Grand Haven launches dual effort to confront waterway pollution
Two major environmental projects are simultaneously underway in Grand Haven this week, addressing both the long-term contamination of Harbor Island and the immediate navigational needs of the Inner Harbor shipping channel.
GRAND HAVEN — Two major environmental projects are simultaneously underway in Grand Haven this week, addressing both the long-term contamination of Harbor Island and the immediate navigational needs of the Inner Harbor shipping channel.
The efforts involve a combination of federal and local agencies and are focused on managing pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, that trace back to decades of industrial use along the waterfront, according to a press release from the City of Grand Haven.
PFAS are a large group of human-made chemicals used in many products because they resist heat, water and oil. Known as "forever chemicals," they break down very slowly and can build up in the environment, animals and humans, leading to potential health concerns, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Examples include non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics and some food packaging.
Dredging operations navigate PFAS concerns
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is currently conducting maintenance dredging in the Grand Haven Inner Harbor, an operation essential to ensure the federal channel remains deep enough for commercial vessel traffic.
The $1.095 million contract, awarded to The King Co., Inc., of Holland, Michigan, involves removing an estimated 43,000 cubic yards of material from the channel.
The operation had been delayed this year as the Corps sought a Water Quality Certification from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which expressed concerns over potential contamination, including PFAS, in the Grand River sediment.
To move the project forward while protecting the ecosystem, the 2025 dredging is strategically avoiding areas identified in partnership with EGLE where testing suggested potentially elevated PFAS concentrations.
According to EGLE, the PFAS compounds tend to attach to silt and finer sediment rather than the granular sand, or shoaling, being removed. The areas being avoided are adjacent to known or suspected PFAS discharge sites on Harbor Island.
The dredged material is being placed at the Verplank Trucking Company property in Ferrysburg. The Corps is authorized to discharge decant water from the material back into state waters, a process that is being limited and monitored under EGLE’s water quality certifications.
Dredging, which typically occurs about every three years, is scheduled to conclude in early November, ahead of the mid-November date originally planned.
The Corps advised boaters to avoid the active work zone, which is marked with buoys and warning signs.
City launches six-month Harbor Island investigation
Meanwhile, the City of Grand Haven has initiated a multi-phase Remedial Investigation on Harbor Island, marking a significant step toward cleaning up the former J.B. Sims Generating Station site.
This critical investigation is designed to gather the precise data necessary to evaluate all cleanup alternatives, feasibility, and costs for the broader remediation process. The island is known to be contaminated by both PFAS and coal combustion residuals.
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Operating under an EGLE-approved Remedial Investigation Work Plan, the fieldwork began in September. The first phase, which involves construction and drill crews collecting samples across the island, is expected to continue over the next six months.
The city is committed to keeping the community informed about the progress, city officials said in a press release.
A town hall meeting is scheduled for 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. The focus of the meeting will be to update the public on the initial data collection results and preview the next steps for the project.
The public can find reports and additional information on the remediation effort on the project website, renewhaborisland.org.
— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
