Dear Governor Granholm,

Please intervene to halt the CMS/Beeland permit for an injection well in Alba. The
underground aquifers in the Alba area constitute the headwaters of some of Michigan’s most
pristine rivers, including the Jordan, Manistee and AuSable. Six different watersheds converge
in this area, covering most of northern Michigan. Injection wells have failed in the past. Surface
spills from storage tanks, truck accidents and flow lines can occur. And an Alba injection well
doesn’t even begin to solve the cleanup problem at Bay Harbor.
  Some points to consider:
1. The DEQ estimates that about 1 million gallons of ground and surface water flow through the
CKD buried at Bay Harbor each day. This water should be flowing into Lake Michigan. Instead,
it becomes toxic leachate which must be collected and transported out of the Little Traverse Bay
watershed for disposal. Shouldn’t the off-site disposal of millions of gallons of contaminated
ground and surface water be considered a major water diversion and a violation of the Great
Lakes Compact?
2. According to the DEQ, the current leachate collection efficiency rate at seep 2 (there are 4
identified seeps), is only 3 - 5%. If all the leachate currently entering Little Traverse Bay from
just this one seep were collected and transported off-site for disposal, it would require 250 - 500
tanker truck loads PER DAY.
3. According to Dr. Chris Grobbel’s environmental assessment study, the proposed leachate
truck route from Bay Harbor to Alba would cross over 20 coldwater and designated trout streams
and tributaries, and pass over 9 miles of sensitive wetlands. Even at the current proposed rate of
15 - 20 truck loads of heavy-metal laden leachate a day, for at least 10 years, the chances of an
accident or spill are high.
4. Please ask the DEQ and the EPA to protect the natural resources of Michigan and rescind the
permit. Lets not contaminate our rivers with Bay Harbor’s toxic waste. It does not solve the
problem at Bay Harbor, and in fact simply diverts efforts to finding a long term solution to the
pollution currently entering Lake Michigan.

Sincerely,

name _____________________________
address ___________________________
city/state/zip ________________________