White Lake Township Updates

Shrink Wrap Recycling- March 2024

White Lake Township is once again offering Shrink Wrap Recycling bags. Bags can be purchased for $7 at the Township Treasurer’s office.   This program was suggested to the township last year by a concerned citizen. It was very successful, and over 200 bags were recycled. Plastic film (e.g. shrink wrap) and bags are not recycled by GFL (even if you put them in the recycling bin).

"Dr. Shrink" is a program being used at marinas around the state and is growing into communities like ours where there are hundreds of boats being wrapped for winter storage.  The $7 cost covers the Dr. Shrink bag, and shipping to the recycler on the west side of the state. This is NOT a government program, and it is NOT a tax. All of the money is passed through to Dr. Shrink who uses the material to make TREX composite decking.

Please recycle your shrink wrap rather than sending it to the landfill. It is easy to do and well worth the $7. Bags must be dropped off next to the Township Hall dumpster (by the Police Department) prior to Memorial Day to make the shipping date.   Below are a couple of links for reference.

White Lake Twp Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02cNY...

Recycle Used Shrink Wrap Covers - Dr. Shrink (dr-shrink.com)

Thanks,
Steve Woodard
2nd VP External Affairs LVIA

Stanley Park, Parks & Rec Update February 2024

For the Stanley Park / Parks & Rec interested neighbors, a few milestone decisions were reached at the February 24, 2024 WLT Board Meeting.

The information will be in the minutes of the next board meeting in March, however, if someone wants to view the YouTube video of the meeting, it can be found here.  February 20, 2024 Board of Trustees (youtube.com).  The Parks & Rec items start at the 1hr 7 min point in the video.

The key items regarding Parks & Recreation:

• The Parks & Rec millage expired at the end of 2023.  The board has decided to ask for a renewal and restoration of the 0.3 mill millage on the August 2024 Primary election ballot.  Key point to note is all of the money collected from this millage would be for the benefit of White Lake Township parks and recreational resources.

• After many years of planning, a contract for $653K was awarded to Fonson Construction to build the Triangle Trail, which will go down Elizabeth Lake Rd. from M-59 to Teggerdine to M-59 and back to Elizabeth Lake Rd.  This trail is anticipated to connect with future trails at Stanley Park and on the future Civic Center campus.

• Due to the high cost of construction now, and anticipated later, the Township decided to issue bonds of $2.7M to cover the cost of the Triangle Trail and the Stanley Park Phase One Development.  The Parks and Recreation millage proceeds will be used to service the debt and also provide the resources for maintenance of the parks.  There are currently funds in the Parks & Recreation Budget that have been earmarked for these projects, but it will not leave any balance for future development if the millage is not approved.

Stanley Park

• The contract to complete the Stanley Park Phase One Development project was awarded to STE Construction.  The project was originally estimated to cost $1.5M, but the decision was made to pave the entire road from Elizabeth Lake Rd. to the parking lot area near the lake.  The award was for $2.0M to cover the cost of the development and the additional paving.  A $500K grant was received from the Federal government for this project in 2023.

Best Regards,

Steve

Young Road Explosion Update Feb 2024

EGLE posted a new update regarding the Young Road oil well explosion testing and remediation.  Please scroll to the bottom of the EGLE page using the EGLE link below for the Feb 9 update.  The text of the Feb 9 update is copied below for your convenience.  

In addition, White Lake Township (WLT) has provided an update from Fire Chief John Holland.  That update is included at the end of this message.

All EGLE updates: White Lake 29 CPF incident (michigan.gov)

EGLE February 9th Update:

• Results of the 1/22/2024 sampling in the excavated areas by Global Environmental and 3rd party laboratory analysis indicate:

  • No Hydrocarbon Indicator Parameters were found above laboratory detection limit in any of the collected samples and are all below Part 201 Residential Soil Cleanup Criteria.

  • Chlorides were detected at low levels at several locations, but all samples are below Part 201 Residential Soil Criteria for Residential Drinking Water Protection Criteria.

