Public Comments Requested for Black River Area of Concern
Photo Credit: 2022 Life on Lake Erie Photo Contest Entry by Daryl Mummey
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2025
Ohio Lake Erie Commission Awards $144,970 to Support
Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Efforts
CLEVELAND, OH (July 28, 2025) –Water conditions and fish populations continue to improve on the Black River.
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission (OLEC) and Ohio EPA are accepting comments through August 20, 2025, on the proposed removal of the Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) for Degradation of Fish Populations and Loss of Fish Habitat from the Black River Area of Concern (AOC).
These BUIs are the seventh and eighth to be recommended for removal from the initial list of nine for the Black River AOC. This is due to the continued improvement of fish populations and habitat conditions thanks to projects funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, as well as other state, local, and federal investments.
BUIs happen when there is a significant change in a body of water, whether chemical, physical, or biological, that leads to a deterioration of the water’s overall health.
Contamination and insufficient fish habitat within the lower Black River and portions of French Creek were previously linked to degraded fish populations within the AOC.
A summary of the proposed recommendation is available on OLEC’s website.
Written comments will be accepted through August 20, 2025, and should be emailed to Hannah Boesinger, Northeast Ohio AOC Coordinator, at Hannah.Boesinger@lakeerie.ohio.gov.
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For more information, contact:
Kris Patterson, Ohio Lake Erie Commission
(419) 601-5894
About OLEC: The Ohio Lake Erie Commission was established to preserve Lake Erie's natural resources, protect the quality of its waters and ecosystem, and promote economic development in the region. The director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency serves as the commission's chairman. Additional members include the directors of the state departments of Transportation, Health, Development Services, Agriculture, and Natural Resources and five private citizen members appointed by the Governor. For more information about OLEC, the Lake Erie Protection Fund, or to read about past grant projects, visit http://lakeerie.ohio.gov/.