Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Cancer-causing chemicals found in groundwater near Shelby Twp. Ford plant

Mount Clemens? A carcinogen and another harmful chemical have been found in groundwater near a former Ford Motor Co., auto parts plant in Shelby Township, an environmental consultant said Monday.

"The concern is the chemicals shouldn't be there at all," said James Dragun, president of Farmington Hills-based Dragun Corp.

Dragun made the remarks to the media during a recess in a motion hearing in Macomb Circuit Court Monday.

Attorneys for Ford Motor Co., two real estate developers, Shelby Township government officials and others were at the hearing to address legal motions, including a protective order to keep certain information and documents confidential.

Ford attorneys asked for the protective order, but Judge Richard Caretti ordered counsel for all parties to meet and hammer out an agreement over protocol for submitting and requesting evidence in the litigation.

Caretti also denied a motion for accelerated discovery.

Dragun said he has provided attorneys for Shelby Township and real estate developer Grand Sakwa, LLC with an affidavit about tests he conducted on property near the site of a former Visteon auto parts plant on Mound Road near 23 Mile. Grand Sakwa owns land next to the plant and has developed part of it into condos and single family homes.

Dragun said his tests on groundwater on land adjacent to the plant revealed the presence of two chemicals, TCE and TCA.

TCE has been known to cause cancer and TCA causes several health problems in humans, he said. Both chemicals are degreasing agents used in manufacturing operations, Dragun said.

"We estimate there are about 75 million gallons of contaminated groundwater on the site adjacent to the plant," he said.

Dragun said cleaning up the chemicals could cost as much as $57 million.

He said more investigation is needed to determine the exact amount present on the old factory's property and whether any of it is in nearby residential areas.

Township resident Mike Grobbel, who has lived in a subdivision near the auto parts plant since 2007, said most residents knew soil on the site was contaminated, but didn't know it was also in their groundwater.

Grobbel, 60, said the news is a concern, especially since some wells in his neighborhood are used to irrigate a 15-foot-tall berm that separates homes from the vacant factory.

Another motion hearing in the case is scheduled for next Monday .

cramirez@detnews.com

(313) 222-2058

Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120723/METRO03/207230406/1408/LOCAL

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