EPA Administrator Wheeler wraps up visit to Wisconsin

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, yesterday wrapped up his visit to the Badger State making a series of announcements related to the Superfund program, aimed to cleanup highly polluted sites across the country.

At the Fox River Superfund Site in Green Bay, Administrator Wheeler announced the completion of more than two decades of cleanup with U.S. Congressman Mike Gallagher and the latest updated to the Administrator’s Emphasis List.

“Wisconsin has significantly improved its environmental health in the past couple of years,” said EPA Administrator Wheeler. 

“In only the last three months, EPA has redesignated several areas of the state into compliance for air quality standards, announced the final clean-up of a Superfund site in Green Bay, and allocated more than $100 million in drinking water infrastructure upgrades in the state. Wisconsin is on a roll, and EPA is happy to help our state and local partners do even more.”

“The Fox River Superfund Site and Cat Island Restoration Project demonstrate that smart investments and sustained commitment to our waterways can have a tremendous impact on the health of our community,” added U.S. Congressman Mike Gallagher (WI-08). 

“The EPA’s assistance has been critical to this effort, and I’m glad that Administrator Wheeler had the opportunity to see this success firsthand. Water is central to our way of life in Northeast Wisconsin, and I look forward to continue working to strengthen programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, that will protect this resource for generations to come.”

The Fox River Superfund Site is one of the largest Superfund sediment projects ever completed in the U.S.

The cleanup included dredging more than 6.5 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediments across 39 miles of the Lower Fox River.

The cleanup also included 275 acres of capping and 780 acres of sand spreading throughout the river to reduce PCB contamination.