10/10/2020 Resolution - CARD Group Rejects the Proposed Gelman 4th Consent Judgement

Passed by CARD Voting Members 10-18-20 Unanimously.

10/10/2020 Resolution requesting the Coalition for the Remediation of Dioxane (CARD) Group Reject the Proposed 4th Consent Judgement Negotiated for Groundwater Remediation of the Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Plume.

WHEREAS, The Charter Township of Ann Arbor has unanimously rejected the Proposed 4th Consent Judgement Negotiated for Groundwater Remediation of the Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Plume.

WHEREAS, the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group has rejected the Proposed 4th Consent Judgement Negotiated for Groundwater Remediation of the Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Plume.

WHEREAS, the City of Ann Arbor Environmental Commission has rejected the Proposed 4th Consent Judgement Negotiated for Groundwater Remediation of the Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Plume.

WHEREAS, residential drinking water wells are not protected by this agreement.

WHEREAS, The 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume continues advancing down Honey Creek and towards the Huron River upstream of the City’s drinking water supply intake.

WHEREAS, The 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume continues advancing down the Allen('s) Creek into West Park near the surface potentially exposing residents and businesses on Ann Arbor's West Side.

WHEREAS, The ineffectual in situ dilution and dispersion mitigation strategy is permitted to continue, rather than the implementation of a more aggressive clean-up strategy.

WHEREAS, Older treatment infrastructure and methods are permitted to continue, while more advanced treatment technologies are marketed by the Polluter itself, Danaher.

WHEREAS, This strategy continues expanding the Prohibition Zone and converting private wells to the city water system.

WHEREAS, Partially treated dioxane purge water would be discharged into First Sister Lake -- one of two natural lakes in the city-- in the absence of effective studies of the impact on the health of the lake.

WHEREAS, The 200 gallons per minute volume of the Gelman wastewater discharge will likely harm the wetland and this volume equates to a 100-year rain event entering the lake every day.

WHEREAS, There are no hydrology studies nor contingency plans for flooding risks to the adjacent neighborhoods.

WHEREAS, The proposed termination agreement allows up to 500ppb in the aquifer and soils.

WHEREAS, The Maple Road Containment Rule will be removed and will allow the plume to move through the city which is unacceptable.

WHEREAS, The local governmental bodies would be required to submit an Order of Dismissal, terminating their rights to participate in the Consent Judgement and agree not to support any requests to the EPA for Superfund designation for this site.

RESOLVED, The CARD Group finds these Terms and Conditions unacceptable.

RESOLVED, That the CARD Group does not support the approval of the Proposed 4th Amended Consent Judgement agreement and does not recommend its adoption by Washtenaw County, Scio Township or the City of Ann Arbor.

RESOLVED, The CARD Group strongly urges our local government officials to reject the 4th Consent Judgement and to immediately jointly pursue a Petition to US EPA for Superfund Status for the Gelman 1,4-Dioxane Plume and Contamination full Cleanup.