Manning announces $4M for dredge material reuse facility in Lorain
The city of Lorain has scored $4 million to create a facility that will reuse sediment scooped out of the Black River.
State Sen. Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville, on Dec. 4 announced Ohio State Controlling Board approval of $9.9 million in capital funds for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
The money will be used for three dredge material reuse projects, including in Lorain.
The city will use $4 million for planning, design, permitting and construction of a new Black River Dredge Reuse Facility that will be located on a 30-acre site within a larger reclamation facility owned by the city.
“I am pleased to see these funds released for conservation efforts to ensure the protection of Ohio’s crown jewel,” Manning said. “The General Assembly has worked tirelessly toward a cleaner Lake Erie through the funding of various water quality programs, and this is yet another step to do so.”
The projects were made possible by the Healthy Lake Erie Initiative in legislation known as Senate Bill 299. The money was designated with the goal of reducing open lake dumping of dredged materials by 2020.
The material is sediment and sand that is dredged from the bottom of the Black River to maintain the required depth for freighters to enter and leave the Port of Lorain.
