Gravel company seeks extension to mine around toxic waste site

By Madison Bennett | MLive

Grand Rapids Gravel Co. is asking Plainfield Township to allow it to continue mining around an area that sits atop acres of land known to be polluted with toxic waste.

Community members and township officials filled Tribes Church, 6070 Kuttshill Drive in Rockford, on Monday, Nov. 19, for a special informative meeting on the company's request.

The company, owned by Andrew Dykema, is seeking its second extension to continue work on the Boulder Creek residential development, located at the intersection of Northland Drive and Cannonsburg Road.

According to Jeff Sluggett, Plainfield Township's attorney, the extension would last an additional three years. If granted, mining would cease in 2021 but the company has an additional two years to remove materials from the site.

In 1996, Grand Rapids Gravel received approval of a planned unit development (PUD), which included a component allowing them to mine the soil.

The original PUD had a condition that the mining be done by 2011 but included wording that would allow the firm to come back for an extension. They were granted a six-year extension in 2012 and have now returned to the board with an additional request.

The development is in close proximity to Boulder Creek Golf Club, 5750 Brewer Ave NE., which sits atop 12 acres of where Wolverine World Wide is known to have dumped tannery waste.

Plainfield Township is one of several Michigan communities dealing with toxic chemicals contaminating groundwater due to Wolverine's tannery sludge dumping.

Those chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS, (also called perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCS), have been linked to cancer, thyroid problems and other illnesses. They were used in Scotchgard, which Wolverine used in the shoe-making process, as reported by MLive's Garret Ellison.

The proximity of the development to the golf course has left some residents questioning the safety of their water.

"I'm concerned about the pollution that was dumped there in the '70s," resident Jim Bissell said. "Wolverine World Wide, all through the '70s, dumped tannery sludge just to the east of the club house."

Bissell questioned whether or not Grand Rapids Gravel has tested the water for PFAS.

Mike Berg, with Dykema Excavating, appeared on behalf of Grand Rapids Gravel to provide a presentation on the company's request and answer questions from residents.

"We've had meetings with the DEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) and have a plan in place where we will be testing in addition to the testing we've already done to understand the pollution that has occurred and we are taking action against Wolverine," Berg said.

While PFAS is a shared concern among residents, those who live in the surrounding area raised additional issues with the mining, including dust in the air and covering their homes.

"The dust that blows directly on us constantly is making our condos so terribly dusty that every year our dues are being used to wash professionally our condo buildings and we ourselves have to pay to have our windows washed," said Donna Westveer, who lives at 4008 Tom Morris Drive NE, which is across from the site's gravel pit.

Others feared that Grand Rapids Gravel would come back with yet another request, as they were led to believe the project would be finished in 2011.

"I have lost all faith in your request for three years because I think my great grandson will probably be at the same meeting," resident Ed Raatz said.

No decisions were made at Monday's special meeting. Additional public hearings will be held before both the Planning Commission and Township Board.

The request is not likely to go before the Planning Commission until January of next year, according to Sluggett.

Residents can send comments and concerns to the township by emailing comments@plainfieldmi.org.

This post originally appeared on Nov. 20, 2018 on MLive.com.