After several months of coordination with state and federal agencies, community leaders and local residents, contract crews are beginning work on the final phase of dredging at the Ashland Project site.
In late March, the Environmental Protection Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approved Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin’s final design plan for the full-scale wet dredge at the site.
The full-scale plan was permitted following last year’s successful pilot study that showed wet dredging technologies were effective in meeting sediment, water and air quality cleanup standards.
This phase of the project will remove approximately 125,000 cubic yards of impacted sediments located south of the newly installed breakwater and cost $40-$50 million.
“We will continue to work closely with local residents and community leaders on the project and, depending on weather and other considerations, hope to finish the dredging work by the end of the year,” said David Donovan, project manager.
“In 2018, we expect to complete the remaining construction work and restoration at the site. We greatly appreciate the community’s continued support as we near the completion of this phase of the project.”
Dredging will take place from land and barge-based excavators using GPS controlled scoops with special environmental buckets. Numerous environmental controls, safeguards and monitoring will be in place to ensure that sediment, air and water quality standards are met, the official press release stated.
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