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Enbridge Proposes Two New Sites For Dredge Pad Area, Once Delayed By Bell’s Lawsuit

Posted at 8:54 PM, Feb 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-12 21:41:13-05

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (Feb. 12, 2012) — Enbridge is proposing two new sites for a dredge pad project in Comstock Township.

Enbridge was able to successfully complete most of the EPA’s mandate to dredge a number of areas.

However, the project in the Morrow Lake and Delta area was delayed in 2013 by a number of factors, including a lawsuit from a business owner who didn’t want the filtration site near his business.

The township also had concerns about that original area.

“I think they felt the impact of that location would probably be too much in terms of the public and there were still questions of what the impact of the dredging would be,” said Richard Adams, Senior Vice President of Operations for Enbridge.

Over the following months, Enbridge was not able to complete that project by the Dec. 31, 2013 EPA deadline and began researching other possible locations.

Wednesday they officially announced where two new proposed areas would be.

The two options sit near the intersection of 33rd Street and M 96 in Comstock Township.

The company hosted an informational meeting Wednesday at the Kalamazoo Expo Center to educate residents who live near those proposed dredge pad areas about what they might entail.

“The industrial park was our first choice, frankly, in terms of it’s location…These other two sites really provide us with an opportunity to get the product to shore in a very expeditious manner as well to provide transport out of the site,” said Adamas.

Although it’s still early in the process, Enbridge said as of Wednesday afternoon, they hadn’t heard anyone come forward with a problem with the new locations.

“We’ll be starting in the spring,” said Adams.

“So far ‘No’ but we never know. That’s the idea here is to provide the people who are directly involved all the information they need. We may see opposition, but we’ll cross that road when we come to it,” said Adams.

The meeting Wednesday was only for those residents living near the new proposed sites.

The public will get to weigh in on the two new proposed sites during public meetings with Comstock Township scheduled for the 17th and 22nd.