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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 17, 2025
Lisa Kruse, EGLE Senior Environmental Quality Analyst, KruseL@Michigan.gov,
989-370-1424
Mike Kroll, Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, KrollM2@Michigan.gov
Josef Greenberg, EGLE Spokesperson, GreenbergJ@Michigan.gov, 517-897-4965
EGLE to provide additional $26.5M for Grayling Township municipal water extension projects
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD) will provide an additional funding source of $26.5 million for portions of the Grayling Township Water Extension Projects.
The funding, announced Jan. 7 at the Camp Grayling Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meeting, was obtained by Gaylord District Remediation and Redevelopment Division staff and is specifically appropriated for the following projects:
- Engineering and construction costs to connect all residents, regardless of PFAS levels, in Area 5 of the Grayling Township water extension project totaling $6.1 million. Area 5 includes areas south of M-72 that cannot be directly attributed to a known PFAS source and is not proven to be linked to the Grayling Army Airfield PFAS plumes.
- Engineering and construction costs to connect all residents, regardless of PFAS levels, in Area 6 of the Grayling Township water extension project totaling $14.3 million. Area 6 includes areas north (upgradient) of the airfield that cannot be attributed to a known PFAS source and is not proven to be linked to the Grayling Army Airfield PFAS plumes.
- Construction cost difference between 2024 estimates and bids received by Grayling Township for Grayling Township water extension project Areas 1 and 2 totaling $6.1 million. Areas 1 and 2 are located directly south and east of the Grayling Army Airfield and include the most significant impacts.
This EGLE RRD funding source adds to a $25 million EGLE Water Infrastructure Funding and Financing Section appropriated grant that made the start of the project possible. This grant was split into 2 funding pieces: $3.6 Million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and $21.4 from bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Emerging Contaminants in Small and Disadvantaged Communities.
The Army National Guard (ARNG) is pursuing an additional request of $50 million to fund additional connections for residents downgradient of known PFAS impacts.
The Grayling Township municipal water extension project, as detailed in this map, is intended to provide safe drinking water to PFAS-affected residences in the Grayling Army Airfield and Camp Grayling – Lake Margrethe MPART investigation areas. EGLE has given all residential and commercial well owners in the investigation areas the opportunity to be sampled since PFAS was found at the Grayling Army Airfield in 2017.
Of 763 total private wells sampled by EGLE in the Grayling Army Airfield MPART investigation area, 88 results exceed Michigan drinking water maximum contaminant levels for PFAS and an additional 311 results have detections of one or more regulated PFAS, as detailed in this map. All homes with detected PFAS concentrations were provided point-of-use filter installations and 6-month replacement cartridges by the health department as an interim remedy. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) also offered annual resampling to affected homes to explore long-term data trends. Long-term results have been consistent.
Grayling Township expects the water main extension project to begin in February 2025. The township also is conducting additional engineering analysis on extensions to affected residents in the Camp Grayling – Lake Margrethe MPART investigation area.
EGLE and its partners expect to conduct additional outreach to residents in Areas 5 and 6 of the water main extension projects later this year. This will be conducted similarly to spring 2024 outreach to residents in Areas 1 and 2 to explain the long-term solution, benefits of connecting to municipal water, grant covered connection costs, and specifications of the grant, such as abandonment of private wells upon connection.
This project is possible with the partnership between the MPART, EGLE, DHHS, DHD10, Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, ARNG, Grayling Township, and the Camp Grayling Restoration Advisory Board.
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