MENOMINEE, MI (AP)-- Officials say progress is being made on cleaning up a river section in Michigan's Upper Peninsula that was contaminated during years of industrial use.
Pollution from shipbuilding, paper manufacturing, wastewater treatment and other sources led to the designation of the lower three miles of the Menominee River as an "area of concern" more than 30 years ago. It was tainted with substances including coal tar, paint sludge and arsenic.
Government agencies have worked with local communities to remove contaminants from the river, which forms the boundary between the southern tip of the U.P. and the northeast corner of Wisconsin before emptying into Lake Michigan.
Jon Allan of Michigan's Office of the Great Lakes says restoration of the site is almost complete and will make it more suitable for fishing and swimming.
