Clarkson University receives $6.5 million EPA grant

The Environmental Protection Agency awarded Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York a $6.5 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant on Tuesday, continuing funding for the next five years for the school’s program monitoring Great Lakes fish populations.

“We are excited about continuing our collaborative work with EPA to assess pollutant concentrations and trends in the Great Lakes,”  Tom Holsen, associate director of the Clarkson University Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, said. “Over the next five years, we’ll be adding new state-of-the art analytical instruments to help identify both current and emerging contaminants, such as flame retardants, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, present in the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

Clarkson researchers study fish populations for contamination from both existing pollutants, such as PCBs, banned pesticides and mercury, and new chemical threats. The results provide data on the overall health of the Great Lakes, important information for local public health.

“This investment will help provide the necessary resources to monitor pollutants in and around our lakes,” U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, said. “The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will help update Clarkson University’s research programs to monitor the presence of pollutants, stepping up our efforts to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink and the land we use around us.”