Harbor Island coal cleanup finished, Grand Haven officials mark major milestone

GRAND HAVEN — The long-awaited first phase of coal cleanup on Grand Haven’s 11-acre Harbor Island is complete, according to city officials. 

This initial phase marks a significant milestone in the long-term project to correct the industrial past of the site.

Work carried out over the summer and into the fall by Lansing-based TL Contracting Inc. resulted in the excavation and removal of contaminated materials on the site, according to a city news release. 

The coal and coal-impacted soils were transported to a licensed landfill, following excavation plans. Environmental consulting group HDR Inc. has supported the city on the long-term project.    

“This cleanup represents real progress in restoring and protecting Harbor Island,” said Derek Gajdos, project management director for the city. “We’re proud of the strong collaboration that made this possible and are excited to move ahead into the next phase of the project.”    

Grand Haven City Council voted in March to allocate $673,300 for TL Contracting to remove the remaining coal pile on the former factory site. Ultimately, the removal effort was completed under budget, only costing about $623,000. 

The city paid separately for disposal at the licensed landfill, which cost another $162,000, Gajdos said.    

The area was historically used by the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power, which operated the now-demolished coal-fired J.B. Sims Plant on the island. Harbor Island, which is located in the Grand River, has sat undeveloped and contaminated since the J.B. Sims plant closed in 2020. It was demolished in 2021.

That same year, polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, were discovered in the groundwater. The contamination on the island, which is also home to soccer fields, a boat launch and Linear Park, has for years been an ongoing topic and concern for residents. 

Complex contamination 

Although the former coal pile area is cleared, the removal of the coal pile was just the beginning.

Polluted groundwater still remains on the site and the city is now shifting focus to address more complex, lingering environmental issues on Harbor Island, including PFAS and coal combustion residuals.   

PFAS are a group of manmade chemicals that have been used globally in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. Coal combustion residuals, or CCRs, commonly known as coal ash, are the byproducts of burning coal and can contain contaminants such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

Both have been discovered at the site, prompting concerns over potential pollution of waterways, groundwater and air. That led to a significant public pushback against earlier development plans for the island and an investigation by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, according to previous media reports.

A previously announced $2.5 million from the state’s 2023-24 budget was allocated to pay for remediation of lingering contamination, excluding the coal pile, at the site. The Grand Haven Board of Light and Power also set aside $16 million of its $38 million 2023-24 budget for remediation of contamination other than coal.

City staff are now working to collect additional data that will support the remediation of PFAS and CCR, leading into next year.  

The city will host a town hall meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at Central Park Place, 421 Columbus Ave. The meeting will provide an update on the completed work and outline the next steps in the Harbor Island project.    

“Public input is a key part of the process, and the City of Grand Haven is here to keep everyone informed and involved along the way,” Gajdos said.

Political context, institutional conflict

The environmental cleanup effort unfolds against a backdrop of deep political division between the elected Grand Haven Board of Light and Power and the city council.

This conflict has been driven by previous allegations of misuse of public funds by the utility, a whistleblower complaint and accusations of a lack of transparency and “gatekeeping” of information within the BLP leadership.  

Investigation into these claims, which included allegations of a coordinated attempt by the BLP to delete email records related to a Freedom of Information Act request and that the utility pressured employees regarding a proposed charter amendment. 

Read More: Grand Haven BLP manager resigns amidst whistleblower, campaign finance allegations

The investigation found that the evidence did not support these most serious claims, concluding that no emails were deleted in response to the FOIA request and that allegations of employee pressure were unsubstantiated.  

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Power generation and management in Grand Haven was historically controlled by the city until a charter amendment was approved by voters in 1959 to establish a separately elected board of directors. At the time, the city operated a diesel generation plant on Harbor Avenue and was constructing a coal-burning power plant on Harbor Island, which opened in 1960. 

In late 2023, voters rejected the proposed charter amendment that would have changed the BLP from an independent, five-member elected board to a city-controlled department with a new, seven-person appointed board. 

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.