Verdict on injection well expected soon

ALBA, Jan 11, 2008 (The Record-Eagle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CMS | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- Appeals are expected if state and federal permits are issued this month to drill a new injection well near Alba.

The proposed well is part of a cleanup plan by CMS Energy for pollution in Bay Harbor and a decision will come by the end of January, said officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The agencies will meet this week to compare notes.

"Obviously, we want to be on the same page with the EPA on an issue like this," said Bob McCann, DEQ spokesman.

A 30-day appeal period will follow and it would not be surprising if some are filed, no matter what decision is made, said William Bates, EPA permit writer.

If permits are issued, one of the expected appeals will come from Antrim County's Star Township, where many residents voiced a clear message of opposition at a public hearing held in June.

"We're not just going to let it go. We intend to pursue this. When you get that many people who don't want something and feel it could jeopardize their clean water, you have to," said Richard Steel, township supervisor.

Friends of the Jordan River Watershed also will appeal and may seek an injunction to halt well construction, said John Richter, president of the conservation group.

Regardless, the company expects permit approval for the new well, said Tim Petrosky, CMS area manager. He said it will take several months to build.

"Based on the exhaustive review conducted by both the EPA and DEQ, we feel any appeal would be without merit, unsuccessful and an unfortunate expenditure of resources," he said.

Petrosky declined to say whether the company would appeal, if well permits are denied.

If approved, a new deep-injection disposal well will be built near Alba Highway to pump treated water into underground rock formations. The water will come from a $93 million contamination cleanup project in Emmet County, where lavish lakeshore homes were built atop polluted kiln dust from an old cement factory.

Contaminated water currently is taken from Little Traverse Bay, treated on site and then trucked to a commercial injection well in Montmorency County and a treatment plant in Grand Traverse County.

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