transformation of Menekaunee Harbor has been a cause for celebration for other reasons as well .
In August , EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler selected Menekaunee Harbor Park as the location to announce the removal of the Lower Menominee River from his agency ’ s list of areas of concern ( AOC ). The Lower Menominee River is the first Wisconsin AOC to be delisted and only the fifth nationwide .
“ Marinette ’ s Menekaunee Harbor project has been part of a broader , long-term effort to address the Lower Menominee River designation as an EPA area of concern that included other cleanups along the waterway ,” Genisot said . “ The delisting of the AOC this summer was
30-plus years in the making . To delist is a major undertaking , and this successful harbor transformation is what the public sees as a representation of that important achievement .”
The Menekaunee Harbor project also received honors from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin as the recipient of the council ’ s 2020 Engineering Excellence Best of State Award .
“ On behalf of the city leadership and all the residents of Marinette , I ’ m absolutely delighted ,” said Wilson of the project ’ s recognition by ACEC Wisconsin . “ It ’ s something we ’ re all very proud of – those who worked on this project from the City side , the Wisconsin DNR side , and from Ayres ’ side . We ’ re really pleased to have been part of transforming such an important part of the city .”
The Ayres team clearly understood what the harbor project meant for the City of Marinette and what the city hoped the project could accomplish , Miller said .
“ Ayres shared our vision , and that was really important ,” Miller said . “ They didn ’ t create something in a vacuum . They took input from the city and then assembled the team that had the technical expertise to develop the plans and acquire the funding needed to help us complete the project .”
8 | TRENDS Ingenuity , Integrity , and Intelligence .