Mich. officials share toxic chemicals info in private

Grand Rapids Press | The Grand Rapids Press

Algoma Township – Regulators are sharing information about a plume of toxic chemicals in western Michigan groundwater without holding public meetings, making announcements or allowing media coverage.

Algoma Township officials are using “neighborhood meetings” to disclose information about the investigation into toxic contamination at a former Wolverine World Wide tannery near Rockford. Officials say no public record is kept because the meetings aren’t public.

Attendees at a May 10 meeting say the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality alerted residents that Wolverine is expanding the sample area to test wells for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Scott Harvey lives in the new testing area. He says the meeting included information that should be public.

Township Supervisor Kevin Green says the community requested the meetings, which are no different than if affected residents called regulators directly.