Great Lakes Legacy Act
The Great Lakes Legacy Act provides federal funding to accelerate contaminated sediment remediation in Great Lakes Areas of Concern. The Legacy Act was authorized in 2002 with the first appropriation in 2004. The Act was reauthorized in 2008.
On this page:
- Great Lakes Legacy Act Reauthorization 2008
- Implementation of the Great Lakes Legacy Act (2006 Federal Register Notice) Great Lakes Legacy Act Authorization of 2002 (pdf)
Investing in the Great Lakes
Contaminated sediment and degraded former industrial sites are major impediments to communities struggling to revitalize their waterfronts with new commercial enterprises, real estate and recreational amenities that can boost tourism.
Sediment in the AOCs is most often contaminated with toxic chemicals such as PCBs, heavy metals like mercury, and oil, grease or other petroleum byproducts. Before modern pollution laws, these pollutants settled into sediment at the bottom of rivers and harbors that flow into the lakes. Sediment continues to threaten public health, contaminate fish and wildlife, and make waterfronts unusable to our coastal communities.
Apply for Funding
Many states and local communities are seeing success from their past efforts. Federal funds are available to support cleanup efforts and help communities fulfill the promise of economic revitalization, increased property values and an improved quality of life. Under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal agencies are prioritizing cleanups in the remaining AOCs.