Those interested in learning more about efforts to remediate the St. Clair River Area of Concern (AOC), can do so at an upcoming information session.
The Canadian Remedial Action Plan Implementation Committee is hosting the event later this month.
A guest speaker from the University of Toronto will provide information on microplastics in the Great Lakes.
St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan Coordinator Mike Moroney will also be giving an update on efforts to restore the St. Clair River aquatic environment.
Moroney said a lot of good work has been accomplished over the past few decades.
He said the river was identified as an area of concern in 1987 due to impacts caused by urban and industrial growth in the area.
"Initially, the river was assessed against 14 potential beneficial uses when it was first identified as an area of concern," said Moroney. "At that time, there were only two beneficial uses that were identified as not impaired. Nine needed actions to restore them and three needed further assessment to determine whether they were impaired or not."
Moroney said today there are ten beneficial uses that are not impaired, and they're working on the remaining four.
He said the committee has a couple of reports that have recently been completed.
"One of them is related to the loss of fish and wildlife habitat," he said. "That report is recommending being re-designated to not impaired. We have to do community engagement on that first, and seek feedback on that recommendation. Degrading fish and wildlife populations is the second one that we're going through community engagement on right now."
The committee was formed in 2005 to organize the restoration of Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) for the St. Clair River Area of Concern.
Moroney said work thus far will be explained more in-depth at the event.
The free seminar is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, at 6 p.m. at Four Points by Sheraton in Point Edward.