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Dow settlement awards $77 million for restoration projects in Saginaw Bay region

Dow Midland Plant
erica dot net
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Dow Midland Plant

Funding from a $77 million dollar settlement with Dow Chemical Company is helping cover a number of nature restoration projects in the Saginaw Bay Watershed. Public comment on the projects is now open.

Projects covered by the settlement include restoration of thousands of acres of wetlands, the creation of multiple public nature areas, fish spawning and passage improvements, and expanded opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The restoration plan was developed by state, federal and tribal representatives. It aims to "compensate the public for losses to natural resources" from dioxin pollution from Dow’s Midland plant.

The settlement also offers $10 million for long-term monitoring of restoration projects.

The 16 projects are open for public review. Public comment will close March 27.

Teresa Homsi is an environmental reporter and Report for America Corp Member based in northern Michigan for WCMU. She is covering rural environmental issues, public health and Michigan commerce. Homsi has a bachelor’s from Central Michigan University in environmental studies, journalism and anthropology. During her undergraduate, she was a beat reporter for CMU’s student newspaper Central Michigan Life and interned for the Huron Daily Tribune. She has also interned for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy in the superfund section. *Report for America is a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms, more info at https://www.reportforamerica.org/