Struthers applies for funds to finally remove dam on Mahoning

STRUTHERS

It’s about dam time.

Plans to remove a dam in the Struthers section of the Mahoning River are finally staring to materialize.

If the city is again turned down for money from the Environmental Protection Agency, there is a plan B.

“One way or another, it’s going to get done,” Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker said.

Struthers has applied for $2.3 million from the Ohio EPA to remove the obsolete industrial dam and other barriers around the dam, including large pieces of sediment and debris. The dam, a holdover from the Valley’s steel-producing past, straddles Struthers and Campbell.

The cities of Struthers and Campbell have applied to the EPA for similar grants multiple times in the past, but have been denied each time.

This time, Struthers has reduced the amount of money it is requesting and expects to hear whether its application was successful by October. If the city receives the funding, design is slated to begin in 2018, and the project should be shovel-ready in 2019.

Read more about the plan in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.