Tannery site project moves forward

WHITEHALL -- There are signs of progress in the effort to redevelop the contaminated former Whitehall Leather Co. tannery site into waterfront condominiums.

The optimism comes from two recent actions -- a productive meeting among the property stakeholders, and relatively promising results in examination of the soil beneath the demolished buildings at the site.

Some are even predicting that a formal environmental cleanup plan for the 33-acre site along the White Lake shoreline may be presented by Genesco, the site's former owner, to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality at the end of this summer or early fall. A preliminary site plan for the proposed 200-unit condominium community would likely be submitted by developers relatively soon after.

City officials -- Mayor Mac Hatch and City Manager Scott Huebler -- described the recent status meeting with representatives of Genesco, DEQ and the proposed developer as being highly productive.

"It was probably the best meeting I've had with them, and I've had a lot of them," Hatch said, stopping short of making any major announcement from the meeting. "We made progress. I'm very optimistic."

The cleanup of the site contaminated by more than a century of leather-tanning operations has been an ongoing project of negotiations, testing and public debate. The on-site cleanup followed a similar cleanup of Tannery Bay in White Lake.

Testing and review of the results continue. Officials said additional testing is needed to help complete the formal cleanup plan.

One of the final areas to be tested was the soil underneath the buildings that were demolished in 2007.

A report prepared by Horizon Environmental, on behalf of Genesco, was recently submitted and focused on the building demolition and testing of the soil underneath the structures.

As was hoped by those involved with the cleanup and redevelopment, no major additional soil contamination concerns were found.

A total of 93 samples were submitted for analysis for various materials. Most of the results that exceeded the recommended direct contact or groundwater contact levels were taken care of with soil removal or expected to be mitigated through new building foundations or the fill that will be placed over much of the site.

Mercury was the main concern found in the report. Based on the soil samples tested, there were 47 instances of the accepted criteria levels being exceeded for mercury, although most were at relatively low levels.

Mercury can be a problem when it reaches lakes, because it builds up in the muscle tissue of fish and may ultimately be eaten by people. Mercury poisoning can cause damage to a person's central nervous system, kidney and liver, and impair child development.

In one area, the southwest corner of the former Leach House on the site, the mercury level was considered high at 310 mg/kg. In that instance, an immediate remedial response was deemed necessary and the mercury-impacted soils were excavated for off-site disposal.

The Horizon report stated: "Verification sampling results indicate that the mercury-impacted soils were completely removed." Waste materials also were removed or excavated from five other areas following demolition of the buildings.

Rick Rediske, senior research scientist with Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resources Institute, said the mercury readings don't constitute a major concern.

When contacted by The Chronicle and presented with the mercury levels in the report, Rediske said most of the readings don't send up red flags because only five of the 47 greatly exceed the criteria. In addition, he pointed out that a lot of sediments in the White Lake area have a small level of mercury in them.

However, he was "glad" that the area with the 310 mg/kg reading already was removed.

Susan Peelen-Streidl, a city-hired environmental consultant, reviewed the report on the city's behalf and issued a letter to city officials stating that she was "in general agreement" with the report's conclusions.

"It appears that the building demolition went well and that all waste materials were properly identified and removed," Peelen-Streidl wrote.

Hatch said he was pleased with the findings of the report, because "there's nothing that can't be resolved."

"We don't care how long it takes. We just want it to be as clean as possible."

City Councilwoman Tanya Cabala, an independent environmental consultant, said she was "fairly satisfied" with the results in the report, but she has some concerns about the mercury and arsenic found in certain areas. Cabala has continually asked for the city to provide public updates from the DEQ and others at council meetings.

"I am also interested in hearing about the extent of groundwater contamination in Svensson Park and beyond, as well as the results from the removal of contamination in the northern wetland area," Cabala said. Svensson Park is a city park adjacent to the tannery site's southern portion.

Norm Ullman, former mayor and White Lake Public Advisory Council chairman, said the PAC has sent a letter to DEQ Director Steven Chester requesting a public meeting to be held, possibly in August, to update the status of the tannery site.

"I'm always concerned until White Lake is as clean as we can make it," Ullman said. "It isn't a question of how much time it takes. It's a question of getting it done right."