Sterling Schultz

I recently attended a meeting with between the Michigan Department of Veterans Affairs and environmental groups. These groups will figure out where the new Jacobetti facility will be constructed.

I want to make it perfectly clear that I am totally in favor of a new facility. Although the pictures and layout look great, the site they are leaning toward to construct the new home is unacceptable for many reasons.

Cliffs Dow opened in 1902 (by Cleveland Cliffs) to make pig iron from 1902-35. This site then became Cliffs Dow Chemical from 1935-68 then closing in 1969. This site sat idle until 1997 when the city of Marquette purchased the site for $1.

Records (show) that prior to the city’s purchase the 77-acre site was contaminated. The purchase agreement stated the buyer would be responsible for the clean-up of all chemical and other ground contaminants.

Various tests were performed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA said 77 wells were drilled at various depths to test for water pollutants. In 2011, trenching was performed and large portions of soil containing thick, black tar, old piping and various chemicals were discovered. Some of the chemicals found were: 1) Domethylhenol, 2) Methylnaphthalene, 3) Bezene, 4) Phenol and 5) Tetrachloroethnoe.

Officials said 854 tons of waste was extracted from this site and brought to an official dump site. Despite more clean up, a lot of these chemicals still exist on this site.

Controversy is abundantly associated with the Cliffs Dow site. Some comments from different people which were recorded through either T.V., radio, newspaper or meeting minutes from the committee meetings:

≤ 2018, North Wind: City Manager Angeli “Considering selling Dow despite contamination it should be for something like light industry.”

≤ July 29, 2019, T.V.: Angeli, intent to sell to Veridia to maybe build housing said, “It’s a site that really has purpose, no value to anybody else. It can’t be recreation site. So I think it’s the best way.”

≤ July 13, 2023, Sunny 101.9: Manager Karen Kovac proposed a land swap because the Jacobetti is run by the state and the City own Cliffs Dow. A swap is proposed that the City gives the State the contaminated Dow site and the Veterans Administration gives the city the old Jacobetti building. Suspicion has it that the existing Jacobetti may be contaminated so Kovac said of the swap, “We have to be careful, we don’t want to swap one contamined site for a worse contaminated site.”

Enough said. Controversy still exists over a known polluted site that has been vacant for decades. There’s been 120 years of testing and the site is still not cleared of contaminants.

≤ Dec. 16, 2019: Quote from former Cliffs-Dow, Project status update City of Marquette commission meeting Steve Harrington EGLE, “Redevelopment-Activities must include measures to contain /and/ or prevent exposure to contaminations.”

≤ Engineering controlled-to over it up: 1) Capping Contaminated Soil, 2) Vapor mitigation system (Active) and 3) Ground water mitigation barrier.

I realize the final decision has not been made, but in all three meetings, Dow is the main topic of discussion. How about other possible sites? There has not been much conversation about an alternate development site.

There is an old saying, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.” Let all readers come forward — Marquette County is the largest county in the State of Michigan and we can’t find a non-comtaminated site other than the Cliffs Dow Chemical.

One hundred twenty years have passed, and how many buildings have been constructed on that property. None, zero and the reason has been contamination.

Why would you put veterans at risk?

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sterling Schultz, who is a veteran, is a resident of Clarksburg.