Michigan commits $89 million to restore polluted Detroit and Kalamazoo rivers by 2040

For much of the 20th century, factories and paper mills along Michigan's Detroit and Kalamazoo rivers discharged waste that settled into the sediment and lingered for decades. The legacy includes polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mercury and other pollutants that have kept both waterways on the US Environmental Protection Agency's list of Great Lakes areas of concern. In October 2026, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an $89 million commitment called Reclaim the Rivers to address that contamination and restore habitat, with a goal of achieving transformational change on both rivers by 2040, according to state officials and local reporting. State official screenshot and local reporting name and link to be addedA public-private push led by EGLE and DNRThe Reclaim the Rivers initiative is being led by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, known as EGLE, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The two agencies will coordinate sediment cleanup, habitat restoration, and projects that expand public access for boating, fishing and other recreation. The announcement was made on Detroit's Belle Isle, a symbolic location where t...