• Global Environmental conducted research on the fire-fighting foam used during the incident and found documentation from several studies that PFAS compounds and breakdown chemicals associated with PFAS are not found in the brand of fire-fighting foam used. Samples of the source material have been collected and are being analyzed to verify the claims in the studies. Additional analysis is being completed and the final laboratory report is expected soon.

White Lake Township (WLT) published an update from Fire Chief John Holland dated January 26th. Please scroll to the bottom of the WLT web page to find the Jan 26th report.

Here is the conclusion from the report:

“Conclusion: Based on the information provided by the on-scene investigators, it is their opinion that the fire originated at the north side of the property, in the area of the storage container(s). The exact ignition sequence at this time is undetermined, however the investigators concluded that there was no sufficient evidence of criminal activity as it pertains to the origin and cause of the fire.

Should additional information become available, the investigators reserve the right to evaluate that information as it pertains to the origin and cause of this fire.

Other Comments. The damage to the storage containers is consistent with the application of sufficient heat energy, provoking vapor expansion, resulting in the witnessed - post fire explosions.”

This is the link to the WLT website: Young Road Oil Well Updates | White Lake Township MI (whitelaketwp.com)

Sincerely,

Steve Woodard

2nd VP, LVIA

Young Road Explosion Update Dec 2023

The following is an update on the Young Road fire from Rik Kowall, Supervisor, While Lake Township.  A complete report follows after his update.

Steve Woodard, 2nd VP, LVIA

Dear Residents of White Lake,

The Township would like to provide an update regarding the explosion and subsequent fire that occurred on the evening of Friday, November 24th at an operational oil well off Young Street, west of Bogie Lake Road and south of M-59. For those who may be wondering, this well has been operational since 1995.

The site is currently being cleaned up by its owners under the supervision of the State of Michigan and led by the Michigan Department of Environmental, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

There are no underground storage tanks, vessels, or pipelines at this site. All storage was above ground in a specifically designed containment berm and the containment berm operated as designed. The clean-up will be the first step in this process and once the site is clean, this will allow for a thorough investigation.

White Lake Township takes this event very seriously and public safety is our goal. Results may take some time but once the investigation is complete, we will share that information with the public.

The operation and licensing of the well is the responsibility of EGLE.

Thank you,

Rik Kowall, Supervisor

White Lake Township 

Young Road Explosion Update & Response 

Nov 2023

The following is a complete set of information about the recent gas explosion at the Young Road facility.  Several people in Lakewood Village contacted Rik Kowall, WLT Supervisor, EGLE from the State of Michigan, and Oakland County Health.  Our thanks go to Kathleen Crawford-Claes, Mike Zack, and Steve Woodard (LVIA Board) for their initiative and diligence in finding out the facts of this event.

The summary of facts at this time are:

• There is a large crude oil storage tank on the north end of the site.  Apparently, it exploded and caught fire.  The spillage was contained in the containment berm, which was designed to contain catastrophic events such as this, and it did its job.

• The fire and resulting explosions occurred at the tank containment area. The well was not in operation at the time of the incident and has not been damaged.

• A blanket of foam was used to smother the fire.  The foam is a new foam and does not have PFAS in it like used to be the case many years ago.

• Oakland County Health Department Environmental Health Chief of Special Programs Mark Hansel is aware of the concerns, and they were notified today the foam used by firefighters DOES NOT contain PFAS.  They are continuing to look into long term monitoring from EGLE.

• The lower portions of the liner (below fluid levels in the containment) are intact and holding fluids.

• The incident will not require the well to be plugged and abandoned.

• There has been no indication of surface water impacts.

• The operator, Hound Resources, began mobilizing equipment on Saturday, November 25th, to begin removal of fluids and to address the potential environmental impacts associated with the incident.

• Hound Resources will be responsible for all environmental work needed at the location and has already begun cleanup operations.

• The tank battery location will undergo complete remediation with confirmation samples being collected to verify that the area meets regulatory standards.

