A new report says cleaning up some of the most heavily polluted areas in the Great Lakes region has led to billions of dollars' worth of economic development.
"Great Lakes Revival" highlights 10 places where cleanups have spurred development -- including the Buffalo River and Toronto's Lake Ontario waterfront area.
"It shares how these communities came together, struggled and ultimately found the paths to effectively reclaim their waters," the report says. "These communities overcame challenges in defining the magnitude and scope of the problem, and how to even begin the work of unburdening the waters from years of abuse and neglect."
The study conducted by the International Association for Great Lakes Research in Michigan says the cleanup has also brought communities closer together. But it says work remains to be done on most of the 43 harbors, river mouths and other spots highlighted as areas of concern in the United States and Canada in the 1980s due to contamination of toxic waste.
