Progress Toward Restoration

Funding for Remediation and Planning Efforts

As previously discussed, based on information supplied by the governments, an estimated $7.4 billion (USD) will be required to address wastewater infrastructure and sediment improvements necessary to restore beneficial uses in selected Areas of Concern. Values for the remaining United States Areas of Concern are unknown. Costs for all the Canadian Areas of Concern are presently estimated at $1.9 billion (CAD). Due in part to the lack of restoration targets, the Commission cannot relate these estimates to the magnitude of real costs. If government, industry, business and local communities are expected to find and invest these resources, governments must provide more accurate and complete information, set priorities and demonstrate progress in restoring Areas of Concern. Securing these resources, whether from public or private sources, is ultimately the responsibility of the federal governments, in cooperation with the state and provincial governments.

Better communication and coordination among Remedial Action Plan practictioners and federal and state project managers of programs that may be operating within Areas of Concern but not covered in the Remedial Action Plan would also improve information exchange on cleanup actions. This would improve the focus on the Remedial Action Plan's purpose to restore beneficial uses.