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The St. Clair River is a binational Area of Concern (AOC) that borders both the United States and Canada. An AOC is an area within the Great Lakes, that has suffered from environmental destruction. The St. Clair River has been considered an AOC because conventional pollutants such as bacteria, heavy metals, toxic organics, contaminated sediment, fish consumption advisories, impacted animal and plant life, and beach closings.

The United States found that 10 out of 14 of the beneficial use impairments (BUI) were impaired, which would lead to a $21 million investment from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. After several habitat projects, only two impairments exists: the Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption and the Restrictions on Drinking Water Consumption or Taste and Odor Problems.

Beneficial Use Impairments
A beneficial use impairment is a change within the physical, biological, and chemical consistency that causes significant environmental degradation. The St. Clair River has undergone several projects and clean up to remove the BUIs that affected the area. There is currently only 2 BUIs left on the St. Clair River, and once those 2 are removed, the river my go through the delisting process.

List of Beneficial Use Impairments that Has Impacted the St. Clair River

 * Restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption
 * Restrictions on drinking water consumption, or taste and odor
 * Tainting of fish and wildlife flavor – REMOVED 2010
 * Restriction on dredging activities – REMOVED 2011
 * Added costs to agriculture or industry – REMOVED 2012
 * Degradation of aesthetics – REMOVED 2012
 * Degradation of benthos – REMOVED 2015
 * Beach closings – REMOVED 2016
 * Bird or animal deformities or reproduction problems – REMOVED 2017
 * Loss of fish and wildlife habitat – REMOVED 2017