Group plans to seek state grants to help clean up Mahoning River

Group plans to seek state grants to help clean up Mahoning River

By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Youngstown

While many look at the Mahoning River and see a hopeless reminder of what it once was, the Friends of the Mahoning River see opportunity.

The group, which has about 50 active members, has a long-term goal of completely cleaning out the contaminated sediment and removing six of the river’s eight dams.

John Kwolek, of Canfield, said most of the dams were built during the steel boom to cool water near the factories and no longer serve a purpose. He said Friends of the Mahoning RIver is in the process of applying for non-profit status, which would allow the group to apply for the state grants that are needed to begin cleanup process.

“Each cleanup and dam removal will cost about $5 million,” he said. “The process is time-consuming and very competitive.”

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.