Tittabawassee River Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Overview
On July 27, 2020, a settlement with the Dow Chemical Company to address federal, state, and tribal claims for natural resource damages in the Tittabawassee River System was finalized. The settlement is for an estimated $77 million in projects and funding that will restore fish, wildlife, and habitats injured following releases of hazardous substances in past decades from Dow’s manufacturing facility in Midland, Michigan. Under the settlement, Dow will implement or fund a number of restoration projects identified in Midland, Bay, Saginaw, and nearby counties. The natural resource Trustees evaluated a range of restoration actions and alternatives which would provide benefits to natural resources to compensate the public for losses to natural resources injured by releases from Dow's Midland plant and published the Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Tittabawassee River System.
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Project
Dow has already provided funding for the purchase of the former Germania Golf Course and two adjacent parcels that have added approximately 150 acres in the area of the Green Point Environmental Learning Center, along the Tittabawassee River on the south side of the City of Saginaw. The Green Point Area is managed by the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Refuge is already planning for restoration of this area.
In more rural areas, additional opportunities for hunting and outdoor recreation will be provided on land to be acquired from willing sellers over time and transferred to the Refuge. Purchases will be from $1.2 million that Dow will place in an interest-bearing account dedicated to this purpose.
For documents associated with this restoration project, view the Refuge Expansion Project Section of the Tittabawassee River NRDAR Administrative Record.
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