Judge Shelton's April 6, 2009, Order lays out the schedule for addressing the proposed change to expand the Prohibition Zone to include the Evergreen Plume and allow that portion to spread at up to 2800 ppb instead of cleaning it up to 85 ppb or less.
The shocker in his order is that he removed the Public Comment that the DEQ had insisted be present. The DEQ indicates that they want the Public Comment (and associated Public Meeting and Public Hearing) back into the order, but the judge may not agree.
It is ironic that after months of secret negotiations with Pall/Gelman without public knowledge or participation, the DEQ now claims to see the importance of public input. Apparently the judge does not.
Why is public participation especially important on this issue?
The 1,4-dioxane contamination in the Evergreen area may be heading in a different direction than Pall/Gelman would like. Some of it may be heading towards Barton Pond where Ann Arbor gets 80% of its water for 150,000 people.
Technical experts at the DEQ, from Washtenaw County, and from the community have pointed out several flaws in Pall/Gelman's analysis of the groundwater flow in the area.
Even if the chance of reaching Barton Pond is small, it is foolish to allow so much dioxane to spread unremediated at up to 2800 ppb. Besides the Ann Arbor water intake being threatened, there are numerous private wells in the potential pathway if the plume meanders to Barton Pond. Where will people get clean water if the pollution migrates there?
Write letters to the editor of local papers and online news sources, call local talk radio, make your concerns know in blogs and on twitter. Stop the backsliding that this matter represents.
For more understanding of the threat, view this video of the Thursday, December 4, 2008 Ann Arbor Environmental Commission Meeting - Special Presentation - Video (~20 minutes)