# Michigan Unveils $89 Million "Reclaim the Rivers" Initiative for Detroit and Kalamazoo River Cleanups
DETROIT, Mich. -- Michigan will invest $89 million in a sweeping cleanup and restoration effort targeting the Detroit and Kalamazoo rivers, according to an announcement made Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at Belle Isle's Sunset Pointe in Detroit.
The "Reclaim the Rivers" initiative, led by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will use funds from settlements with polluters to address decades of contamination, restore habitats, and improve public access to the state's two major river systems.
Detroit River: Nearly $50 Million in Cleanup and Recreation
The largest share of the funding, nearly $50 million, will come from Michigan's $108 million Monsanto PCB settlement. The money will support PCB remediation along the Detroit River, including sediment cleanup and fish and wildlife habitat restoration.
State officials also plan to use the investment to attract additional industry and partner funding. Specific projects include improving public boating access, strengthening the river's walleye fishery, enhancing connections to Belle Isle and Pointe Mouillee, and closing gaps in the Iron Belle Trail.
"Over the past 25 years, Detroit has reclaimed its riverfront from centuries of industrial use to give it back to the people. Thanks to Governor Whitmer and her administration's leadership, now we can reclaim the river itself from the pollution that came as a result of that industrial use and help ensure this life-giving waterway is safe and clean for generations to come," said a statement accompanying the announcement.
Kalamazoo River: $25 Million for Restoration
The state will invest $25 million from the Morrow Dam settlement in restoration efforts along the Kalamazoo River. The funding will support sediment and habitat restoration, dam removals, and stream restoration projects in Allegan, Otsego, Plainwell, Swan Creek, and Trowbridge.
The investment will also expand boating access, protect land along the river corridor, and support healthier fisheries following contamination cleanup. Projects will strengthen connections to nearby destinations including the Allegan State Game Area, Saugatuck Harbor, and Fort Custer State Park.
Statewide River Projects: $14 Million in Additional Funding
The remaining $14 million will support river restoration projects across Michigan, including dam removals, stream and wetland restoration, fish and wildlife habitat improvements, and recreation projects. Matching funds will further support recreation facilities and extend the reach of restoration efforts across the state.
Timeline and Strategy
EGLE Director Phil Roos described the effort as "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform two of the state's most important waterways with a goal of achieving lasting, transformational change on both rivers by 2040."
State officials noted that the work along both rivers will take years, with some projects still in the investigation and planning stages before physical cleanup begins. Roos said the first work will focus on figuring out the best way to remove or contain contaminated sediment, with an investigation phase to determine the right strategy before remediation begins.
"There's an investigation phase where they really have to figure out, 'What's the right strategy?' for picking up the sediment, so that's the first stage, is to get that rolling quickly," Roos told reporters.
Community Input and Partnerships
EGLE will partner with DNR, local governments, Tribal governments, community organizations, industry, nonprofits, and residents to execute Reclaim the Rivers. Community input will help guide where funding is directed and which projects move forward, ensuring investments reflect the needs and priorities of the communities and waterways they are designed to serve.
DNR Director Scott Bowen emphasized the broader economic and recreational potential of the rivers.
"Michigan is uniquely positioned to permanently transform two of our most important rivers," Bowen said. "The Detroit and Kalamazoo rivers have incredible potential for recreation, economic development, fishing, and wildlife habitat, but contamination has stood in the way. These investments give us the opportunity to address that contamination while creating new ways for millions of Michiganders to safely enjoy these waterways."
Whitmer also connected the river cleanup to the state's broader environmental work, including Michigan's early detection and response to PFAS contamination. "We were some of the first to detect and act on PFAS mitigation. We're looking for what other states aren't yet," she said.
More information about Reclaim the Rivers is available at Michigan.gov/ReclaimTheRivers.