News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Lisa Kruse, senior environmental quality analyst, remediation and development division of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, speaks at Monday’s Alpena Municipal Council meeting. Kruse updated the council on the environmental contamination of the former Decorative Panels International plant in Alpena.

ALPENA — Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOA), a specific Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), has been detected in the groundwater at the former Decorative Panels International plant in Alpena.

According to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, six groundwater tests were taken, and four of them showed the level of PFOA nearly doubled the state maximum limit for groundwater.

The state standard for PFOA is eight-parts per trillion and some of the groundwater sampled was recorded at or about 14.9 ppt. One part per trillion is the equivalent of about thirty seconds out of a million years.

The appearance of the manmade chemicals in the groundwater will not impact drinking water in Alpena because water is supplied by the city’s water plant and system and contained. The city had its drinking water tested and EGLE says PFAS levels were not detected in any of them.

Lisa Kruse, senior environmental quality analyst, remediation and development division of EGLE, said the tests show elevated levels of PFOA — though not as high as many other contaminated sites in Michigan — still need to be addressed.

The environmental clean-up is the responsibility of DPI, whether it sells the property and plant at an auction later this month or not.

It is believed the contamination stems from a firefighting foam used in the plant’s fire suppression system. The contamination of PFOA from the foam is common nationwide, especially at military bases, including the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena.

The Alpena Municipal Council received an update on the pollution and remediation needs from EGLE at its meeting on Monday.

Kruse updated how the contamination was found and what the plan will be to address it.

Remediation efforts, Kruse said, may not be very burdensome, or costly, depending on what type of development is on the horizon, or more nuanced and expensive.

“Until we know what we’re dealing with and what the property will be used for, it will sort of be up in the air,” she said.

Kruse said EGLE is still awaiting more test results from DPI to determine the extent and severity of the contamination. She said when more is known, EGLE will work with DPI on a plan moving forward.

“We still have to find out how large the plume is and where it is going, and see the whole extent of the contamination,” Kruse said. “We have to see if it is going into the great lake or the river. We are still in the first phase of this.”

Kruse did confirm the groundwater at the property does flow toward Thunder Bay, but as of now, she can’t say for sure how much, if any, of the contaminant has made its way into the lake.

Currently, EGLE’s Remediation and Redevelopment Division, Water Resources Division, and Air Quality Division are all working with DPI in regard to the lagoons on the property and air pollution matters.

The plant closed suddenly in February and laid off more than 150 employees. Since then, DPI has indicated it wants to sell the property.

Before the property auction, which was originally slated for mid-December, the council voted to rezone the property from heavy industrial to lakeside. The city and its partners have visions of the lakeside land being used for future mixed-use development which would include a blend of commercial, housing, and light industrial in the years ahead. A large manufacturing facility like DPI would likely not be able to operate there.

Decorative Panels urged the council not to rezone the property because it could spook potential bidders and make the property less enticing for someone who wants to redevelop it. An attorney for the company hinted at a lawsuit if the council moved forward with the rezoning, but the council voted in favor of it anyway.

Kruse said her slide presentation and the slides she used will go live on the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) webpage. MPART is a team of seven state agencies established to ensure coordination in implementing a response to PFAS contamination.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

The Alpena Municipal Council voted 4-0 to appoint Kevin Currier to the council seat that was left vacant after Cindy Johnson ran and was elected mayor. Currier was one of 10 people who applied for the appointment. Two Alpena residents withdrew from consideration before the meeting.