The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has agreed to try a plan proposed by Barry County Drain Commissioner Jim Dull, and if he can make it work, it will satisfy a DEQ requirement to replace some of the wetland area lost by excessive tree removal in the Little Thornapple River Drain two years ago.
Dull proposes using Barry County Jail inmates to remediate a quarter acre of wetlands by
hand in areas that heavy machinery can’t access.
The latest overall plan to restore the drain area submitted by Aaron Snell of Streamside Ecological Services included the “test” program and drew a positive response from DEQ officials, Snell said. They agreed with the outlines and asked for details, he said. The state office had rejected two plans before the last submission.
Dull is confident the plan will work, with inmates promised by Barry County Sheriff Dar
Leaf for work on weekends. Dull and Snell plan to identify the test areas to be
remediated and start work by the end of the month.
If it doesn’t work, it’s on to Plan B, which is more complicated, and will require
“purchasing credits” of $30,000 an acre, or a total of $45,000, for remediation of
one and one half acres in the Ionia State Game Area to satisfy the replacement of the
wetlands. The
The $45,000 is like a promissory note, or money in escrow; it won’t be used if the remediation is successful, Dull said. “It’s a good workable option, and is better than having to get a petition. It’s better than doing a special assessment.”
“I don’t want the people to think this is the end of it,” he said. “There is still in-stream work and previously agreed to wetland restoration.”//
The Little Thornapple River Intercounty Drain Drainage Board updated the public on the status of settlement discussions with the DEQ at a Wednesday meeting.
Board members are Chair Brady Harrington, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and commissioners Jim Dull from Barry County, Robert Rose from Ionia County and Ken Yonker from Kent County.
