The Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario) are the largest surface freshwater system on the Earth. They form a great part of the American and Canadian physical and cultural heritage. They form 84% of America’s fresh water and about 21% of the world’s surface fresh water, providing water for consumption, energy, transportation and recreation. One of the biggest problems to these lakes is sediment toxins caused by such factors as industrial and municipal discharges, sewer overflows, and urban and agricultural. To fix this problem, the EPA has provided financial assistance as well as field and technical support for remediation of these areas of concern (AOC) and each have implemented a remedial action plan (RAP). The process of remediation for these areas of concern has accelerated due to the efforts of the Great Lakes Legacy Act and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
