In June 2020, The Conservancy Initiative (TCI) became aware of Advanced Disposal Service’s (ADS) permit applications which proposed to treat landfill wastewaters (leachate) on-site and discharge into Johnson Creek. At that time, TCI also learned stormwater contaminated with PFAS/PFOS chemicals from fire suppressants has been held at the site in an open-air pond since a fire in 2016. ADS’s plans were to dispose of these contaminated waters via Johnson Creek as part of the water discharge permits being sought.
After the community became enraged and community leaders, as well as other non-government agencies become very actively opposed, ADS requested their permit applications be placed “on-hold”. While the applications are currently not being processed, the applications have not been returned. ADS has the ability to re-start the application process at any time, so we must remain vigilant. TCI has been regularly checking the status of the permit applications via phone calls with EGLE. TCI is also demanding action on the PFAS/PFOS impacted stormwater; making it very clear that the contaminated water is being improperly stored in an unlined and open-air pond. The contaminated stormwater is likely impacting wildlife and/or leaching into the groundwater.
A community webinar (town hall) was held (virtually due to COVID-19) on March 27, 2020, to review details of PFAS/PFOS groundwater contamination found at the landfill near the location of the stormwater pond. At that time, TCI and the community were unaware of the PFAS/PFOS contaminated stormwater being contained in a nearby pond. Unbelievably, there was no mention of the PFAS/PFOS contaminated stormwater during the informational webinar.
On September 10, 2020, EGLE Water Resource Division (WRD) appeared to take the first actions towards the closure of the PFAS/PFOS contaminated stormwater problem. EGLE issued a letter to ADS which summarized the status of the contaminated stormwater and requested a status update from ADS by November 10, 2020.
TCI wants to make clear that although ADS is responsible for the PFAS/PFOS stormwater, our experience is that they will not take action until forced to. ADS has been aware of the contaminated pond since 2016 and no actions have been taken. TCI believes EGLE should demand a plan for immediate remediation of the issue, not merely a status update. TCI will continue to follow-up on this issue and is in the process of requesting additional support to elevate this within EGLE.
Below is a site layout showing the location of contaminated stormwater ponds and the location of the PFAS/PFOS groundwater contamination.
