The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), with input from the public, has selected a cleanup remedy for the sediment contamination at Munger Landing in the St. Louis River Area of Concern (SLRAOC), a collection of several contaminated sites in the St. Louis River and Duluth Harbor.
The MPCA, along with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), will design a project to dredge and remove an estimated 121,400 cubic yards of contaminated sediments at Munger Landing.
This dredging remedy will minimize risks to human health and the environment, said the agency.
The MPCA will apply for a Great Lakes Legacy Act project agreement to conduct the Munger Landing cleanup. Once the project agreement is signed, the U.S. EPA and the project sponsors could begin the cleanup process as early as 2022.
Since the contamination crosses into Wisconsin, located near a public water access and affects nearby City of Duluth properties, MPCA will also partner with the WDNR, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR), and the City of Duluth on the project.
The estimated cost is $19.3 million.