Consequences of Potential Dredging: Issue of Public Safety and Concern
Note: More information on the MDEQ decision will be forthcoming when the complete materials are obtained & reviewed.
The MDEQ approval of the permit application on Friday brings back many issues that need to be settled before the Council comes to vote on whether or not to approve their plan for a marina and channel cut.
Of huge public concern is the loss of the emergency road access of Dunkley Avenue. This is a most critical issue but there is another major issue beyond the road.
Potential dredging of Celery Pond is a subject that goes way beyond the perimeter of the city’s residents. It is a public issue that covers an immense radius and, we feel that more comprehensive assessments need to be made.
Talking to an official from the Brownfield Development group, I was told that a soil boring of 17′-35′ needs to be done to determine safety factors.
Another expert told me that 50′ should be the depth for testing, considering the known history of dumping into Celery Pond. (After over 5 hours in Farmers’ Market Saturday, with so many people stopping by our table, these concerns were heard, along with many others.)
The first Prism Technology report done on Celery Pond for the City in January 2003 recommended a “more comprehensive sampling and analysis program be done,” beyond their initial findings because of the “risks involved based on the desire to consider this parcel for dredging and development.”
Another Limited Site Investigation in April 2003 took six soil borings to “a maximum depth of 25 feet below ground level. Two soil borings were performed through the (frozen) Celery Pond.”
We would like to remind readers that this information was covered last year. You may remember that the drilling rig got stuck in the soft sediment beneath the ice during mobilization on 3 March 2003. Therefore, a pre-assigned alternate location along the drainage ditch was performed.”
As a concerned group of citizens who hope to preserve the integrity of Celery Pond, we want to see another boring analysis done by the City, with at least 12 borings done at a depth of 50′
We want total assurance to be made to the public and others citizens in the watershed and along the Lake Michigan coastline, that no toxicity is at stake which might affect our drinking water, swimming water, etc, if dredging were ever to be done in Celery Pond.
We trust that the Council will not take any action until such conclusive evidence is undertaken as potential liabilites would be involved.
How do you feel about this issue?
Remember to contact your Council representative and/or write a letter to the local newspapers to voice you opinions. Also contact us in comments on the blog.
