EPA, MDEQ to hold public meeting and hearing on proposed disposal well

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and MDEQ will hold a public meeting and hearing on June 13 at Alba Public School Gymnasium, 5935 Elm St., to answer questions and take comments on a proposed permit for an underground injection disposal well in Antrim County, Mich. The information meeting will begin at 6 p.m. followed by a public hearing from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Beeland Group LLC has applied to EPA and MDEQ for permits to build a deep injection well and use it to dispose of treated contaminated ground water from an ongoing cleanup of a former cement kiln site at Bay Harbor, Mich. If approved, the permit would only allow the disposal of non-hazardous liquid waste. The company proposes to send the wastewater deep underground, more than 1,000 feet below the closest source of drinking water. The well would be located a quarter mile west of the intersection of Alba Highway/County Road 42 and Patterson Road.

The public comment period ends June 27, 2007. Comments can be made in person or in writing at the hearing. Written comments can also be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: EPA Region 5, UIC Branch, Attn. William Bates, 77 W. Jackson Blvd. (WU-16J), Chicago, IL 60604-3590. They may be faxed to 312-886-4235 or e-mailed to bates.william@epa.gov

A fact sheet about this proposed permit is available at http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/uic/uicpub.htm More information about the cleanup at Bay Harbor is available at http://www.epa.gov/region5/sites/littletraverse/index.htm