Posted on March 21, 2019
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency are nearing a resolution with the city of Toledo over Ottawa River pollution caused decades ago by city-owned landfills operating along the river.
The federal and state agencies have been seeking compensation for the damage to the natural resource, and a consent decree filed Monday in U.S. District Court calls for the city to pay $280,000 to the federal government and $140,000 to the state, as well as complete or contribute to environmental restoration projects to resolve the dispute.
Toledo City Council authorized the settlement terms in April, 2018, and the consent decree was filed Monday by the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement section.
Under the proposed agreement, the city would restore Manhattan Marsh in North Toledo and improve Toledo’s low-service pump station near Curtice, Ohio, which borders the Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge.
The city also would transfer just under 22 acres of land to Metroparks Toledo for the parks district to maintain as part of its latest metropark, which is being built on Manhattan Marsh in North Toledo. The city also would pay $241,500 toward restoring the wetland.
The park system has already started restoration work at the 70-acre site, and construction is set to begin this year once design plans are finalized.
The city’s low-service pump station restoration project involves 58 acres in eastern Lucas County that would be maintained as wetlands, forested wetlands, or other natural habitats in conjunction with the Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge.
“We have worked collaboratively for years with the federal government and State of Ohio to reach this consent decree,” Dale Emch, the city’s law director, said in a statement. “We are taking multiple steps to help remediate the impact of landfill pollution to the Ottawa River that took place decades ago by participating in the restoration and preservation of wetlands. While we regret this part of our city’s history, it’s a great thing to see something positive come out of this process.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials could not be reached for comment.
The public has 30 days from the filing to submit comments about the proposed consent decree, after which the court will weigh in.
The total expense to the Toledo is expected to be $811,500 for damages, past assessment costs, restoration costs, and oversight costs, to be paid by the city’s risk management fund, city documents show.
Source: toledoblade.com
