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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has completed closeout of the habitat restoration along the Buffalo River near Katherine Street, Buffalo, N.Y.
The $2.7 million project, funded by the EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, was the final habitat restoration project required to complete management actions before delisting the Buffalo River Area of Concern.
“EPA is delighted to see the Katherine Street habitat restoration project come to completion. This successful project marks the last piece of the puzzle needed on the Buffalo River AOC. Ongoing environmental monitoring in the AOC will measure remediation and restoration progress to ultimately delist the AOC,” said Teresa Seidel, director of the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office.
“ The Buffalo River was once a scenic gem of our Western New York waterways, but for decades pollution bogged down and contaminated this ecosystem. Now, we are turning the tide on restoration for the river, and thanks to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and historic $1 billion included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the shoreline and waters along Katherine Street are almost unrecognizable from years ago, with new life from fish swimming to geese flocking to greenery thriving along the water’s edge ,” added Majority Leader Chuck Schumer .
This project is a prime example of what happens when federal, state, and local agencies collaborate to restore the environment and make a difference in its community, concluded Lt. Col. Colby Krug, USACE Buffalo District commander.