Keweenaw Waters Resort Opens on Redeveloped Superfund Site in Michigan

State, federal, and local leaders celebrate the transformation of a former industrial waste site into a 25-acre eco-friendly campground on the Keweenaw Waterway.

• By Stasia DeMarco
• Jun 18, 2025

State and federal officials joined local leaders and project partners Tuesday to celebrate the official opening of Keweenaw Waters Resort, a 25-acre waterfront campground built on the site of a former industrial waste site in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Phil Roos, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and Anne Vogel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 administrator, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the resort. Located along the Keweenaw Waterway, the site was once home to the Michigan Smelter Tailings, part of the larger Torch Lake Superfund Site in Houghton County.

“This project shows what’s possible when we commit to restoring communities that were once written off,” Roos said. “This portion of the Torch Lake site was once among the most contaminated in Michigan. Today, it’s supporting local jobs, drawing in visitors, and protecting the environment for future generations.”

The celebration marked the transformation of a former pollution hotspot into a thriving recreational destination. Attendees toured the grounds, which now feature 24 sustainably built cabins, 89 RV and tent sites, and plans for a swimming beach, fishing dock, and nature boardwalk.

“Transforming pollution hotspots into tourist destinations like the Keweenaw Waters Resort is the kind of outcome that EPA strives for,” Vogel said. “EPA is honored to bring clean water, land, and air—and economic opportunity—to this scenic Michigan community.”

Developer Derek Bradway of Bradway Enterprises led the resort’s creation with support from EGLE and the EPA. The project has received positive reviews and strong local support.

“This beautiful development is a testimony of what can be done when national, state, and local partners align with the private sector,” Bradway said.

The Michigan Smelter Tailings site was added to the EPA’s National Priorities List in 1986 due to severe contamination. Cleanup efforts began in 1998 and included the removal of hazardous materials, capping more than 800 acres of land, and implementing long-term site monitoring. The broader Torch Lake site encompasses 13 designated cleanup zones across Houghton County.

Since 1985, EGLE and EPA have partnered under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as the Superfund law, to clean up the nation’s most hazardous sites. To date, 22 sites in Michigan have been remediated, with work ongoing at 65 others.

For more information on EGLE’s environmental cleanup and redevelopment efforts, visit www.michigan.gov/egle.