• If Hound Resources does plan on producing the well again, they will have submitted facility plans and receive approval from the Oil, Gas, and Minerals Division (OGMD) of EGLE prior to rebuilding the facility. 

Detail

The following reports are from conversations with Rik Kowall, WLT Supervisor, Jason Stilger, EGLE, Chloe Morey, EGLE, and Mark Hason, Oakland County Health. 

Update from Supervisor Kowall

November 24 at approximately 10:23 P.M. there was an explosion at the Young Road oil well. The White Lake Fire Department is working in conjunction with the State of Michigan to investigate the event. More information will be released as soon as it becomes available.

From: Stilger, Jason (EGLE)

To: Mike Zack, LVIA

Thank you for reaching out and assisting your community with information gathering. Please see my responses below:

1. Did the explosion happen at the well head or at the oil storage tanks in the containment area?

The fire and resulting explosions occurred at the tank containment area. The well was not in operation at the time of the incident and has not been damaged.

2. Will this require the owner to plug the well and abandon?

The incident will not require the well to be plugged and abandoned. The tank battery and equipment will need to be demolished, remediated, and waste properly disposed. It will be an economic decision for Hound Resources to move forward with rebuilding the facility for future production. If Hound Resources does plan on producing the well again, they will have submitted facility plans and receive approval from the Oil, Gas, and Minerals Division (OGMD) of EGLE prior to rebuilding the facility.

3. If abandonment is required will any original residual well drilling cuttings from the containment pit be removed.  I am sure there is a lined pit there somewhere.

At this time, no plans on well abandonment have been disclosed to EGLE. The OGMD does have location documentation for the containment pit and will ensure the operator follows regulatory requirements if plugging occurs.

4. Adam stated that the system has a dual liner system for secondary containment.  Was that damaged?

As the investigation moves forward, there appears to be some discrepancy on the dual liner/tertiary system for the containment area. The top portion of the liner was heavily damaged in the fire, but it appears that the lower portions of the liner (below fluid levels in the containment) are intact and holding fluids. As fluids and equipment continue to be removed, we will be able to further investigate the condition of the remaining liner and/or tertiary system. 

5. Is the owner conducting any immediate cleanup of debris?

The operator, Hound Resources, began mobilizing equipment on Saturday, November 25th, to begin removal of fluids and to address the potential environmental impacts associated with the incident. Hound Resources have recently changed their cleanup contractor to address the remediation at a faster pace.

6. Do you think a soil, surface water, and/or groundwater investigation for residual chemicals is warranted?

The tank battery location will undergo complete remediation with confirmation samples being collected to verify that the area meets regulatory standards. Additionally, the secondary containment area has three existing monitoring wells to monitor groundwater quality at the containment area. These wells can be utilized to verify that no impacts are a result of the incident. Additional soil and groundwater investigation may be warranted based on site conditions we encounter during the remediation phase.

There has been no indication of surface water impacts. There were very minimal impacts observed immediately adjacent to the containment area, but there have been no observed impacts outside of the fenced compound. I was on location today and inspected the wetlands and surface water south of the facility and found no observed impact from the incident.

7. Since the property as we know it has changed hands many times would the current property owner complete any environmental work if needed or would the State use its contractors to conduct any work?

Hound Resources will be responsible for all environmental work needed at the location and has already begun cleanup operations. The OGMD will continue to work with the contractor to ensure the cleanup, sampling, and testing requirements are done to the satisfaction of the department.

Please reach out with any additional or follow-up questions.

Thank you,

Jason Stilger

Area Geologist

Oil, Gas, and Minerals Division

Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Jason,

Thank you for your thorough detailed response.  I look forward to any additional information you can provide in the upcoming weeks as to the progress of Hound’s cleanup actions.

Kind Regards,

Mike Zack

MAHLE Industries Inc.

Steve Woodard’s notes from a phone call with Rik Kowall on 11/28/23 @ 9:17a

SW: Please confirm, is the facility an oil well or a gas well or something else?

