*>EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency How to Comment You may comment on the proposed draft permits during the hearing (see page two) or by email. Please refer to Ottawa County Landfill, Inc. draft permit numbers MI-13 9-11-0007 and MI-139-1I-0008 Email your comments to: Allan Batka U.S. EPA, Water Division UIC Section (WP-16J) 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3590 Email: batka.allan@epa.gov Phone: 312-353-7316 If you do not have access to email, please contact Allan Batka for instructions on how to comment. Comment Period EPA will accept email comments until midnight July 29, 2021. You may see the draft permits at http://go.usa.gov/3JwFP. If you have problems viewing the permits, contact Allan Batka by email. Administrative Record To request review of Administrative Record files, contact Allan Batka (see above). Right to Appeal You have the right to appeal any final permit decision if you make an official comment during the comment period or participate in a public hearing. The first appeal must be made to the Environmental Appeals Board. The final decision can be appealed in federal court only after all agency review procedures have been exhausted. To learn more about EPA's Underground Injection Control program, or to join our mailing list visit http://go.usa.gov/3JwFP EPA to Hold Public Hearing on Two Underground Injection Permits Ottawa County Landfill, Inc. Ottawa County, Michigan June 2021 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to issue permits for two Class I non-hazardous injection wells to Ottawa County Landfill, Inc., of Coopersville, Michigan. Before EPA makes a final decision, the Agency is providing the public an opportunity to comment on the draft permits (see left-hand box on how to comment). Ottawa County Landfill, Inc., currently owns and operates Ottawa County Farms Landfill and is proposing to construct two injection wells for the disposal of non-hazardous landfill leachate. The facilty is located between 60th and 68th Avenues and south of Garfield Road, in Ottawa County, Michigan. Liquid waste will be injected 4490 feet below the ground surface into these rock formations: Trenton, Black River, Prairie du Chien Group, Trempealeau Formation, Franconia Formation Galesville Formation, Eau Claire Formation, and Mount Simon Sandstone. Federal law requires all Class I wells be built in a way that protects drinking water supplies.1 That means waste must be injected into a rock formation beneath the lowermost formation containing an underground drinking water source. All Class I wells shall be cased and cemented to prevent the movement of fluids into or between underground sources of drinking water. Map shows location of the proposed injection wells in Ottawa County, Michigan. 'Injection wells must meet the regulatory criteria of 40 Code of Federal Regulations, or C.F.R., sections 124,144,146, and 147; and the Safe Drinking Water Act, or SDWA. To view these regulations and laws, see https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/regulations. ------- Site Geology: The injection zone is the Trenton, Black River, Prairie du Chien Group, Trempealeau Formation, Franconia Formation, Galesville Formation, Eau Claire Formation, and Mount Simon Sandstone from 4490 feet to 7300 feet below the surface. The immediate overlying confining zone is the Utica Shale. Additional adequate confining layers exist between the injection zone and the base of the lowermost Underground Source of Drinking Water. Area of Review (AOR): The AOR is the area within a two-mile radius of the proposed injection wells. EPA analyzed the AOR to identify wells that might allow fluid to move out of the injection zone. In the AOR for the proposed wells, there are 0 producing, 0 injection, 0 temporarily abandoned, 0 plugged and abandoned, and 0 other wells that penetrate the confining zone. Maximum Injection Pressure: EPA set an injection pressure limit that will prevent the injection formation from fracturing. The proposed maximum injection pressure for this well is limited to 1102 pounds per square inch. Financial Assurance: Ottawa County Landfill, Inc. has demonstrated adequate financial resources to close, plug and abandon the underground injection wells. Ottawa County Landfill, Inc. has established a State Bond to cover these costs at the amount of $129,500. Virtual Public Hearing Due to significant public interest, EPA will be conducting a virtual public hearing. Date: Monday, July 26, 2021 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM To join the virtual public hearing via telephone, call (800) 305-3182, Conference ID # 4562264 To view EPA documents relevant to the draft permits and virtual public hearing, visit: http://go.usa.gov/3JwFP From 6:00 to 7:30 PM, there will be a virtual public meeting; EPA representatives will give a brief presentation and answer questions. The virtual hearing will be held from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. The hearing is an opportunity for you to comment orally on the draft permits; EPA will listen but not respond to comments. EPA has extended the original deadline of January 27, 2021, for public comments to July 29, 2021. EPA will later issue a written Response to Comment addressing significant comments received during the original and extended draft permit comment period. Submit your comments in writing via email to: Allan Batka U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 5 Email: batka.allan@epa.gov ------- |