Dewine press release masthead newest




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
August 28, 2025




*MEDIA CONTACTS:
*Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Lauren Niner: 614-644-0957






Governor DeWine Celebrates Launch of
Cleanup Project at Gorge Dam

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel, Ohio EPA Director John Logue, and local leaders today to announce the beginning of a cleanup project at Gorge Dam on the Cuyahoga River. An estimated 865,200 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from behind the Gorge Dam will be remediated.

“The Cuyahoga River is a symbol of both our progress and our opportunities with water quality here in Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “Today we take a major step forward in restoring this river to its healthy, natural, free-flowing state, which is something that hasn’t happened in more than 100 years.”

The Cuyahoga River Gorge Dam Removal Project aligns with Governor DeWine's mission to improve water quality in Ohio's many waterways. As part of a federal-local cost-share agreement, Governor DeWine announced [ [link removed] ] $25 million to support the Cuyahoga River Gorge Dam Removal Project in 2022. An additional $1 million in funding from the H2Ohio initiative was also provided in 2023.

________________________________________________________________________



Governor DeWine discusses sediment removal process. [ [link removed] ]

Governor DeWine discusses the sediment removal process with U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel (right).

________________________________________________________________________



The purpose of the project is to address contaminants of concern in the pool of water behind the Gorge Dam. The contaminants are primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), oil and grease, and various heavy metals including cadmium and lead.

The remediation of the contaminated sediments will reduce the risk that people, fish, and wildlife are exposed to contamination. Remediation includes removal, transportation, stabilization, and placement of dredged material. Dredging is expected to take place over the course of two construction seasons. 

Once the sediment is removed, the next phase of the project includes removing the Gorge Dam. The 58 ft. tall and 425 ft. wide dam, which has no necessary use today, prevents the river from flowing freely, causes sediment buildup, and negatively impacts water quality.

The Cuyahoga River Gorge Dam Removal Project is funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and project partners through a cost-sharing agreement and is one of the largest Great Lakes Legacy Act sediment removals to date. Ohio EPA and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission have partnered with the U.S. EPA, the cities of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, Summit Metro Parks, Summit County, and others on the project. 

*-30-*







________________________________________________________________________

STAY CONNECTED: Visit us on Facebook [ [link removed] ] Visit us on Twitter [ [link removed] ] Visit us on YouTube [ [link removed] ] Visit us on Instagram [ [link removed] ]    

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Governor.Ohio.gov [ [link removed] ] | Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]  |  Help [ [link removed] ]

Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]

 

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using govDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Governor DeWine Communications · Riffe Center, 30th Floor, 77 South High Street · Columbus, OH 43215-6117 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]

body .abe-column-block { min-height: 5px; } table.gd_combo_table img {margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;} table.gd_combo_table div.govd_image_display img, table.gd_combo_table td.gd_combo_image_cell img {margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px;} table.govd_hr {min-width: 100%;} p, li, h1, h2, h3 { overflow-wrap: normal; word-wrap: normal; word-break: keep-all; -moz-hyphens: none; -ms-hyphens: none; -webkit-hyphens: none; hyphens: none; mso-hyphenate: none; }