GLIN==> Press release on Nov. 3 meeting about removing recreational contact restrictions from Lower Menominee R. Area of Concern

Nov. 3 meeting on removing recreational contact restrictions; Wastewater
upgrades benefit Lower Menominee River Area of Concern 
 <http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1894>
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=1894 
 
News Release Published: October 25, 2010 by the Central Office
Contact(s): Steve Galarneau (608) 266-1956 
 
MARINETTE - Cleaner water resulting from extensive upgrades to wastewater
treatment systems in Marinette, Wis., and Menominee, Mich., have the states'
natural resource departments proposing to remove restrictions on swimming
and other recreation in the Lower Menominee River in which participants come
in contact with the water. 
A public meeting about the recommendation is set for Nov. 3 in Marinette and
will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in UW-Marinette's Geography/Geology
Classroom, University YMCA/Max E. Peterson Field House, at the corner of
University Drive and Shore Drive.
The Lower Menominee River is one of 43 river stretches and harbors in the
Great Lakes identified in the 1980s as "Areas of Concern" because of their
severely degraded water quality and habitat. Historic and industrial and
municipal wastewater discharges resulted in contaminated sediments and
degraded water quality in the Lower Menominee River. Also, bacterial
contamination from combined sewer overflows from the Marinette and Menominee
wastewater treatment facilities led to beach closings. 
Extensive upgrades to these communities' wastewater treatment systems that
separated sanitary sewers from stormwater sewers have significantly reduced
sewer overflows. As a result, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Environment have
determined that the river's water quality now meets the criteria necessary
for recreational contact. 
So the two departments, which jointly manage the Menominee River AOC, are
starting the process to remove, or "delist," the recreational contact
restriction. 
The Nov. 3 public meeting will give interested citizens the chance to learn
more about the improvements, and to vote on the proposed delisting of the
recreational use restriction. 
Attendees can also learn the latest about federal funding coming to the area
to protect and restore the Great Lakes and their tributaries under the Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative. 
For more information about Wisconsin's Areas of Concern, visit
<http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/greatlakes/priorities/aocs.html>
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/greatlakes/priorities/aocs.html. 
For more information about the Lower Menominee River public meeting,
contact: Kendra Axness, UW- Extension Basin Educator at (920) 438-7581 or
(715) 582-1002 or by E-mail at  <mailto:kendra.axness at ces.uwex.edu>
kendra.axness at ces.uwex.edu. 
 
 
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