Help Save our Water and Fleming Creek.
In the summer of 2020, Mid Michigan Materials purchased the Vella Pit from a small family operator active at that location in Ann Arbor Township since the 1960s. It’s located in the heart of the Fleming Creekshed - one of our most fragile ecosystems. You can learn more about the affected area here.
On May 3rd, 2023 - Mid Michigan Materials submitted a Water Withdrawal Application to
EGLE to increase their withdrawal from 2.0 million to 4.8 million gallons per day.
In the 11th hour, MMM decided to withdraw their permit application rather than have it denied 😢. This is due to the overwhelming response and hard work by the community! 🎉
On September 6, 2023 Ann Arbor Township motioned that MMM is in violation of at least 13 conditions of their local permit and ordinances and has vowed to take “Emergency Action”.
On September 14, 2023 EGLE cited MMM with more violations, including Part 31, Part 91, Part 301, Part 303 and Part 327.
“Mid Michigan Materials is intentionally pumping water out to lower the groundwater level in its pit to facilitate mining, and there’s “no question” that is responsible for the drying of nearby wells, according to Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy spokesperson Scott Dean.” -source
See who has already been affected.
This interactive map shows some of the many wells that have already gone dry or been impacted by the rapid dewatering activities in the area. You can click on any icon to see what the impact has been.
If your well has been impacted, and you’d like to be added to the map, please email us at saveannarborwells@gmail.com
If you are concerned and would like to have your well checked, you can contact Ann Arbor Well Drilling, Mike’s Well & Pump Service, Cribley Drilling Company, Brown Drilling Company, or any other local well or drilling company.
Make sure to report any well or water related issues to Ann Arbor Township with this link.
The Impact On Our Ecosystem
Mid Michigan Materials Township permit is for a closed loop mining process and, per the data they provided to EGLE, they have conceded that they have already been dewatering up to 4 million gallons per day since 2021 and dumping up to 13.56 tons of mining sludge into the protected wetlands, neighboring lake, and Fleming Creek.
Video taken August 28th, 2023.
July 2023
July 2023
How does this affect us?
Increase in water usage has affected our wells and is depleting the aquifer. Residents are being impacted and it can get worse as the aquifer is overdrawn.
Our lower aquifers for wells are known to contain arsenic, which is hazardous to our health, plants, farms, and livestock. As the main aquifer gets depleted, it increases the chance of tapping into the lower aquifers.
Loss of property value and tax revenue. Numerous studies show that this type of mining dramatically depresses property values for miles around due to accompanying noise, dust, potential water quality problems, and overall lowering of the quality of life in the area. Values drop from 5% as far away as 3 miles and as much as 35% within 1/2 mile.
Since 2021, traffic and noise pollution has increased dramatically as the number of 45-ton trucks has gone up by over 400%. Approval to use taxpayer dollars to fix Earhart Road in excess of $40,000 was granted on July 20, 2023 by Ann Arbor Township Board of Trustees.
Gravel and sand mines are widely known to cause deadly health issues. Until recently, the dangers created by crystalline silica dust weren't fully understood. As mining activity ramps up, an increase of silica dust could affect our community.
Environmental impacts can be devastating. Discharge and runoff from the mine has already altered Massey Lake, which flows to Fleming Creek. Testing by the Huron River Watershed Council is currently underway. The dewatering process could also affect soil quality. As the water table lowers, it could lead to the drying out of the soil, affecting its structure, fertility, and potential land subsidence (the sinking of land).
Biodiversity Loss and surface pond depletion. As the water table is lowered by increased mining activity, surface ponds can dry up or reduce in size. Sediment and pollutants can also be introduced in the process, which degrades overall water quality, create barrier to fish migration and disrupt natural ecology.
Spread the word and
attend Township Meetings
What can we do right now?
Next Ann Arbor Township Board of Trustees Meeting:
Monday, October 16th, 2023 @ 7:30 pm
In order to accommodate more in-person attendance, this meeting will be held at the Towsley Auditorium in the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48105. You can register to attend via Zoom or sign up for public comments here.
Responsible Mining and Land Use: A Geologist’s Perspective
A talk with Mike Wilczynski, CPG, of Pangea Environmental LLC about zoning, land use and responsible mining.
Like Mike?! Then click below to watch him inform the Ann Arbor Township Planning Commission about the:
Multiple State Environmental Violations found at the Vella Pit
FAQs
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To put it in perspective, the City of Ann Arbor supplies water to approximately 125,000 people and has an average day demand of 14 million gallons per day.
So, the permit request is for approximately 34% of the amount of water the entire City of Ann Arbor uses in an average day for its residents.
(source)
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The State of Michigan has it posted on-line here.
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Working side-by-side with partners at local, regional, state and federal levels, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) safeguards our state's environment while supporting the economic growth and development crucial for Michigan's future.
According to January 3rd, 2022 Article in the Detroit Free Press:
“In Michigan, if a company asks to pollute more, regulators generally say yes. Only 11 permit requests statewide have been rejected by EGLE over the past seven years, according to agency records obtained by the Free Press through the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. Over the same time period, more than 1,700 pollution permits were approved that are still active.”
Note that Ajax Paving, who is mentioned in the article, was at the Trustee Board meeting on July 20th, 2020 when the Township was voting on the Conditional Use Permit for the Vella Pit and Rob Wilson from MMM said:
”… each of their three companies had the legal name AMC. The owner of Ajax Materials Corporation also owned Mid-Michigan Materials. Each of their operations was doing business as Mid-Michigan Materials. Ajax Materials Corporation was a separately held entity.Trustee Allison understood that Ajax was a major construction company of roads, and asked about Ajax’s relationship as a customer of Mid-Michigan. Mr. Wilson said that Ajax would be a customer of AMC/WSG, although he could not define them as a “primary” customer. All trucks, including Ajax trucks, would adhere to Class B road standards. Based on that limitation, Ajax would have to decide if it made sense to purchase materials from AMC/WSG.”
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The presentation and assessment given to Ann Arbor Township residents on July 17th, 2023 is posted on-line here.
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You can download it here.
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You can download the Site Plan for the Vella Pit here.
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None that we are aware of that meet the standards for the required permits.
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None that we are aware of, but other studies (by the Upjohn Institute and others) have predicted up to a 35% decline in property values near a mine and haul routes.
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According to their website, they are affiliated with Dan’s Excavating Inc., Great Lakes Aggregates LLC, and AJAX Paving.
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A single $2000 fee at time of permit application, and that's it.
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We asked EGLE and they told us.
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Mike Wilczynski, Certified Professional Geologist for Pangea Environmental, LLC, has over 40 years of experience throughout the U.S., Canada, and Colombia, South America. He was also Senior Geologist with Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality and has been an adjunct instructor of geology at several colleges. Wilczynski emphasized the need for local control and oversight of gravel mines in order to protect the land, water, wetlands, wildlife, and other environmental aspects we treasure.
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Yes. Jennifer Colin, Jason Morgan and Sue Shink all attended the Ann Arbor Township Trustee Board meeting on July 20th.
Utilizing a PowerPoint presentation on the Zoom screen, Mr. Wilson gave a brief history and overview of Mid-Michigan Materials, a family-run company established in 1952.
Mid-Michigan considered themselves an environmental leader, and had received environmental awards for the last 3 years. They were a safety-first organization.
— ANN ARBOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES MINUTES OF MEETING – MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020