Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the North Bronson Industrial Site Bronson, Michigan

In February 2000, a natural resource damage settlement was achieved for the North Bronson Industrial Area Superfund Site (Site). The Service, on behalf of the DOI, was the sole settling natural resource Trustee. The funds available from the settlement for restoration activities total approximately $100,000. This Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Final RP/EA) is being released for public comment in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 as amended, (CERCLA) ( 42

U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), the Department of the Interior's Natural Resource Damage Assessment Regulations (43 CFR, part 11), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 45 U.S.C. 4371 et seq., and 42 CFR part 1500.

This Final RP/EA is intended to describe the Service's selected alternative to restore natural resources injured as a result of the discharge of hazardous substances at or from the Site. Injury at the Site results from both direct toxicity to trust resources and through toxicity to, and disruption of, supporting habitat. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of Site remediation and providing for the protection of natural resources there, but this process is expected to take several more years. Based on an evaluation of various restoration alternatives, the preferred restoration alternative for these settlement funds consists of off-Site restoration projects. These projects can be initiated before completion of Site remediation. These projects would involve entering into cooperative agreements with willing landowners to enhance and protect wetland and stream habitats for the benefit of migratory birds and other trust resources that use these habitats.