RK: The facility is an oil well, however, on a deep well it is quite common to also have an amount of methane gas that comes out as well.  They have ways of managing that aspect of it.

SW: Do we know what the cause of the explosion was?

RK:  No, at this point it is like a plane crash, after the fire was extinguished, the site needs to be stabilized and cleaned up before the investigation into the cause begins.  It could be quite some time before it will be known what the cause was.  EGLE, ATF, Oakland County, WLT Fire Department and the owners will all be involved in the investigation.

SW: What burned?

RK:  There is a large crude oil storage tank on the north end of the site.  Apparently, it exploded and caught fire.  The spillage was contained in the containment berm, which was designed to contain catastrophic events such as this, and it did its job.

SW:  Was foam used to extinguish the fire?

RK:  Yes.  A blanket of foam was used to smother the fire.  The foam is a new foam and does not have PFAS in it like used to be the case many years ago.

SW:  Is EGLE involved?

RK: Yes, they were notified immediately of the explosion and the fire.  They have been on site and are overseeing the cleanup and will be involved throughout the entire process.  The owners (Hound Resources) Oakland County and the ATF agency are also involved. 

SW: Was there an underground container?  Was the explosion underground?

RK:  No, the news about the underground container explosion was something the TV News reported, but that was false.

SW:  Lakewood Village is very concerned about contamination of the groundwater and the lakes from this event.  What is happening to abate any possible contamination?

RK:  It appears that the containment berm at the facility did its job containing the contents of the exploded oil tank.  Everything was above ground, there is little evidence of groundwater contamination from the explosion.  EGLE is on site to make sure it is cleaned up to minimize any surface runoff.

SW: Will you continue to provide updates on WLT Facebook?

RK:  Yes, as the information on the effort progresses, he will post updates on Facebook.

From Kathleen Crawford-Claes
 

I hope the following helps to calm some concerns anyway as it did for me.

I have made multiple calls to multiple different agencies regarding my concerns about water contamination from the recent explosion. I was concerned as I work in healthcare and know clean drinking water is vital.  Here is what I was able to find out along with my sources from where the information was gathered:

I contacted Oakland County health department environmental health spoke with chief of special programs Mark Hansel they are aware of the concerns, and they were notified today the foam used by firefighters DOES NOT contain PFOS they are continuing to look into long term monitoring from EGLE.

I spoke with representative from EGLE - Chloe Morey who gave resources to report concerns about water contamination.  Chloe gave me the website to report drinking water/other water contamination concerns which is found through google - office of clean water advocate where a form can be completed for notification/update

on water results/findings.

On that same website was a number to call for the pollution emergency alert system (PEAS) I called that number and was forwarded to EGLE “disaster” site professional individual Jason Stilger.  He reported initial indications as sent out by city notification shows that the oil/brine in the containment system (which is an impermeable liner) did its job in containment.  He also reports there was damage done to the well but there are multiple monitoring wells near the tanks that check and monitor ground water immediately around those tanks and those wells have been sampling the ground water 2x/year since the facility was built and those monitors do not show any contamination at the present time.

In regard to firefighter foam, he reported to me yes, they did use foam to put the oil fire out however all canisters used were left at site which show no PFOS was in the foam they used. They are following up with the companies that make the foam used to further look into what the foam used contains, quantities used etc. the fire chief from Oakland county notified me if any oil did happen to get into the system (which is highly doubtful at this time but unknown long term) an individual would be able to see and smell the oil in the water.

EGLE will be continuing to monitor ground water for contamination and will be continuing to look more into the Foam used by firefighters to see if any of the components in that foam would or could be problematic as time goes on. Individuals can have their drinking water tested if wanted but all reports from all individuals spoken with currently report no contamination would be present at this time if any it would be later.  Water testing for PFO’s can be done on a county level but to do water testing for VOC’s that would have to be done on a state level as it requires special equipment that the state lab would be able to test for not the county lab.

END OF REPORT