Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) Director Laurie Stevenson announced Dec. 2 that the state will contribute $25 million to support the highly anticipated Cuyahoga River Gorge Dam Removal Project.

This project will remove an estimated 900,000 cu. yds. of contaminated sediment; restore fish and wildlife habitat; and restore more than a mile of the river for community recreational use.

The state funding for the project will be awarded from settlement money that Ohio received as part of the state's polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) enforcement case against Monsanto, which was filed by then-Attorney General DeWine in 2018. The lawsuit, which was settled for $80 million in 2022, held Monsanto legally accountable for harm caused by their concealment, failure to warn, marketing, manufacturing, sale and distribution of toxic PCBs.

Ohio's PCB Advisory Board was formed to consider proposals for the use of the settlement funds. The board recommended to Ohio EPA that $25 million in settlement funding be used for the Gorge Dam Removal Project.

The Gorge Dam was originally constructed in 1913 to provide hydroelectric power, but hydroelectric generation ended at the dam by 1958. In the spring of 2009, the power generating station on the dam was razed. The 58 ft. tall and 425 ft. wide dam, which has no necessary use today, prevents the river from flowing freely, causes sediment buildup and negatively impacts water quality.

The water quality benefits estimated from the dam project include the removal of PCB-contaminated sediment and other contaminants; the reduction of nutrients including phosphorus; and the improvement of aquatic life within the river. The project also will aid in the future delisting of the Cuyahoga River as an Area of Concern (AOC). Improved water quality and the restoration of the river to its natural state also create better habitat for fish and other aquatic life.

Ohio EPA and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission have partnered with the U.S. EPA, the cities of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, Summit Metro Parks, Summit County and others on the project. With this funding, progress toward the implementation of the Gorge Dam project will continue in 2023.

The PCB Advisory Board is accepting proposals for other projects. The board will accept proposals from state agencies in Ohio through Jan. 31, 2023. Other eligible applicants may submit project proposals through June 30, 2023. Depending on available funding, the Board may extend a second round of project proposals. Project proposals can be sent to OhioPCBBoard@epa.ohio.gov.

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