Reps. Law, Meisner, Sak, Bieda, Anderson, Vagnozzi, Jamnick, Paletko, Gillard, Elkins, Hopgood, Farrah, Plakas, O'Neil, Accavitti, Acciavatti, Adamini, Brandenburg, Brown, Clack, Condino, Dennis, Ehardt, Gieleghem, Hunter, Kolb, Lipsey, Minore, Murphy, Phillips, Sheltrown, Stallworth, Tobocman, Waters and Zelenko offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 84.
A resolution to urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency to take immediate action to remove hazardous and toxic waste from Grassy Island.
Whereas, Grassy Island lies in the Detroit River, 1 kilometer east of Wyandotte. The island has an area of 29 hectares surrounded by 93 hectares of shoal; and
Whereas, Grassy Island has been under federal control since 1843. In 1959, the United States Army Corps of Engineers began to dispose of polluted dredged material from the Rouge River on 300 acres surrounding Grassy Island; and
Whereas, On August 3, 1961, the Congress of the United States enacted legislation to create the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge in the lower Detroit River, and this refuge included Grassy Island and surrounding shoals. The establishment of the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge reduced the disposal area for the dredged material to 72 acres; and
Whereas, On August 15, 1999, the United States Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, conducted a comprehensive survey of the contaminated material dumped on Grassy Island. The survey revealed concentrations of metals and organic compounds on the island and in the surrounding shoal that exceed United States Environmental Protection Agency limits; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency to take immediate action to remove the hazardous and toxic waste from Grassy Island; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.