The Great Lakes Legacy Act

Goal:
Accelerate the pace of
sediment remediation in
U.S. Areas of Concern (AOCs)
Mechanism:
Use partnerships as an
innovative approach to achieving
sediment cleanups
VIRONMENTA
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PARTMENT O

NS
ERVATION
US Army Corps
of Engineers
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Buffalo District EW ATE

YORK ST
Buffalo River Area of Concern (AOC)
Erie Basin Marina
Old First Ward
Community Center
Valley
Community Center
Ohio St.
Park

Smith St. Park

Bailey Ave. Park

Image ©2010 TerraMetrica ©2008

Image ©2010 New York GIS
 Buffalo River Timeline
Summer 2010:
• Buffalo River Brownfield Opportunity Area
(BOA) planning process begins
• Green Energy Pilot Plant – Childs St Summer 2011:
• Biomass storage and handling terminal – Childs St
2010 (Jan – Oct):
• Biomass storage and handling –
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative:
• Phase 1 construction commences on Concrete Central (tentative)
• Project planning and National Environmental Policy Act
River Fest Park on Ohio Street review of the Buffalo Harbor dredging project in the Navigation • Rail yard improvements –
• RiverBend Planning Process begins channel by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District Ohio St Yard (pending funding)

Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2010

2011
Summer 2010:
Great Lakes Legacy
Act Project (May– Aug)
2010-2011
• Remedial design underway Great Lakes Restoration Initiative:
• Feasibility study available • Dredging will occur in the Navigation Channel by the
for public comment U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during this timeframe
• Sampling of sediments to further (dredging will stop over the winter months)
delineate contamination
 The Buffalo River Restoration Partnership
Introduction
Decades of industrial and municipal discharges have polluted the river, and the subsequent decline
of industry left the region with abandoned, contaminated properties and deteriorating facilities.
The Buffalo River restoration partnership is poised to address these environmental challenges so
that the Buffalo River can once again add to a vibrant revitalized Buffalo.
The Buffalo River restoration partners, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER® (BNR), Honeywell, New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have been
collaborating for several years on plans to clean up the Buffalo River to facilitate ecological
restoration and economic development around this natural urban resource.
Projects to restore the Buffalo River
• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
• Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA)
• Brownfield Cleanups
• Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) and Water Quality
Redevelopment
• Buffalo Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA)
• Green Energy Corridor
• RiverBend
Photo courtesy of Patricia Manley
• Erie Canal Harbor
• Greenway Trail and Public Access
 Buffalo River Dredging and CDF
Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) #4 Cross Section Buffalo River – Planview
Sheet Pile Water Level
Water Level Inside CDF lope
Outside CDF Side S s

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Bulkhead av C
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Water Lake Erie e S l op

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Sediment Sand es
Compaction Filter

Buffalo River – Cross-Section

Side Slopes Side Slopes

Navigation Channel
Legacy Act Legacy Act
Sediments Sediments

GLRI Sediments