EPA announces Grand Calumet River AOC cleanup
On Jan. 22, 2026, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Atlantic Richfield Company, BP Products North America Inc. and the East Chicago Waterway Management announced a project agreement to clean up contaminated sediments at two sites in the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern (AOC) in Northwest Indiana. The project commits more than $200 million to remove over 240,000 cubic yards of contaminated canal and river bottom sediment across a combined area of 100 acres.
The Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal are located in one of the most heavily industrialized areas in the United States. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement designated the river and harbor as an Area of Concern in the 1980s.
An AOC is an area where significant environmental degradation has occurred.
“By working side-by-side with our partners, and leveraging the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we’re accelerating the cleanup of contaminated sediments and restoring critical habitat along the Grand Calumet River,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. “This agreement demonstrates the power of partnership to deliver results that matter for people and nature. The impact will be clear: cleaner water, healthier neighborhoods, better fishing and recreation, and renewed economic momentum for East Chicago, Hammond, and communities across Northwest Indiana.”
