On May 3, 2016, U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, both Democrats representing Michigan, announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will provide nearly $5 million to help restore fish and wildlife habitat on and around Stony Island in the Detroit River.
The funding comes in addition to $2.3 million dedicated in February of 2016 to restore fish and wildlife habitats in the upper bay of Stony Island.
The announcement was made at a meeting of the Friends of the Detroit River.
The Detroit River has lost nearly 95% of its original coastal wetlands, with much of the remaining wetlands existing in the lower Detroit River. Two lower river islands, Stony and Celeron Islands, are both owned by the State of Michigan and managed by the Department of Natural Resources.
Decades of erosion have greatly reduced the wetlands surrounding these islands. This project was developed to conduct field surveys of sediments, explore habitat treatment options and develop the detailed design and engineering plans and specifications for habitat restoration options for each island.
The Celeron Island and Stony Island fish and wildlife habitat restoration projects have been identified in the 2009 Detroit River Remedial Action Plan Fish and Wildlife BUI Delisting Plan as critical for restoration of the impaired beneficial uses.