The DEQ, supported by its partners from the City of Detroit's Department of Environmental Affairs, Wayne County's Economic Development Growth Engine, the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, the Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority, and the Community Environmental Team participants have developed a comprehensive program to identify and remediate abandoned gas station sites in Detroit.  As part of this program, the DEQ applied for and was awarded two U.S. EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grants for Petroleum Sites in 2008.  These two grants, totalling $220,000 are being matched with $44,000 in additional state funds and in-kind work by DEQ.  Both sites are former gas stations, the former John's Tire located at 665 E. Philadelphia Street (NW corner of Oakland) and the Samuel B. Jolly station located at 3445 W. Warren Avenue (SE corner of 24th).  The properties had tax reverted to the State of Michigan in the 1990s and are now owned by the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority.  The Land Bank intends to sell these properties now that the tanks have been removed and the sites have been cleaned up.  The city of Detroit's Builiding Safety and Engineering was critical in assisting the DEQ by eliminating safety hazards and demolishing the unsafe structure at the former John's Tire in the Fall of 2007.
The DEQ assigned project managers to the project in August 2008.  A Community Relations Plan was developed and the Analysis of Cleanup Alternatives was completed in November 2008 (see links below).  A public meeting was held at Cadillac Place, Room L450, on April 9, 2009.  Copies of the Administrative Record are located at Cadillac Place and the Duffield Branch of the Detroit Public Library.  Mannik and Smith Group is the state's primary environmental contractor, which developed the bid specifications and performed oversight of the construction and removal of tanks and contaminated soil at the sites during the first two weeks of October 2009.  The on-site work is completed at both properties.  If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Ron Smedley, Brownfield Redevelopment Coordinator, Michigan Department of Envirnomental Quality, Remediation and Redevelopment Division, P.O. Box 30426, Lansing, MI 48909, or by email at smedleyr@michigan.gov, or phone at 517-373-4805.