Research confirming that white sucker fish in the St. Louis River Area of Concern have a low rate of fish tumors and deformities is leading to a request by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to remove an impairment.
Fish were sampled in 2011, 2013 and 2015 and research was conducted to determine if fish tumors and deformities were more common in the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Multiple lines of evidence verified that the tumor incidence rate was not significantly different between the river and Lake Superior. Further, the St. Louis River AOC tumor rates were lower than other similarly studied AOC and non-AOC sites in the Great Lakes. The age and gender of the fish were found to be more important factors for fish tumor development.
Because of these findings, the Fish Tumors and Deformities Beneficial Use Impairment is proposed for removal. The removal recommendation and study are available online for public review and comment from September 21 through October 12, 2018.
To learn more about the proposal and to provide comments, please see the following documents:
Comments can be submitted to Matt Steiger, Wisconsin DNR AOC Coordinator, at Matthew.Steiger@wisconsin.gov until 5:00 pm October 12, 2018.
Paper copies of the draft document are also available for review in the Superior Public Library at 1530 Tower Ave. Superior, WI and the Duluth Public Library at 520 W. Superior St. Duluth, MN. Public comment forms are included and formatted for mailing to Matt Steiger, Wisconsin DNR, 1701 N. 4th St, Superior, WI 54880. Comment sheets may also be scanned and emailed to Steiger.
Written and electronic comments sent or post-marked before 5:00 pm on October 12, 2018, will be considered. A final removal recommendation will be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after public input has been reviewed and considered.
General questions about the removal proposal may be directed to Matt Steiger at 715-395-6904 or Barb Huberty, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency AOC Coordinator, at 218-302-6630.
The St. Louis River Area of Concern will have seven remaining Beneficial Use Impairments to address before the entire Area of Concern can be delisted. The St. Louis River Area of Concern is one of forty-three Areas of Concern designated in 1987 as the most highly contaminated areas in the Great Lakes.
This work was included in the St. Louis River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan and was funded primarily by the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The primary partners involved in this work included the Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
