Consumers Energy, which operates the J.H. Campbell Generating Plant in Port Sheldon Township, along with township officials, have made formal requests to the Environmental Protection Agency for a public hearing about the utility’s proposed construction of two deep injection wells to dispose of coal waste created by the plant’s continued operation.
“I had heard that over 60 people had written, request the EPA wanting a public hearing on this.”
That’s Ottawa County District 1 Commissioner Jim Barry.
“As they’re producing coal, they’re using water to cool turbines, and then the water gets discharged back into the channel, and what’s in those settling ponds, potash residue, under EGLE supervision and permitting, they’re taking diluted amounts of that material and pumping it back into the lake.”
The wells would allow Consumers to inject this non-hazardous wastewater into deep, porous rock formations underground.
The board of commissioners voted 10-1 in favor of asking the EPA for a public hearing. No word yet on when or if that hearing will take place.
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