Online event to discuss plans for toxic site

Crumbling property on Detroit River ‘front of mind’ for Michigan agency

As a toxic shoreline property along the Detroit River west of the Ambassador Bridge continues to deteriorate, Michigan’s environmental regulator is staging an online open house Tuesday to get feedback on the property owner’s remediation plans.

The former Revere Copper property in southwest Detroit collapsed into the river in November after aggregate company Detroit Bulk Storage stored an overabundance of limestone on the land, causing it to give way.

The property has a lengthy history dating back to the 1940s as a uranium manufacturing facility. After being shuttered and vacated in the 1980s, it became widely known as a toxic dumping ground.

Recent photos illustrate how the shoreline along the Detroit River has continued to crumble since the collapse. A large sinkhole on the property — related to the collapse — has also multiplied in size.

Environmentalists, politicians and watchdog groups on both sides of the border have expressed concern that toxins from the site are entering the river.

Limestone that fell into the river is also believed to have disturbed decades of accumulated toxic industrial sediment located on the river’s bottom.

Detroit Bulk Storage had been leasing the property for aggregate storage from owner Revere Dock LLC — a firm under the Erickson Group. Those entities are being held responsible by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to fully restore the site and shoreline.

The companies have submitted an extensive repair plan to EGLE, which is holding the online public meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. so residents can learn more about the proposal and provide feedback.

“It’s always important to have public input — that’s why we are having this meeting,” said Nick Assendelft, spokesman for EGLE. “Comments made during the meeting will be part of the public record as we move forward on how to proceed with the restoration plan.

“We will take a look at the comments, do our due diligence on what has been proposed and then respond on what we feel needs to be done.”

Revere Dock has proposed removing the limestone materials from the river, plus sediments, and disposing of them at a licensed disposal facility. The company also is proposing to build an approximately 600-foot-long steel seawall to replace the existing pile-supported concrete dock at the site.

Also listed in the restoration plan are ways to control erosion, sedimentation and turbidity in the water during construction to comply with local, state and federal regulations.

There is no timeline in place for when the repairs must be completed, despite the rapid ongoing deterioration on the property’s shoreline, Assendelft said.

“Whatever gets approved (by EGLE in the restoration plan) will set the timeline, but this is something we want to see remediated as soon as possible,” he said.

“We are keeping our eye on things there. It is something front of mind for us.”

Those wishing to participate can go online at register.gotowebinar.com/register/885175437406545679 or phone 1-562-247-8422 and use access code 642-411-906. Pre-registration is not required to participate.