Muskegon Lake
BUI Documents
A good sign that cleanup and restoration work is succeeding is with the removal of beneficial use impairments. Beneficial use impairments are designations given by the International Joint Commission representing different types of significant environmental degradation. As cleanup work is completed, and monitoring demonstrates sufficient environmental health improvements, BUIs can gradually be removed. This AOC has removed four BUIs and has five more to eliminate. See the list below. Once all BUIs are removed, the process of delisting the AOC can begin.
Muskegon Lake BUI Targets and Documents to Support all Nine BUI Removals:
- Beach closings– Removed 2015
- Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption– Removed 2013
- Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae
- Restrictions on Drinking Water Consumption, or Taste and Odor– Removed 2013
- Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations— Removed 2023
- Degradation of Aesthetics- Removed 2021
- Degradation of Benthos
- Restrictions on Dredging Activities– Removed 2011
- Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat—Removed 2023
To learn more about actions taken to remove BUIs, see Restoring the Great Lakes AOCs.