Aerial view of the Detroit Bulk Storage spill area (Courtesy of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy)
On Nov. 26, 2019, a portion of the Detroit River shoreline collapsed. The property, located at 5851 W. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit, houses Detroit Bulk Storage. The company uses the shoreline property to receive, store, and ship limestone aggregate. A massive pile of limestone approximately 40 feet high was being stored on the shoreline, causing the shoreline to collapse. At the same time, the collapse of the long contaminated site caused the upstream and downstream release of metals, PCBs, and petroleum byproducts into the Detroit River.
The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center provided legal support to Council-member Castañeda-López and the team of community organizations involved in drafting the ordinance, which would regulate industries storing materials along the shoreline, preventing the collapse of other docks that could pose a risk to the safety of our waters and those that rely on them. Detroit City Council will be holding a final vote on the Detroit River Protection Ordinance tomorrow, September 28, 2021 at 10am.
We encourage all concerned with the health of the Great Lakes and the communities relying on them to join the Detroit City Council meeting virtually through the link below.