnson, Darren Kramer, Jessica Mistak, Stephanie Swart U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA): John Perrecone U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): Betsy Galbraith, Nick Utrup University of Wisconsin-Marinette: Wendel Johnson, Keith West WDNR: Kendra Axness, Cheryl Bougie, Donalea Dinsmore, Mike Donofrio, David Halfmann, John Huff, Laurel Last, Tammie Paoli, Vic Pappas, Ben Uvaas Disclaimer The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is a non-regulatory agreement between the U.S. and Canada, and criteria developed under its auspices are non-regulatory. The actions identified in this document are needed to meet beneficial use impairment (BUI) removal targets leading to the delisting of the Lower Menominee River AOC. These actions are not subject to enforcement or regulatory actions. Cover Photo: Menekaunee Harbor restoration looking upriver. Photo by Stephanie Swart, MDNR. i DRAFT 2017 RAP Update for the Lower Menominee River AOC December 29th, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY After decades of effort, all the necessary actions to delist the Menominee River Area of Concern (AOC; Figure 1) have been completed. Presently the focus is on formally removing Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) and monitoring fish and wildlife habitat restoration projects to verify that AOC fish and wildlife goals are being met. In 2017, Restrictions on Dredging Activities and Degradation of Benthos BUIs were removed. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR; Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes became part of MDNR on December 28, 2017) completed the draft removal documentation for the Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption BUI, engaging stakeholders along the way. The AOC Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) support removal of the BUI. The states intend to submit the BUI removal package to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) for concurrence in early 2018, after considering any comments submitted during the public review period. The 2013 Fish and Wildlife Population and Habitat Management and Restoration Plan Update (Plan; WDNR and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality [MDEQ], 2013a) is the principal document guiding the removal of the Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations and Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat impairments. The Plan lists the activities, objectives, and goals required to remove these impairments. All of the activities contributing towards the achievement of objectives have either been completed or are in progress. Four of the five overarching restoration goals and nine of the ten objectives contained in the Plan have been achieved, and only one objective and one goal remain (see Appendices A and C). Probable significant milestones to be reached in 2018: • Removal of Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption BUI • Removal of Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations BUI • Removal of Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI • Completion of the final year of a three-year monitoring and maintenance period at Menekaunee Harbor habitat restoration project • Completion of the second year of a three-year monitoring and maintenance period at South Channel habitat restoration project • Completion of the final year of monitoring and maintenance of island rookery habitat restoration project The management actions required for delisting the Lower Menominee River AOC are now complete. Two BUIs were removed in 2017, and the states intend to propose a third BUI for removal in early 2018. In addition, the states plan to recommend the last two BUIs for removal in 2018, providing monitoring confirms that the vegetation objectives of the habitat restoration projects are being met. Once all of the BUIs have been removed, then the formal delisting process begins. The AOC could potentially be delisted in 2018, depending on the length of the delisting process. Continued progress has been possible with the help of many partners who have put a lot of effort into restoring the Lower Menominee River AOC. Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding has been a critical component of this effort. ii DRAFT 2017 RAP Update for the Lower Menominee River AOC December 29th, 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. II TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................. III PURPOSE STATEMENT .............................................................................................................................. 1 RECENT PROGRESS .................................................................................................................................. 5 WISCONSIN PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION (WPSC) COAL TAR SITE ........................................ 5 ANSUL/TYCO ARSENIC SITE ................................................................................................................. 5 MENEKAUNEE HARBOR LEGACY SITE ................................................................................................ 5 LOWER SCOTT FLOWAGE (LSF) SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION ................................................. 5 RIO VISTA SLOUGH (RVS) SEDIMENT CHARACTERIZATION ............................................................ 5 LOWER MENOMINEE RIVER FISH PASSAGE ...................................................................................... 6 ISLAND ROOKERY HABITAT RESTORATION ....................................................................................... 6 SOUTH CHANNEL .................................................................................................................................... 7 MENEKAUNEE HARBOR HABITAT RESTORATION ............................................................................. 7 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH ................................................................................. 8 BENEFICIAL USE IMPAIRMENT UPDATES ............................................................................................ 10 RESTRICTIONS ON FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSUMPTION................................................................ 10 RESTRICTIONS ON DREDGING ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................... 12 DEGRADATION OF BENTHOS .............................................................................................................. 13 DEGRADATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE POPULATIONS AND LOSS OF FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT ................................................................................................................................................. 14 RESTRICTIONS ON RECREATIONAL CONTACT (BEACH CLOSINGS) ............................................ 16 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................ 17 iii DRAFT 2017 RAP Update for the Lower Menominee River AOC December 29th, 2017 List of Figures Figure 1. The boundaries of the Lower Menominee River AOC ........................................................ 2 Figure 2. Restoration sites in the Lower Menominee River AOC ………………………………………4 List of Tables Table 1. Current status of BUIs in the Lower Menominee River AOC (Refer to Appendix C for more detail) ......................................................................................................................... 3 Table 2. Community outreach activities ongoing or completed in 2017.…………………...…. ....... 10 List of Appendices Appendix A Acronyms and Initialisms Appendix B Definitions Appendix C Lower Menominee River AOC Tracking Matrix Appendix D Goals and Objectives Table (Table 1) from 2013

Load more