Tainted sediment to be dredged from Ind. canal

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. - Work to remove an estimated 180,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the Indiana Harbor and Canal in East Chicago is scheduled to start next month.

The Post-Tribune reports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project has dredged roughly 400,000 cubic yards of sediment since 2012.

The canal is part of the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Grand Calumet River Area of Concern because of its historical contamination by PCBs, heavy metals and other pollutants.

Kokosing Construction Co. project manager Aaron Harke says the dredging start date depends on ice conditions on Lake Michigan. Harke says the dredging will go on until funds allocated by Congress run out. Harke says the funding doesn't fully address the backlog of sediment.