Black River Advisory Committee's (AOC) goal is to remove the Black River from the US EPA's Area Of Concern list. This committee is sponsored by the Ohio EPA and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), and assists with funding requests and project designation along the lower six miles of the Black River. This area flows from Elyria through Sheffield Village and Lorain before draining into Lake Erie.

The Advisory Committee is made up of city, state and federal entities, non-profit organizations, private citizens, and other Black River stakeholders. The committee meets quarterly, currently using Zoom to facilitate online meetings. While the Black River is 12.5 miles long, the committee's main focus is on the Lower Black River. Starting at the mouth, draining into Lake Erie, and going 6.5 miles upriver to where French Creek flows into the river is the main area of focus.

The Black River was designated as an Area of Concern in 1987 and local, state and federal partners have worked together in completing all management actions, with the final step finished in September 2020. The Black River AOC has 6 BUI’s that remain impaired, as BUI 11: Degradation to Aesthetics was recently removed on January 14, 2021. Working to remove BUI’s doesn’t just help the river, it helps the whole city. Some might not realize that the hard work and time put in to help delist the AOC also has a huge impact on the community. The Black River was once known for the mighty ships that were built on its banks. Along with steel and coal utilizing the banks and shoreline, this was Lorain's lifeblood. Now it is the lifeblood through recreation and entertainment. State, federal, and local efforts continue to help work towards the goal of delisting the Black River AOC.