This article was originally published on Cleveland.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $7 million of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative money to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District so it can perform improvements on the main stem of West Creek that will boost the Cuyahoga River’s water quality.
The money will be used to stabilize 3,500 linear feet of West Creek‘s stream bank within the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern and restore four acres of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announced, describing the project as “just one piece of a comprehensive strategy to restore habitats in the Lake Erie basin.
“The Cuyahoga River has come a long way to become the vibrant ecosystem that it is today,” Brown said in a Monday statement. “But we must continue to work to keep it clean and safe.”
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District CEO Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells said the West Creek Flume Spillway project will protect fish and wildlife.
“Over the past 50 years, the Sewer District and the people of Northeast Ohio have made considerable sewer and stormwater investments in our local waterways,” said Wells. “These investments have led to significantly improved water quality, including in the Cuyahoga River, resulting in the return of several fish species and the restoration of this amazing resource.”