Wolverine?s special use permit approved in 7-2 vote

The members of the Presque Isle County Planning Commission met Thursday evening, and after a brief discussion, approved the special land use permit for the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture ? a decision that had been put on hold for 30 days after the planning commission?s last meeting in June.

IN JUNE, commission members Tom Harkleroad and Byron DeLong voted to extend the decision on the special land use permit in order to investigate and research several environmental issues stemming from the possibility of a coal-fired plant located near Lake Huron. A sub committee, including DeLong, Dennis Budnick, Dennis Felax, and chairman Michael Libby, met on July 6. A motion was made to recommend approval of the permit, and passed 3-1 with DeLong offering the only no vote. After an overview of the sub committee was reported at the start of Thursday?s meeting, vice-chairman Richard Wright made the motion to approve the special use permit as Wolverine presented it.

In response to the motion, DeLong asked for an amendment to include the requirement that Wolverine construct its landfill above the level of Lake Huron. ?In doing some research?I found out that the gravel pit does not currently have hazardous materials in it,? said DeLong, suggesting the land use proposed by Wolverine would not coincide with how the land is currently being used. ?No landfills are being built this close to Lake Huron, and there is the potential of fly ash contaminates getting into Lake Huron,? continued DeLong. ?In all probability, this landfill will be a type II, but I discussed it with Lansing, and it should be a type III.?

UNDER MICHIGAN law, there are three types of landfills. Type I landfills accept hazardous waste materials. Type II landfills or sanitary landfills accept municipal solid waste, while Type III accept construction, demolition, and non-hazardous industrial wastes. Type II sanitary landfills require a separation layer from ground water, as well as a puncture resistant protection layer. According to DeLong?s research, Type III landfills require isolation from the ground water. ?It is a standard this committee should make?to ensure the lake is protected,? said DeLong. ?We would not be at odds with the DEQ in recommending the landfill being above water level.? DeLong said he also contacted both power plants Wolverine has made reference to in Kentucky and Florida. He said both plants reported that their landfills were located off-site from the property. ?The Florida plant has a lot of water surrounding it, and it does not have an on-site landfill,? said DeLong. ?They also said that everything that goes into the landfill does not contain contaminates.? DeLong said he would like to see the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture turn into a success, and that he would also like to see the jobs it could bring to the county; however, he felt is was an obligation of the planning commission to make its own requirements.

HARKLEROAD AGREED with DeLong, and expressed concern over engineer drawings of the proposed plant where landfills are represented as being located below water level. ?They (Wolverine) are going to roll t

he dice on our water,? said Harkleroad. ?I want to vote for this project because it would do a lot for Rogers City, but we shouldn?t be rolling the dice on water protection.? DeLong?s recommended amendment to Wright?s original motion to approve the special land use permit was voted down with only DeLong and Harkleroad approving it. The original motion to approve the special use permit as presented by Wolverine passed by a 7-2 margin, with DeLong and Harkleroad throwing in the only no votes. DeLong said he wanted a minority report filed that stated the amendment he requested to ensure water protection was turned down.

?If this deal goes south,? said DeLong, ?I would like it to be on record of why I made the motion of amendment. I am not voting against the power plant.?

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